Wild Horse Eating Turkeys = Balky, balky trail ride

Thanks to Marie for reading the entire saga. I've written a LOT! LOL.

We didn't get our lazy butts up early enough to ride on the 4th or the 5th. Its getting really, really hot these days - up in the 90's with terrible humidity and p.m. lightening storms.

I did sit out with the boys while the neighbors shot fireworks on the 4th. After a little startling, they were more worried about stealing each other's hay portions and why was mommy keeping on coming to the fence and talking baby talk (?!?). They went to a corner where they can see my neighbor who sits out on his porch and watches TV out there and watched TV with him as they usually do. Sigh.

Sunday morning I finally got up early enough to beat the heat somewhat. We got started on the trail by about 9:00. It took forever because I wore shorts and stuff to groom and saddle both horses and then went in to take off my completely sweat soaked clothes and put on jeans.

Saddling We worked on standing still for saddling. I fussed just a little at the beginning -- mean voice, "Whoa, stand!" He looked surprised and obeyed for about 3 seconds. After I got it loosely fastened, I walked around with my hand under the girth for awhile till he realized he wasn't going to get a carrot till he stopped. He's almost back to just doing the box step dance instead of circling. Gee, that only took 8 months. I used my English saddle and I was glad to be back in it. I feel like it puts me in a better position than the Western one I have. I have the cheating angled irons that help me keep my heels down. Love those.

Well everybody's shoes are loose and hooves are crapped out as its now time for new ones, so we clanked down the road and finally got on the trail. Dude was a little balky and tried to turn back to make the subdivision block, but crossed the ditch and went on the trail without any fuss. We headed for the woods path that goes along the creek and has a lot of shade. We trotted some, but mostly walked and stopped to drink gatoraide a lot. Usually we charge down the woods path and jump all the little ditches, but we walked sedately yesterday. At one point Dude just stopped. I thought he had fallen asleep or something, so I urged him on. I asked Ella if she thought he remembered seeing the s-n-a-k-e (Yes, I have to spell words that I don't want Dude to understand) on this path. Even when we saw it that time he trotted past where it had crossed the path and just snorted.

All of a sudden this wild turkey with a huge wingspan took off at the edge of the woods and away from us. Dude stopped, but didn't startle. Apparently Matt startled to the side as my daughter complained he hurt her leg (groin muscle, probably). Then, both horses got balky and stubborn. My daughter saw more turkeys in the path ahead. We couldn't even get the horses to walk over one of the ditches that we usually jump! I tried fussing and yelling and slapping and rein snapping to no avail. I finally got off and led them across the little ditch.

As soon as I got back on Dude started backing up again and then got into a kicking match with a fallen tree limb that he backed over. Stoopid. He also backed into Matt and my daughter and she screamed and cried. I fussed at Dude, "See what you did? You made the baby cry!!!" He and Matt were lined up in the heading home direction so he didn't care.

Much as I wanted to make them keep going I had to deal with the baby crying and the horses might be right that there might be a good reason not to continue down the path. I heard a gun or a fireworks go off at one point during the balking ordeal -- sounded far away, but who knows? Maybe somebody was lurking and shooting the turkeys out of season.

When we headed out of the woods, we had to hold them back. There was much balking again at the next turn away from home. Great, now they know the paths, but E got Matt to go so Dude followed.

The sides of the paths are all grown up with very tall grass now and Dude didn't want to go into the lane to the pond pasture, but he let Matt go first as bait. LOL.

When we finally had the horses going forward and not balking, my daughter started to balk, complaining of being hot and tired so it was a good time to turn for home.

Matt is so funny, he strides out and pulls ahead when we walk toward home every time. I have to jog Dude to catch up now and then. Dude jumped the ditch onto the road and only fussed a little on the landing - no buck. That was my only jump of the day. They walked sedately through the subdivision to the house, for which I'm grateful. At least they haven't lost that much of their training. They cool themselves out nicely.

I gave both boys good, good baths with shampoo. Dude had scratches from his fight with the tree limb. Stoopid. He needs bell boots on his rear feet so he can kick sticks better!!

Nobody got eaten so I guess it was a success. I just hate letting them get away with any balking. I know that will just make it harder the next time!!