Wednesday, July 2, 2025

It was great, until it wasn't

 

 Last Friday, Scott Pickering and I talked turtles. He had a three-legged turtle story. I said we try to sneak up on them at the turtle pond, but with the grass so tall and taking over the water, we haven't heard or seen one in long while. WELL! Today there was one in the grassy area 10' from the edge of the water. Neither the dogs nor the horses saw him. We couldn't tell which way he was headed, but we didn't mess with him/her. Go where you're going, turtle. Do what you're doing. It was awesome. That was the great part of the day. We left there with big smiles on our faces and sunshine in our hearts.

Five minutes later, things were not so fun. We headed up from the turtle pond and took a sideways, steep deer trail up to Indy's frog pond. Suddenly, Jupes was crow hopping like mad. Bees! Doggone it! I was trying to get his attention and get him to listen to me. I wanted him to run and get away from them. Instead he was trying to get them off him. I didn't see them or hear them. I was desperately trying to get his head up so we could get away from there. Lynn was up the hill a ways from me, but I could hear her yelling to get off. There was no way. One the landing was treacherous and full of downed limbs; two, tough to dismount when your legs are alternately wrapped around his belly or kicking to get him to move (forward, rather than up and down). I think I made the eight second ride. Anyway, he finally brought his head up to rub it against the tree directly in front of us (another reason why I was not considering getting off). I pulled for all I was worth and headed him up the hill. 

We ran toward where Lynn was just as Katie decided to come and help me. She ran toward us barking, but thankfully did not get close enough to get in the bees or kicked. Ziva missed them, too. When I slowed down near Lynn, she said, "Geez. You gotta get off up here." I looked down and my headstall was broken and only around Jupes' ears and neck. The rest of it was swinging free. I figure he broke it on the tree, but it could be why I could not get his head up--maybe I pulled so hard the leather ripped; it is old. Anyway, zero steering/head control.

I got off, pulled off a leather string I keep tied on my breast collar for emergencies or to tie something on with (like a my halter on a long ride, or my shirt on hot ride), and checked Jupiter while Lynn fixed my headstall. He let me just hold his head and rub and his ears. I checked all around, but there were no more bees on him. 

So this was the second time. Neither time did I see or hear any bees. This also isn't how he used to react to them. We have been in bees lots of times. We've both been stung. Usually I can get him to listen to me and run away. Both of these times he just stayed in place and crow hopped with his head down by his feet. So I asked Lynn whether she thought this was a new way of misbehaving or if there really were bees. She was stymied, too. I wasn't sure I saw any lumps or bumps that could have been stings. He's been so perfect that I although I am very diligent about watching, I think I just missed seeing the nests. 

Then we took off down the hill. I was in front and we turned to get off the excavator road to join our old trail. Jupes humped up again and started kicking out. I hurried and got him lined out and headed down the hill just as Lynn yelped and TC did some hopping. This time she not only saw a bee, it stung her on the cheek. I hollered for her to hurry up and get back on the excavated road with me. She's allergic. So she pulled out the liquid Benadryl from her pack and swigged some. She fished out some ice from her thermos and put it in a paper towel and road home holding it on her cheek. It was swollen and "twingy," she said, but no throat closing or scary reactions. Well that answered my bee/behavior question, I guess. 

We decided to just road ride down the hill, which makes for a boring and longer ride, but safe from active, hot bee nests. Our plan was to cut off once we reached the lower trail that we rode up without incident. But no Ziva. I'm calling and calling. Lynn said, "I'll bet she took the trail. She knows where she's going." I rode back up the road calling and whistling for her. I couldn't hear her "jingle-jangles." Lynn asked me if I just wanted to go ahead and ride down the trail. Not really. It's steep and if we hit bees, it will be disastrous (for me). lol When his head is on the ground, AND his butt is in the air, gravity will take over! Sheer will and legs like clamps are all that will keep me from being a projectile! And then where would he go? I don't want to think about it. But YES, let's go down the trail. 

Sure enough. There was Ziva looking at us like, "What? I'm right here." I did see one hole with bees circling it near the trail, but I moved Jupes out quickly and everyone was okay. We made it off the steep part without incident and then down the trail we had already ridden. Lynn's bite was swollen, but she was okay. 

Back at The Place, I gave Jupiter a thorough going over. Yep. Swollen patches where he got stung on the belly. Maybe a stinger hole on his nose. TC had a couple swollen places where he got it, too. Jupes did not do a good job of teaching TC how to run quickly away from them. Dang! Lynn said it seems too early for this many hot bee nests. But it has been the right kind of weather. . . 

We will have to plan for the bees next time, but once we were back in the truck we focused on the turtle joy.