Never over estimate the loyalty of your horse

[fantasykiger]

or I am sure some would say the training. I went horse camping this past weekend and one day was quite and adventure . As it started off beautifully with some forest trails thru' the Sisters wilderness. We took my daughters new horse for the first time that she just purchased and I took the trusty 26yr old Morgan mare Mystie who has been trail riding and packing for the past 20 yrs of her life, 10 of that with me. We thought she could show this new horse the ropes. The new horse stuck to Mystie like glue. So on our first days ride after 3 miles we breaked for lunch just after crossing the Mackenzie hwy down in a ravine with shade and plenty of grass for the horses to munch on.
This where I intervine to say I made a stupid amature mistake and went trailriding for the day with no halter and lead rope.
Anyway no nevermind my trusty old mare would be fine I would use the rope reins and just wrap them around her neck and let her drag them while she muched on grass. She wouldn't go no where and my daughters horse was stuck to her like glue so my daughter just removed her horses bridle and let her graze.
Everyone ate lunch rested and all was well.
Until I decided it was time to go and Mystie decided I am leaving without you ..see ya' and took off. She ran up to the hwy and away she ran with new horse right beside her. Thank goodness for a kind family in a van that gave us a ride and followed the horses and a guy in a truck that eventually herded them over to the shoulder a mile and half down the road when they gave up the chase. No one got hurt and we got right back on the horses and rode them back and headed back down the trail.
I made a ton of simple mistakes but I have been riding this mare for a very long time on several campouts and hunting trips and what not this was a first for her and a last. I will never over estimate my horse and never make that mistake again with any horse.
By the way here we are on our second day of riding just happy to be back out hitting the trails. Notice this time around with the halter and leadrope.

[dara]

wow, i am sure glad nobody got hurt! This story is a good reminder. for sure. How was the weather up their, it was REALLY hot in the valley almost 100* here sunday.

[nrly]

wow tiffany am glad all was ok in the end, and in that picture yes I see you were prepared. as you said we made an amature mistake and we underestimated, but seems like maybe you both learned from it, human and horse. I too learn something new each day from my 4 legged friends...

[fantasykiger]

The weather has been great really. just sticking in the 80's just where I like it. Nice and sunny, of course we get the afternoon wind everyday. Still I can not complain.
As for as that incident goes my daughter says we only learn from our mistakes thankfully we only have to make them once, that and we wouldn't be human had we never made any.

[angelsdream]

Sounds like an interesting trip!! There's a guy we trail ride with, and bless his heart, stuff like that is always happening to him. There's never been a ride where something didn't happen. I think in his case it has to do with his energy level.

Glad all was well with you and the horse's. Everyday is a learning day and if we didn't make mistakes, then we wouldnt be learning I guess. I can recall some instances where when I look back now, WOW, surprised nothing happened!

Horse's will always surprise you - just when you think you have them figured out - BAM, they throw something at ya!!

[fantasykiger]

I would like to think I could learn alot from other peoples mistakes and not make so many of my own...LOL But sometimes we learn the hard way, when we think "naw, my horse would never do that".

[DianneC]

Kind of reminds me of all the stories about a "bomb-proof horse". A mile and a half, dang, get those two into endurance LOL.