HSB: Falling Trees

 It's hunting season, which means whatever remains of the home trails is only accessible from 10-2. It also means short days and lots of mud. None of this has left me feeling very creative about where to ride. Still, if we want to get out of the ring for more than 20 minutes, we have to trailer out. 

The weekend before Thanksgiving, Eryca and I met up for a ride. We decided to just head to Horseshoe Bend. It's the closest place that has well-maintained horse trails, and we know the park well. I hadn't ridden there since the 50 in August. It was Booger's turn and I was curious to see how she would do at this particular venue after doing a ride there.

That morning, I woke to the wind howling outside the bedroom window. I almost scrapped the ride entirely. Eryca and I decided to head up and just stick to the field on the north side of the park. 

We parked the rig and a man rolled up in a park truck. I recognized him as the trail master from the endurance ride. 

"Good afternoon, ladies. I'm the steward for the park," he introduced himself. For a moment I wondered if we weren't supposed to be there. I had checked the website for restrictions but nothing was posted. With a look of genuine concern, the steward warned, "Be careful of the trees." Oh, trust me, that is my newly discovered greatest fear.

"We plan to just ride the open fields," I assured him.

"I think that's a wise choice. Have fun."

I don't know if it's like this everywhere, but the ash borer crisis is very real here. Every other tree in the local forests is dead, and they often come down with little or no warning. The oak trees are also dying in vast numbers these days. (I'm sure the planet is fine.) Earlier this year, a friend of a friend was riding in the Alleghenies on a clear, quiet day. A tree came down as she was going past. It struck her and her horse on the way down. The horse was killed instantly. The rider suffered a broken jaw. I didn't know them, but I am even more twitchy about trees and windy days than I was to begin with (and I was already quite twitchy, TYVM.) 

We got the horses tacked up and headed out. Booger definitely remembered the endurance ride and was raring to go. This, of course, meant we did a lot of walking. She thought that was Stupid, but obliged. About two miles in she looked around as if to say, "Wait, I don't think there are any horses here to catch." Yes, chica. I told you so. After that she settled right down.

We made it out to the fields and looped around the edges, taking in the views as we went.

One of my favorite spots in the park.

And then, right after I took the last photo, our fears were realized. The horses actually felt it coming before we could hear anything. Even Lilly got frazzled, which is out of character. All of a sudden, every muscle in Booger's body tensed. Her head went up and I could feel her heart pounding through the saddle.

Then I heard the telltale creak and crack of a tree coming down. It was right next to us in the tree line. Luckily, we were just out of reach and the tree was falling parallel to us. Still, it made a ton of noise and it felt like it took forever to finish coming down. 

Booger got that rocket booster feeling as she gathered her haunches for flight. I thought she was going to leave (and she honestly would have been justified.)

"Easy, easy," I told her. "You're ok. It's ok..."

I was absolutely blown away when she planted her feet, let me turn her to face the falling tree, and stopped. She was quivering and definitely not relaxed, but she stayed. I was completely blown away by the fact that she chose to trust me in that moment. She was terrified in a way I have never felt her be before. Booger can be hot and bull headed. She can be reactive and sensitive. She has even been spooky in a silly Arabian way (that I mostly laugh off these days). But I have never seen her truly afraid. In fact, she's generally the braver of my two girls. I worked so hard with her as a youngster to have her turn to me whenever anything happened that she didn't like. To see it pay off like this was... well... worthy of an entire blog entry apparently.

After that, we were all running on adrenaline for a bit, and I did some breathing exercises as we walked to the bottom of the hill. 

We continued around the fields and did some trotting and cantering, but I don't think anyone was truly at ease after that. Booger was definitely flinchy about tree noises after that (and who could blame her?) 

Far away from trees.

When we got done circling the fields, Eryca and I decided that was quite enough adventure for one day and made a bee line through the woods, cantering to get out of the trees as fast as possible. Then we took the shortest route through the remaining fields and back to the trailer. 

At five and a quarter miles, this was the shortest ride we've done in recent memory, but we were satisfied with just getting out and enjoying the horses. I think this winter is going to be about going out and doing a lot of walking and brain work. Booger has gotten bold and reliable this year, but she has also learned that racing is a thing. I am thrilled that she's an endurance horse now, but I want her to stay sane above everything else. 

Back at the trailer, we untacked and gave the horses their snacks. Then we spent some time hand grazing them since the grass at home is completely gone. They definitely appreciated the special treat.

Then we packed it in and headed home, which is when we learned that the covered bridge is under construction and my favorite route to the barn is going to be closed indefinitely. Luckily, it was still open on this day and we didn't have any of my infamous navigational blunders, but we will not be going that way for a while. 

I think HSB is going to be my go to for local-ish trail riding. I miss the home trails fiercely, especially this time of year, but I am very grateful to have this park nearby. I think I would go stir crazy without it.