ridecamp@endurance.net: Re: rides

Re: rides

Jane Sheppard (jane@deltanet.com)
Mon, 10 Feb 1997 19:51:36 -0800

Susan, excuse if I'm a little scattered right now, the baby has been
screaming all day.I was going to tell you about the water hunt ride. It
took place in Sunland in 92. We didn't have to look too far for water
because it had been a very wet year. To get to the start we had to cross
the river which was a torrent and we had to follow the leader or get stuck
in the quicksand. The pony danced around a lot at the start which went off
with a bang of a shotgun. We skirted the river by the bridge on a little
tiny trail that was in danger of slipping into the swirling wetness below.
Then it was a slippery muddy climb up, up , up , to the ridge of the
mountains which were still encased in the soft pillowy clouds of morning. I
was alone with Meggie the pony in this dream-like place, trying to keep the
trotting up and not to space out in the wierdness of it all. The drag rider
caught up to us and followed us down the 5 miles of fireroad to the river
and the first vet check. Passing through the vet check with good marks and
loading up on food and hay, we then ganged up with a delightful lady from
the Sunland area whose name escapes me. We began the adventure up trail
canyon , a one horse at a time trail, switchbacks and crossing over the now
extremely swollen stream. At one point Meggie the pony tried to cross the
stream but became stuck with her front legs straddling a log that was
submerged. I was screaming " We're going to die!" It was really scary. But
Meggie just said No way and then placed both front feet on top of this log
and jumped for the other shore. It was then a long climb up the switchbacks
and down into the valley behind. Another river, Oh, No ! More crossings, a
big ugly bog and Meggie was floundering around to try to get out. She
finally leaped for the running water of the river to get out of the muddy
soup we were stuck in and fell completely under the water. Boy, did she
come up spitting mad, ears back. It was the most exciting time of my life!
>From then on it was just safe fireroads to the second vet check, with
really back country wild flowers already in bloom. It was the greatest ride
of my life at the time and Meggie was such a fighter and go-getter. I love
this pony. Anyway, we finished on time and lived to tell another tale. Jane

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