Teetering on the Brink

Ever since I moved my old ex-Arabian, Tez to Bob's barn, I've gotten it in my head how cool it'd be to ride my horse home to my house, maybe let him "camp" for the weekend, then ride him back to the barn. It's only 4 miles one way, and last week I discovered a great dirt back-road that bypasses the long, paved-shoulder (slippery footing for horse) hill. Other than having no place to put said horse once he arrived at my house, the big obstacle has been my wimpy fear of riding across a major U.S. Highway to get there!

I keep reminding myself that I successfully, without death or injury, rode Tezlu across a 4-lane U.S. highway...TWICE, when I went trail riding with the barn manager's husband at the old Arabian barn we were at, but with age comes wimpiness. Never mind the stretch I'd have to cross has a clear view both directions of at least half a mile, so any cars approaching could be seen in plenty of time. Last night going home I deliberately drove across the intersection at 4 miles an hour and counted how many seconds it took...a whopping TEN seconds to cross!

So last night I took Quzqo for a calming, relaxing trail ride around the barn property, just enjoying the peeper frogs singing in the swamps and the birdsong and the setting sun. We made it around the fenceline but instead of turning left to go back to the barn, we turned right and headed south...towards the highway!

It's a good half mile to the highway, but we were in the field next to the road...had to approach and pass a large commercial cherry orchard, with SCARY metal tanks and wash tubs and hoses and things...he was fine 'til we came to a cherry tree STUMP...I swear, his neck arched, his butt
tucked, he began dancing in place, and I managed to get him to sidle past...until he saw the diesel fuel tank...JAM on the brakes, and a 180 degree spin down INTO a ditch right over a shrub and up again! I told him he was an idjit and got him past the fuel tank, I could feel his heart pounding even through the fenders of the saddle!

Next up was a HUGE fallen tree from eons past, maybe 3 feet in diameter, 15 feet long...Quzqo has "issues" with logs/poles lying on the ground, (I'll never forget the 10 minute battle I had trying to convince him that he could indeed walk past a power pole on the ground) Of course, he walked right by the tree without batting an eye, now apparently on a mission to get past this horrifying cherry orchard. To be truthful, I haven't ever ridden him up that way, I did drive him once, but obviously the blinkers hid all those horrors from his view.

The corner of the highway was loaded with power poles, stop signs, road signs, signs stuck in the ground advertising tree services, damp window services, snow plowing, etc. It was around 7:30 in the evening, still "rush hour" and I could see cars approaching both directions. Quzqo was dancing and wiggling and ready to GOGOGOGO on across the highway, he was all for it! Granted the closest car was 1/4 mile away, but my criteria for highway-crossing is NO vehicle in sight at all, so...we turned around and headed back, having gotten within 15 feet of the highway...a new record, for me!

Here's the odd part; Quzqo didn't WANT to go back, he wanted to keep going! He started draaaagggging along, shuffling, barely moving, kept stopping, and kept looking backwards towards the highway. We got halfway past the orchard, when he suddenly tried to pull to the left. Off in the distance I saw dozens of BEEHIVES! Just for an experiment I gave him his head, and he turned towards the beehives and started marching straight for 'em! I stopped that immediately and manhandled him back in the direction of the barn, and again he shuffled along, cranking his tail in irritation!

Okay...what's that about. Could he smell the honey? Was the bee buzzing attractive? Did he grow up with bees??? I used to ride Tezlu past the hives when they were on the edge of the orchard, and the smell of the honey was quite pervasive, but the horse never gave them any notice. But Quzqo was absolutely obsessed with heading towards the beehives!

One of these days maybe I'll indulge him...on a COLD day when the bees aren't busy, ha ha!

We made it back to the barn property, Bob's son-in-law was busy repairing the outdoor arena gate which had fallen off weeks ago...thank goodness for that! (they really need a different, lighter type of gate that wouldn't keep falling off its hinges all the time). I'm nice and distracted by pondering arena gates when Quzqo spies the DEADLY PINE BOUGH on the ground and JAMS on his brakes, ducks and spins to the right, I felt my butt leave the saddle but thankfully the pommel kept me on board and I got him back on the ground. Oh Noes, the Scary Pine Bough that was all of 12" long on the ground, Ohhhhhh Noooo! I had to ride him around it a few times, let him sniff it (he kept jerking his head back, jumping in place, snorting), until ultimately I rode him right over the thing and he was fine. Goofball.

So...maybe some warm Sunday morning when there's no traffic, I'll be brave and ride him across the highway and to my house... I found the perfect tree to tie him to, unless I rig up a picket line for him. He can graze in the side yard, I could eat lunch and relax, then have a nice ride back to the barn in the afternoon. It's a goal at any rate!

And of course if I can ride him home, I can also DRIVE him home, as that back dirt road is perfect for a cart as well!

Since I probably won't be showing this year, I gotta have some kind of goals to aim for, ha ha!