[RC] wildlife sightings (not including what comes and gos at the Odd fARm) - oddfarm
I don't have any real exciting stories but
encountering all the wildlife is half the reason we all ride, I do suspect.
The first time I galloped on my Dough Boy, (which
was also the first time since riding as a kid) I was going along a creek. I
heard the sound of wind rushing at a rather rhythmic pace only to look
beside us and watch an eagle flying right next to us over the water. His
wing span was almost as wide as my horse was long. He swooped down, got a fish
and flew off. If there hadn't been a chain link fence between us, I
could have reached out and touched those incredibly graceful wings! It
still brings a tear to my eye.
At Far Out Forest once, Dough Boy was trotting
along and then came to a dead standstill. He froze and I could see his heart
beat under my calf. I looked in the direction he was looking and saw a bear
standing on his back feet. I was terrified. So was Dough Boy. I thought
we would wait to see if he would run along but I really think Dough Boy was
stuck he was so scared. Then I asked him to move forward while I yelled at the
bear. I yelled and threw pretend rocks at him. Then after a few more steps Dough
Boy drew a deep breath. It wasn't a bear, silly horse! It was a burnt tree
trunk!!! We laughed and then felt kinda stupid {:-\ I swear, the bark
looked just like fur!!
I was galloping at Liberty Run early in the start
and several deer came flying out of nowhere. My mare Odie, never missed a beat.
The girls are sooo much smarter. I can't tell you though, how many times I have
screamed at deer to get out of the woods. They just give me the tail and run
off.
At Leatherwood, Loony Lance and I were going down
the trail when he stopped and started snorting. Loony Lance is NOT the horse I
want to be on when snorting is involved. I looked up the side of the mountain
and saw something move. Bobcat? Coyote? "Holy crap, I'm dead!", I thought. Then
out of nowhere this deer came sailing over our heads only to land real darn far
down the side of the mountain. I think he was screaming all the way down,
"Hooooly Craaaap, I'm Deeaaaad!!!!!". Better him than me. Just kidding!
Todd and I were rounding the corner at a trot and I
thought there was a dead dog on the trail. Just as I slowed Todd to a walk "it"
got up and ran like hell. Before Todd and I could react it was gone. It was a
pig the size of a German Shepard. No lie. Pigs and armadillos are the worst here
in Florida.
I think cows have scared all of my horses more than
anything else. The horses see them, poop every thirty seconds and loose 1 year
off their life span. Once when we camped at Ponce De Leon, a few of us gals were
outside chatting, the horses munching when we heard the trees rustle in a wooded
area. Immediately, all the horses snorted and flagged for danger. I felt a lump
in my throat. Whatever it was, it was real big. None of us could move or say
anything. Then all of a sudden we heard a low, long, "Maaaooooooo!" Stupid cows.
The horses dang near jumped out of their corrals and we all wet our pants.
When we got lost at Green Swamp the first time we
rode there, my daughter and I saw a panther. Well, we saw the tail, which was
very long and thick, as he ran into the woods. That was pretty exciting. We have
also seen otters on several occasions. They are real fun to watch! We did have a
water moccasin come out of the vet check area at the last Green Swamp Stomp. Who
knows how long he was lurking in the tall grass while horses and riders trotted
out?
At Big South Fork, we were walking the horses down
the road and my boy thought about kicking up some horse poop on the road.
Luckily, we realized that it was a rattle snake before the boy got too close.
Whew!
Just Monday, I was riding on our local trails which
are only about 1 1/2 miles from my house. There was a turtle trying to lay her
eggs right in the middle of a field. Every time she dropped an egg, those damn
crows came and ate it. I shushed them away but it was no use. So out on the
trail we went and saw a coyote. She wouldn't move and then we saw why. She had
two pups! We are right in the middle of city life so that stuff is exciting to
see.
Sometimes I feel like Steve Irwin out on the trail.
It is a challenge to see if you horse will stay long enough to hear you say,
"'Ave a look at that mate. Ain't she a 'beaut?" as the armadillo runs under your
horses legs!
Nature is a fabulous way to learn and be
entertained!
