Otters, Owls, Black Water, Hogs and Spiders

Kellie and I met out at Tyrrell Park Stables to ride Sunday morning.  I tacked him up and picked up his feet to clean them.  He wanted his foot back and ended up going on his knees because I didn't want to give up that foot.  I expected him to bust a gut but he calmly got back up.  What a silly boy.  I didn't put Biscuit's boot's on and I should have.  Kellie wanted to ride around to the Cattail Marsh gate because she thought there would be too much mud in the woods.  We got over there and the gate was locked.  We went to the end of the parking lot and tried to go around down a little ditch area.  It was over grown and the horses weren't too keen on going where they couldn't see their feet.  In the end, we got off and lead them through it.

Oh Black Water, Keep on Rolling, Mississippi Moon Wantcha Keep on Shinin' on Me.

Biscuit was tender on the rocks - poor guy but he made it.  We got over to the bayou and walked down beside it to the bridge.  The water was very dark...made me break out in the Doobie Brother's "Oh Black Waters Keep on Turning".  We crossed the bridge and stopped by the pipe to clean hooves and the water had a giant head of FOAM on it and was very dark and smelled horrible.  OMG it was nasty.

I mounted back up and we went left on the land bridge.  We went around the bridge and headed for the curve and just as we were getting to the curve and little animal darted out from the left and across the trail and up over the little dyke and into the water!   It was an otter!!!   OMG I wish I had had my camera out. 

We went around, down, and curved back to the back and were going down the trail and I did take out my FLIP video and was filming when Kellie said "look, there is an Owl!!!"  I filmed the owl and it was so neat!!!  We saw some sort of orange looking bird too, don't know what it was though.  Biscuit didn't want to turn around to go to the back and was just backing up...LOL what a silly boy.  We went down aways and about 75 yards ahead I saw a hog cross the trail, followed by about 5 young, half grown piglets.  OMG Biscuit was on high alert and we stopped as we heard them splash through the water.  Biscuit turned back towards Elan and then refused to go forward even after popping him with my rein.  Kellie was popping Elan and he lost all interest in moving forward!!!  The horses were so close together Kellie's water thingy was digging into my leg and we were laughing like idiots because it was just so funny how neither one of the horses were very brave today.  I finally had to get off and lead Biscuit...wienie!!!  I mounted when I came to the back of the trail where it curves and it is easy to mount right there. 

We rode across the little cement bridge and into the woods.  Biscuit wasn't really wanting to lead and I was in control of Spider Patrol.  I walked him up and was pulling down webs with him turned sideways.  He was refusing to turn and go on up the trail and I ended up backing him UP A HILL!!!  LOL what a goober.  I swatted lots of spiders, yelled DUCK to Kellie when I missed a spider, sometimes Elan had to go first because Biscuit was refusing and then he would go past Elan later.  GAAA!!!  A huge spider was on me and I slapped it off.  YUK!!!  He refused at a hog wallow...and I got off about 4 times to swat spiders and clear a path for Kellie.  We heard something in the brush that was pretty loud in the place where the LeAnn's said something was paralleling them on one of their rides....I forgot to tell Kellie that!!!  We finally came out on the other side.  We did some jogging today and Kellie was impressed with Biscuit's improvement.  He is getting so much better.  We went over the bridge, past the black nasty water, and down the side of Willow Bayou.  We jogged and trotted some and then went through the woods.

My Garmin didn't track...but I know the ride was at least 8.3 miles.