wvhorse.com
Birdsong Trail Ride
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wvhorse.com Birdsong Trail Ride
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It was dark at the turn off toward Birdsong. We tanked up again and follow James down the highway looking for the trail
riding site. We missed it a couple of times and had to turn three trucks and trailers around. Sometimes it was just a U turn
in the highway. I was frantically studying the directions in the dim light. My problem is that I had put the request for directions
in the mailing address and was different from the camp. I was no help at all. It was so dark that we could not even read the
road signs. "Melani, we’re going to stop and Billie is going to get out and run over and read this sign," Sara called to us.
So three trucks and trailers stopped in the middle of the highway while Billie ran over to read. "No. That’s not it," Sara advised after Billie got back in the truck. After doing that one more time, we came to
a Shiloh Road. This place looked a little bit familiar to Sara. "This is it. We turn right here," she said. "I remember this
hill last time." "Come on, Eddie. This is it. I recognize this hill," Sara’s voice came from the CB as we sat on the highway debating
the decision. We followed slowly. I kept telling Eddie. "This can’t be it. It is the wrong direction." "Are you sure?" Eddie questioned. I was always the navigator and Eddie drove. As a child growing up, my Father took great
pains to teach me how to read a map. I was in 48 states and Canada and Mexico before I was 21 years old. After I married Eddie, we always got lost while I was driving. It wasn’t my fault though. When I would ask, "Which
way do we turn next?" He would answer, "Let me see now. Where are we?" as he peered at the map. I gave up years ago on his navigating abilities.
He just didn’t have the interest in paying attention to it. His talent was in driving anything with wheels, or tracks,
since he is an expert bulldozer operator. I always tell people, "He can draw your picture with a bulldozer." "No. I’m not sure of anything!" I admitted as Eddie wheeled the big truck and trailer to turn into the little road
turning to the left. Connie was right behind us. "Are you sure, Sara?" Eddie asked her. "Yes. We are sitting at the gate looking at the sign right now," she answered. That sounded pretty sure. I let out a deep sigh. We were there and it was after dark. We were all alive and well. Somebody came with parking instructions and soon we were backing the big rigs under trees to settle in for the night. "Howdy," called one of the men sitting beside his campsite as we sat in the truck waiting for a place to park. "Where are
you all from." "West Virginia." "What kind of horses do you ride?" the voice asked as we peered out of the truck trying to get a good look at the area. "Walking horses," Eddie said with only a hint of the pride we feel about them. "You won’t be riding with me then?" he said. "Why not," Eddie asked. "Cause I ride a quarter horse and I lead the slow ride," he reasoned. "Oh. Yeah. We do usually take the fast ride. See you later. I’m going to park this thing." James was backing Sara’s 28' trailer into Site Number 11. Sara and instructed, "James, you back my trailer in here
and we’ll have Eddie pull into his spot so we can have our awnings together." Sara usually pulls her trailer, but James
was with her this trip and he is a long-haul tractor trailer operator. So he got the job. "All right. Are you ready for me to pull in here?" Eddie asked James after they decided it was parked right. "Guys, we need the spacing to be just right. Becky says that her and Wanna Barrett have their trailers about 16 feet apart.
Can you get it 16 feet?’ I asked quickly. When these men were parked, there wasn’t much that could make them move
again. They got it a little too close and the awnings overlapped about a foot. "The rain will shoot over this way if that awning drains on this one and then comes off," James predicted. "Want me to move it over?" Eddie asked. "Nah. That’s ok. It will do," Sara agreed. No money or sign up was requested. We would take care of that in the morning. James, being Connie’s brother too, was assumed to be the driver to put Connie’s truck and trailer in position,
which was done quickly and efficiently. Connie took her husband’s little standardbred mare and put her in the barn number 4. Sara put her little mare and
Billie’s Davy in the lighted barn. "I’m just going to leave ours in the trailer for the night," Eddie said. I was relieves since I knew Teege would
be safe. At Land Between the Lakes my mare lay down at night and got both legs under the gate. I don’t know how long
she struggled, but I was horrified. She was a little bit skinned up but ok. Since then, I am uneasy in each new situation.
We’ll check it out later. "I think I’ll leave Big Silver in the trailer, too," Sara agreed. It was late now and I was glad to be settled into our new location with our home away from home. "I’m going to Wal-Mart. Do you all want to go," Sara asked. I bet Sara could find a Wal-Mart in the middle of the
Sahara Desert. "No. I’m tired. We will hang around here," I said. Vette and Wanda agreed to go and off they went in the Dodge. They came home with a truck load of stuff. Unfortunately,
the batteries she bought for the video camera were the wrong size. Let me tell you, leaving the horses in the trailer was a really big, big mistake. I am sure everybody in camp considered
it a foolish thing to do. At 3 am Sara went over and banged on James’ door and said, "Get up, James. Let’s take this horse and put him
in the stall." They jerked the beautiful prancing stallion across the field in the darkness and cross tied him in a stall. Eddie and I have slept like a baby many a night with my mare and his black stallion in the trailer. The problem was, we
didn’t bring Cody. We brought his eight-year-old son, Dusty, also a stallion. Dusty had never done much traveling and
he had never been on a week long ride like this. Actually, he had not been very much in his life. We had not owned the stallion
very long, but he was big and strong and friendly, if a little spirited. The big sorrel gelding was like his Daddy, his Granddaddy and his brother, which were all in our barn. He was madly in
love with my mare, who pretended to be hard to get. And she was because I wouldn’t allow it! Her temperament was even
at all times. When she was "in" she only got lovey and wanted to walk close enough to push them over the hill and off the
trail. She was never ill natured. I would not allow her to have a baby. I didn’t want anything to happen to her. I would say, "I don’t need a
colt. I need her. If I need a colt, I will go to Kentucky and buy one." She is so very precious to me. She is an excellent
horse in every aspect. I am not. I can’t ride everything I see, like Sara can. So I want her to last to be an old gray
mare and carry me until I no longer have a desire to ride. Dusty pawed. Dusty twisted. Dusty hollered. Dusty stomped. Dusty rocked the trailer all night. Every now and then Teege
would squeal at him to leave her alone and quit talking dirty to her. Eddie and I took turns muttering threats and yelling
"Quit it, Dusty." We were relieved when daylight came. Then it was our turn and we also jerked our horses across the field
and put them in the barn. "OH. There’s the bell for breakfast." On Tuesday, we just hung around camp. There were things to do. Like putting brakes on the dually. Late that evening, we decided we were not being fair to the horses, so we saddled up to ride around a little bit and loosen
up the horses. James went and got out the big silver stallion. He is not a great big man, but he can ride a great big horse. James also
puts shoes on all of Sara’s horses. Clouds were gathering as we continued to get the rigging on to ride the horses. Sara had her little silver mare out. Billie
never quite got Davy ready. Connie took her little standardbred mare. Eddie saddled Dusty, his stallion and I got Teege ready. Eddie led the horse out to the end of the barn and got on. I waited
until he was away and rode the mare the other direction. It began to sprinkle. All of the horses were wired. They paraded and strutted to show their high spirit and energy level. There was no lazy walk.
Everything pranced with arched necks and high steps. I rode by a group of people gathered up under an awning and called, "Something must be wrong with people who wait all day
and then saddle up when the rain starts." "Is everybody from West Virginia like that?" a man asked. "Every one of them," I answered as Teege turned and strutted back to meet Dusty. We rode around camp a little while and the drizzle increased. I finally told Eddie, "I’ve had enough. Let’s
put them back up." Eddie said, turning the sorrel stallion with the flax mane and tail around "Well. Let’s ride down to the end there
and back and we’ll go to the barn." "All right." I agreed and the horses strutted to the far end of the field. At that time, the rain came in earnest and began
to beat down on us. We rode quickly toward the barn. I was laughing all of the way. Teege rode up to the back of a white horse trailer, pulled
over to the side and stopped. I was puzzled. "What are you doing, Teege?" Then it occurred to me. She thought that was our old trailer and she always pulled up to the side for me to get off and
take the saddle off and put it in the trailer. We stood there in the rain. Dusty rode away. I laughed and told the man and
woman under the awning, "This looks like the trailer we used to have. She wanted me to get off." They smiled and gave me a questioning look. I am sure they had no idea what I was talking about. I urged Teege to the barn
and put her in the box stall. I unsaddled her and carried the heavy saddle and pad to the empty stall beside us. I couldn’t get the door open! I was standing in the downpour under the drip of the roof with a heavy western saddle.
I was getting drenched, but there were boards in front of the stall and the door wouldn’t open! I kept laughing and
ran down the aisle to another stall on the far side of where Eddie unsaddled Dusty. I threw the saddle across the divider
and put up the bridle. I could hear Connie and Billie laughing down the row of stalls as they, too, got sopping wet in the duck drowneder we were
experiencing. I was inspired as I listened to the joy they were having in difficult circumstances. These people are such fun. But we were all having fun. We were all laughing and having a big time. The other campers looked puzzled and shook their
heads at these crazy West Virginia trail riders. We walked back to the trailer and went inside to take off our dripping clothes and shoes. I jumped in for a quick shower and got dressed again. I gathered up the heavy, wet overalls and carried them into the trailer
Mud Room, usually called Stall Number 1, which has an outside escape door. The Feed Room is Stall Number 2, where the hay
and feed are stored. Saddle pads hang on the top of the stud divider (or more appropriately called, stuff divider) Stall Number
3 was for Dusty and Stall Number 4 for my mare. There. Now you realize why we pull this four horse trailer and only haul two
horses. If Keith and Zak decided to ride with us, we’ll clear out the first two stall and cram all of this other stuff
somewhere else. I sincerely hope we have to do that a lot. Connie and Billie were the first to ride. They saddled up and took off while the men installed brakes and Sara and I went
shopping at Wal-Mart again to get the correct batteries for her video camera. Pretty Girl was Connie’s husband’s little black standardbred mare. She was beautiful with a cute little face
and a big shock of bushy mane. She isn’t called Pretty Girl because she is, though. All of Johnny’s dogs, cats,
horses are called Pretty Girl or Pretty Boy. They have other names, but nobody uses those. I don’t even know what her
name is. Connie has a great big black walking gelding. She loves him like I love Teege. Ransom can do no wrong. He rules the roost.
He is loose in the yard and other horses are confined to the stall. Connie really doesn’t want to ride anything else. "If Johnny brings in a horse that is mean to Ransom, it’s outta here!" Connie often says. The only problem at this
time is that Connie hasn’t been riding any and Ransom is not in shape for a week of riding. Johnny has been riding his
mare every week end and she is in really good shape, so she is brought for Connie’s trail riding. Being a very cautious rider, Connie is sometimes considered afraid. "I don’t want to go down that hill. It is too
steep," she might say. "Take it easy. Let’s go up the road instead of the trail." I do stuff like that myself. I don’t want this to be the only ride I take. I want to last to ride a long time. I
don’t want just a horse. I want this horse. Connie’s sister Sara will ride anything anywhere and she has. She has been thrown because a horse fell and she went
under the ice layer in the lake. Sara has ridden runaway horses and laid them down on their side three times in a single day.
Sara doesn’t get scared, she gets mad. Woe unto any horse that doesn’t mind her. Billie is so trusting and gullible that she believes anything Sara tells her. "Here, you can ride him, Billie. He won’t
do anything." And Billie climbs on and rides with a hearty laugh. She happily follows Sara anywhere without a care in the
world. Billie doesn’t always control the horse at all times. Davy got loose from her at Wal-Mart one time and ran around
the parking lot. Sara had to lead her stallion and try to catch Davy. Billie is always puzzled how that could happen. "I don’t get to ride very much because I work all of the time. I’m not going to miss anything this week," dark
haired Connie explains with her frequent smile as she leads the little mare to join the group. Billie mounts up on her big chestnut gelding. The blaze face horse is a wonderful ride, but Billie always says she is just
learning. She says. "I can ride real good. The very first time I went riding, I held the reins in one hand and everything. I rode
everywhere that way. But then I had to because the other hand had a death grip on the saddle horn." So carefree Billie and cautious Connie are left riding alone when Eddie has a blevins buckle corrode and he loses his stirrup.
James and Eddie return to came and leave the girls to enjoy the ride. Sara and I were leaving the parking lot in her dually when James and Eddie ride back out of the hills. more later......
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Wild, Wonderful West Virginia
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