Training ride at Ebenezer

Biscuit the Navigator of Ebenezer Park

EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking in Texas


Tuesday I went out to the ranch and loaded up the trailer with Lee Ann.  Saddles, bridles, pads, grooming tools, etc.  I was so excited Monday night I could hardly sleep!  Tuesday afternoon I went shopping and bought a fanny pack...omg I should NEVER wear a fanny pack but that is another story, and while I was at Academy I bought a new water bottle and carrier to attach to my saddle, some toilet paper from Coleman in little tiny rolls, sunglass holders that gaaaa DO NOT fit my sunglasses...and a first aid kit.  Then I trotted over to Tractor Supply to return my Justin Gypsy boots.  OMG my right boot's toe are came loose from the sole and I just bought them on January 21 of this year.  They should have lasted for YEARS.  I only wear them about 2 times a week and it isn't like I have abused them.  TS just said get another pair.  I bought a pair of Ariat riding/hiking shoes like The Lee Ann's wear.  I also got a new pair of socks, some pink Anti-Monkey Butt Powder (yes that is the name of it!) and three little LED flashlights.  One for me and one each for The LeAnns and I gave each one of them a roll of my toitie paper!!!  LOL  we have it "covered" now!

I got up early Wednesday, ran to Market Basket for new batteries for my Garmin to make sure they didn't die on the trail and got out to the barn.  Jaimie took me down to catch Biscuit and then I went and got Legato.  I fed both of them on the wash rack and unloaded my stuff out of the RAV and put the haybags I filled in front of the tack room on the ground - which Lee Ann later ran over and we thought that was hilarious.  She got there and we loaded up the horses and our food, water, drinks and headed for Ebenezer.  She went up to 255 off of 69....we got all the way to the dam and it was closed for repairs.  OMG we had to turn around and go into Jasper but not to 190 and take a right.  We came out by the curve on Hwy 63 and then up the lake.  We parked at #13 and unloaded the horses.  We ate lunch while the horses munched hay.

We finally tacked up with heart monitors and water bottles galore.  Ok...now comes the fanny packs with the two water bottles of frozen water that weigh a ton.  I told her I was going to be like "Maggie" on Run Away Bride when she falls over backwards when her fiance puts the backpack on her.   Ok...it weighs a ton so I ditch one bottle of water and some Fiber One Bars, the zinc oxide (which smells really bad!!!)  so I would be "lighter".  Ok...I finally mount up...girth is too loose...I dismount and retighten and remount.  Off we go...to the center of the "meet up" area and both horses stop.  Biscuit is like "ok...where are the other horses that are ALWAY RIGHT HERE!!!"  Lee Ann gets off of Legato and leads her into the woods at the front trail.  Biscuit is leading and we went a way down and the fanny pack is a PITA!!  It is moving, it is on the cantle which isn't too bad, it is heavy, it is unbalancing me.  When we got to the Beaver Pond I finally had to ditch it.  It is now a cantle pack.  We went behind the Beaver Pond and around it to a road.  The trail was very narrow and come in at a sharp angle to the road.   We made a sharp left and went down the road and finally crossed it at a tree with a ton of blue and striped ribbons.

We entered an area that had different topography than the other side of Ebenezer!  It looked more like Kisatchie.  We came to the area that had rocks and bridge pilings that The Lee Anns had crossed before.  

We crossed a little creek and let the horses drink...Legato slurps like a pro...there isn't a kid with a Slurpee that makes more noise than she does!  We made a few stops - once when my new water bottle flew off!!! 

We trotted quite a ways with me checking Biscuit's heart monitor.  The highest it got was around 135 and he IMMEDIATELY pulsed down on slowing/stopping.  I was so proud of my boy!  Legato did the same.  We checked out mileage several times and we kept going following tags and at one point, someone had tagged the ride with duct tape...there are a zillion uses for Duct Tape and I think this one was pretty good!  Duct Tape hangs in there!!  We were watching where we were going and hoping to find a circular trail back to the park but we instead, checked our Garmin's and were standing at a cross roads with trails going in all directions.  We tagged back to a way point and went southeast.  It was pretty cool finding our way using the compass and waypoints.  It was fun.  We headed back and got to the waypoint where the trail came in at a sharp angle and I told Lee Ann I was going to see if Biscuit would know where to turn and sure enough - he turned!  He has an amazing sense of direction which makes me feel better - if I ever get lost  I will let Biscuit has his head!!  We went towards the Beaver Pond and when we were behind it Biscuit went straight for it instead of following the trail.  He stopped himself about 20 feet in and looked around and turned himself around!  LOL  how funny is that?

We got off at the Beaver Pond to rest - my hips were starting to hurt some.  We got back on and started back.  We crossed Letney Road and then to the gravel road and went down about 15 feet and we decided to take the scenic route.  Biscuit wasn't happy about it - "The trailer is THAT way!!!"  LOL  we went into the woods and he was ok as we were going on the same heading.  Some deer bounded across the trail way up ahead and Biscuit had his eyes on them.

We went down stepping over logs and a little creek.   The trail went to the left and Biscuit went straight.  I said " Buddy - the trail goes that way" and he shook his head and said "the trailer is that way"   LOL  We took Biscuit's word for it and kept going.  LOL  Both trails would have got us back but the one to the left would have taken longer.  The trail we went on was rough but we make it and had a great time.  Biscuit was leading the way when we got to the park area and Biscuit cut his own trail to get to the park!  LOL he is such a funny little guy. 

We got to the park and took their tack off and talked to Loretta the park lady.  We fed the horses in the pens after giving them a bath and scraping them off.  We met some ladies from the Fort Worth area and then took showers.  We sat down and ate some dinner -  a Lunchable!!!

I had a blast riding up there - the scenery was gorgeous.  The ride was 13 miles and was simply a blast.  Biscuit is in pretty darn good shape - way better than when we went to McKinney Roughs!!!  We stopped at Lee Ann's pasture in Lumberton to feed Mike and Andy, her Halflingers - OMG they are darling!!  Way too cute for words!

We dropped our horses off and decided to clean the trailer on Thursday, which we did.  We discussed strategies for running endurance and I can't wait to go again!