WHOA!

I think Lynn and Shirley bring me along for the entertainment value. After the rain and the "oh no!" quick, but strategic covering of the hay on Saturday, Sunday turned out to be a great day for riding--the weather is turning and the air was cool in the afternoon, so after Lynn's company left she called for us to come and get the boys. For fun we decided to do some bushwacking.

The grass was pretty dry and grasshoppers were in abundance. There were goat head stickers and hitchhiker burrs grabbing onto the horses legs. Bees seemed to be more pesky, too. All of the horses were doing some stamping of the feet and high stepping. Jupiter was in high spirits and feeling frisky.

We saw lots of big piles of bear scat--fresh ones full of berries and apples; so Lynn lead us through the briars and around the orchards in search of one. We did not see one until later in the ride. First we rode all over the trails to the east of the meadow. I gave Jupiter the benefit of the doubt most of the day and blamed that bees were bothering him--he wanted to run all out and buck and I don't know what all, because as I have said many times--ignorance is bliss; I just try to stay on. Thankfully most of the bucking episodes were uphill and thus easier to ride out and stop. I did have to pull him up short when he seemed like he might run smack into a tree!

We came out into the meadow from the woods and decided to see if we could find the north trail we rode once before. Then we heard the bear in the berries. We chased him into the woods where we caught sight of him a couple of times. He was small and cute. This is where we did some real bushwacking. The horses had vines tangled around their legs; they went through thick brush and we all had to duck through. Ziggy and Jupiter did really well; to some degree even better than Star who hates to have stuff touching him. They are becoming very good listeners and trusting not only themselves to make good decisions, but us too.

On the way back to the truck we crossed the meadow as usual. We went to the apples trees and the horses ate and slobbered down some ripe apples. Then we headed to the hill that leads out. Star was in the lead and then Ziggy and then us. They were kind of running--not a gallop, but a quick trot up the first hill. Jupes was pulling at the reins and his head to the side. I thought maybe he could smell or see something in the woods that I couldn't. Right as we got to the hard-packed, rutted road (believe me, I had a good look at it), he humped up and crow-hopped and threw his head down like he would buck. I don't know if he did or not. All I know is I yelled (I am not sure what--something like "STOP IT!" when I should have probably yelled, whoa or something else) and he stopped and stood still and looked back at me.

I did not go off. I don't think I even came out of my stirrups. BUT, I did come up on the horn and probably dug my knee into his neck. I knocked off my horn packs, so I know I came up under them and I have a huge bruise that is probably 5-6 inches long on the inside of my thigh. It's real pretty. But I did not go off! I saw that hard pack and thought I do not want to go off here! I do not want to start the new school year broken. I have been lucky and only gone off in the soft stuff of the trails--this would not have been a good place.

Lynn says Jupes will make me a good rider. Shirley says I am so lucky--Jupiter is an outstandingly good, young horse who listens and makes good decisions. I know they are right, but I think they enjoy watching the show we put on, too. So, blame it on the wind in the trees; blame on bees or stickers; blame it on Jupiter wanting to be in the front and not behind Star, I don't know. But we had a rodeo and I stayed on! Progress.