TRAIL RIDING IN TEXAS: Collecting Up The Biscuit and Thunderstorms

Monday, July 11, 2011

Collecting Up The Biscuit and Thunderstorms - Day 1 of PowerPac Worming

I didn't ride yesterday because my leg was hurting and I thought it was best not to. The LeAnne's rode with the new lady at the barn, Allison, and I had to miss it! Her horse had never trail ridden before and they said he did a great job. Hopefully I will be able to ride with her soon.

I got to the barn at 6:50 AM and went down and got Biscuit. He was more than happy to go with me to get his bucket of feed! LeAnn P arrived and then Lee Anne B got there. I loaded up my tack into the trailer and we loaded up the horses and took off. We got to the park and pulled into the stables area. We tacked up and took off. Biscuit always gives the man hole a wide berth which is kinda funny. We went around the right side of the woods and LeAnn said my left stirrup was too short so I got off and adjusted it. I got back on and darn! I had dropped my crop so I had to get off and get back on but I did just fine.

We went around to the bayou area and a little later we heard thunder. We decided to head back for the stable and get under the eaves area until it quit thundering and lightening. It was a good time to practice Biscuit's jog so I collected him up, sat back, chin up and away we went. He did a fantastic job. He kept the pace for the most part, sometimes wanting to speed up, but mostly keeping the right pace. LeAnn said for me to keep my elbows at my side and later to relax them as I was holding them so STIFF! LOL

We got to the barn and put the horses under the eaves at first but there were wasps flying around. The horses were more than glad to eat the Bermuda grass. I was trying to get the radar on my phone but was unsuccessful. It was cloudy but not super dark. We called Kellie to look it up for us and it was a huge cell over Port Arthur. The long and short of it, it passed over and we mounted up and took off again. We were looking for LeAnn's sunglasses that she dropped. We went to the left instead of the right and rode the trail from that side.

We discussed different trail options we would like to see in the park. I spoke with Kenny yesterday and he said he'd be more than happy to cut us some trails with the 4 wheeler. We talked about maybe a work party of Rockin' R Riders to make nice trails and trim back overgrowth. Possibly have an obstacle trail - that would be absolutely awesome to build a trail for people to practice trail obstacles like a wooden bridge, gates to open, trees to got over, etc. We went around the entire woods and didn't find the sunglasses. We had stopped and looked at the bobwire fences in the woods and I told LeAnn I bet that is where we overlooked them. We went around again...looking closely at the sides thinking they may have bounced into the woods. We got around towards the back and lo and behold, right in the middle of the road and right where the big spider was and the bobwire fence was the glasses. Right where I said "DUCK....spiderweb!!" and had leaned over Biscuits left shoulder I missed the glasses and LeAnn probably couldn't see them because Biscuit's body was in the way! OMG we laughed at that.

We went on around the back curve and Biscuit was kind of stumbling and Lee Anne said "Denise, he pulled his boot off!" It was the left boot this time. I got off and put his boot back on. LeAnn said "he is so good...Remember Legato had a fit when her boot came off at McKinney Roughs!" Biscuit is a very good boy and the longer I have him the more I like him!

I walked him to a low spot and mounted up. It wasn't pretty but I got my backside up there!!! We decided to pick up the pace so from the back all the way to the stables I put Biscuit in a collected jog and he did fantastic. Head down for the most part (I bet he looked so pretty from the side!!!) and he kept a nice pace and even dropped it slower at parts which is the speed I am looking for. He has caught on to this so quickly and doesn't shake his head like the first time I did this with him. He has stopped that all together.

We got back to the trailers and gave them water - LeAnn got one of the triangle stand up water tanks for the trailer and wow! that is really handy. We rested and then loaded up and went back to the barn. I hosed Biscuit off and hosed down his bridle and reins. They were nasty and I hosed off his saddle pad. It was pretty nasty and soaked with sweat. I sprayed it with the nozzle on as hard as it would go and it got out quiet a bit of the sweat and dirt.

LeAnn helped me worm Biscuit - we started the 5 day pac of Wormers. He was a bit of a pill about it but LeAnn doesn't take "I don't want to" as an option. He was wormed whether he liked it or not!! We hauled him and Legato down the ranch road on the Gator and then we wormed Sarge. He was a little better about it thank God! Biscuit will be fine with it after this week because he is going to be wormed 5 days in a row. Hopefully, Sarge will kick these parasites for good and get better. I gave them all treats - Sarge deserved it. He was standing there with his head down pouting after we gave it to him. He was funny!