lost horse update

[Rides 2 Far <rides2far@juno.com>]

Just got in the house at 10:30 PM from marking trails and looking for the
lost horse.  9 1/2 hours in the saddle, no sightings...  They found his
reins at a lake which would have been on his way back towards the camp,
but then we were marking trail 5 miles from there (in the other
direction) and came around the turn to a weird sight.  White flagging,
hanging from the trees, about 3' high as far as you could see.  This is a
rookie trail marking horse being ridden by one of the all time great
trail markers.  If any of you read my stories in Trail Blazer, it's the
same Russel that I wrote a story about marking trails based on.  However,
this is a new horse.  He was wearing a saddle with a staple gun, pie
plates, and rolls and rolls of flagging hooked on.  Apparently one of the
rolls on his breascollar had come unglued and begun to unroll down the
trail.  I can only imagine how fast he was running when he hit the end of
it.  It was good to see he was actually on a trail, and stayed on it when
he ran.

Met some kids on mountain bikes.  Told them about the horse and they said
they'd already heard about it on the radio.  I guess the ranger called it
in.

We're short of good horses who can get to the back parts of the mountain.
 Today when I was about 10 miles into my 25 miles Kaboot got a nasty cut
on his coronary band.  At first I thought it was just a nick, but before
long he began to rest it every time we stopped, and didn't want to trot.
It was still bleeding occasionally 6 hours later.  Doesn't look like a
puncture, just about a 1" cut in a sensitive place.  LONG trail. I think
I walked at least 5 miles of it, but the other rider gave me some
banamine, and since he'd been drinking well, it was swelling, and it was
touch and go whether we could get down the mountain without trotting I
gave it to him.  Either it kicked in in about an hour, or he just decided
he wanted to go home, because he picked up a trot.  Finally got down the
mountain just before dark.  NOT a trail where you want to get caught in
the dark.  I've gotta go soak a foot.

Angie 

________________________________________________________________
YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET!
Juno now offers FREE Internet Access!
Try it today - there's no risk!  For your FREE software, visit:
http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.