We met up with the riders in Winnie and we had quiet a caravan going! There were 8 trailers...Kenny, Randy & Kellie, Esther, Kent, Susan, James and Beverly, Lee Anne Potter with Lee Anne Brown and Krishna, and Barry and me. Red was sweating some when we got to Winnie. I made sure the windows were open and popped the back of the window down so it would force air into he trailer so he'd be comfortable. Woot!!! We drove up IH 10 to IH 45 and then up to Spring. Barry ran a stop sign...LOL and I think a few others did too and someone ran a red light. We got to the park at 7:35 or so and it didn't open til 8:00 AM. All of the women were about to BUST and thank God cousin Kellie had a bucket in her trailer. LOL I am laughing now but hey...it was a necessity at the time.....it is great to have a cousin with a bucket in the dressing room.
We finally get into the park and get unloaded. It was a rock road we parked on. Park looked nice. We are finally all saddled and ready to go and off we went. The entire trails were well groomed, wide and spacious and most of all, SHADED. OMG as hot as it was already the trails were cool and shady and just fabulous. Red was very forward and seemed to be a happy camper. We got down to a little creek crossing and Denise's mare, Miss Kitty, was having a cow about crossing. She was backing up, doing little rear ups, going sideways and Miss Kitty is usually a very willing girl! I told Red not to look. Most of the horses down there were having a fit about crossing. What a tie up! Barry took Sarge down and he gave Barry a little static but he went. I got Red down there and Red waded right in, got a drink....stood around gandering because it was a cool place to be. I dropped down my SHAM WOW ghetto fabulous cloth to cool Red off and soaked his neck. We went on up and he did a great job. I accidently slapped him with the cloth and he startled but that was it! We went around to the big creek or river whatever it is and Red was more than happy to wade in. He loves the water. He pawed it making a big splash. I soaked him down with my SHAM WOW - it does hold a lot of water and that is what I am interested in! We went up the embankment and he was trying to hump up and run up and I stopped him from acting like a goober but he cantered up a few strides and was extremely forward in motion. We went down quiet aways, walking thought HUGE spider webs. Turned and went back and back down to the creek. The creek is pretty darn wide and running pretty fast and the water is very cool. Red enjoys that. I soaked him again. We came back through the little creek and back to a big clearing and there were a number of trails to choose.
We went across a big concrete bridge and down some beautiful trails. We rounded back behind a subdivision and oh my...huge grasshoppers flying in the air like mosquito hawks. They were everywhere. During that small section is the only time Red stopped and really slowed down for about 100 yards or so. Then...it was on like donkey kong again. We trotted and trotted and trotted and he would have been cantering all over had I let him. Next time when there is less people and I know the trails we will canter.
We ate lunch at the trailer after taking Red's saddle off. He was sweating some - enough that he was comfortable. His neck under his mane was WET - not damp WET. Under his legs was sweaty wet...not damp, WET. I was thrilled. There was sweat under his saddle. OMG Thank you Jesus!!! It was HOT on the rocks even in the shade of the trailer. We ate with Denise, Kenny, Kent, Kellie and Randy. OMG we had a good time. Kellie said that was enough for her and I knew that it was just going to get hotter and didn't want to push Red too much and I was exhausted. I want to spend all day out there when it is cooler. Kellie and I are going to look for a place to camp over so we can ride two days in that park. It is gorgeous and just so darn nice!!! Loved it.
We loaded the boys up and they again, literally ran and jumped in the trailer. We hauled home down 1960 - Kellie was having a cow because of so many lights! Barry and I stopped in LaBelle to get gasoline and Red was sweating to beat the band!!!! Wootttttt!!!!!! His throat latch area was soaking wet to the almost dripping point. Neck, chest and shoulders were damp and I could see salt crystals right up by his mane!!!
I got him back to the barn and I rinsed him off with cool water and I could just see sweat washing away. That was such a relief. He had dropped in the washrack so when I got him into his stall while Edgar was putting the back stall door back on track, he dropped and let go. Poor guy was about to bust but he won't pee in the trailer...good boy! I took him into the paddock and he drank and drank out of his waterer.
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