Sometimes we find adventure, sometimes it finds us. Today we were getting our gear together to go out birding and Geocaching when I spotted an animal roaming through the sage brush. I got out the binoculars and learned that it was a black horse with saddle and bridle running loose. I swept the binoculars back along the trail he was traveling expecting to see a hunter plodding along behind cussin’ and screaming at his horse. Nothing! I started out through the sagebrush on an intercept course and the horse and I came face to face. I pretended I was a horse whisperer and he pretended he was bored. I walked up and simply took hold of his dangling halter rope. I then urged him backwards until he took his back foot of the end of the rope. He had basically ground tethered himself.
Now what do I do? I now have a nice friendly saddle horse with saddle, bridle and halter rope. He is sweaty and covered with cheat grass seeds. I am craning my neck looking for the missing rider and nothing stirs. I lead him back the hundred yards to the campground loop road and call to Judy to find the camp host. The camp host arrives and after some difficulty gets hold of the Ranger, Jim Black on her cell phone. Before Jim can arrive I spot a lone rider with an extra horse in tow coming through the sage brush. I assumed this was the wrangler and he was trying to round up the Cayuses for the afternoon hunt. I lead the black horse back into the sage brush to meet them.
Well the story is a little more complicated than that, and not nearly as romantic. Keith and his wife are locals and were riding in the park. The horse I was holding had run toward them and then took a big detour around them and run on past. They shortly came upon a young lady equestrian who was dazed and had sore ribs and tailbone from getting thrown. Kieth’s wife was walking back with her and Keith was chasing the runaway horse.
I then walked the black horse over to the young lady’s trailer in the equestrian area of the park with Keith. Ranger Jim arrived about that time and he and Keith followed the trail out and rescued the young lady.
Soon Judy and I were back to our intended adventure. We picked up three geocaches, spotted a red tail hawk and a covey of quail. It was shirt sleeve weather hiking this afternoon, but it was a chilly 27 degrees when we got up. BurrÂ…
Well pard. If you need any wrangling done, don’t call Gary, O.K? A horse just won’t fit in my trailer.
Bye now, Gary and Judy
