Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Or Luna's excellent adventure....
Sorry for the long title...I have been reading these posts with interest
about recovering lost horses and thanking God it has never happened to me.
Well, today it happened not to me, but to my niece with whom I was riding!
Almost the same thing!  We tried to ride down to a creek just off the trail
so the horses could drink (buggers didn't WANT to!) and she got off to lead
her mare up because it was soft and boggy in some spots.  Some brush or
branches on her belly or side (?) must have spooked her and she yanked the
rein out of Kristie's hand (thankfully she wears a vosal and not a bit and
Kristie had unhooked one side to make it a lead).  She trotted off, not
particularly worried and Kristie scrambled after her but we were already up
the bank and heading down the trail and didn't notice....well, the loose
rope spooked her and off she went into the state forest (thousands of acres
and some of the wildest country in the lower peninsula of Michigan) near
what is called the "Deadstream Swamp."  It is also the place where the DNR
dumps nuisance bears.  :)  She went off the trail into the woods and though
we thought we could chase her down and cut her off, she kicked it into high
gear and disappeared.
There were 6 of us in the ensuing search and of course, the majority of us
searched cross trails in the direction we had last seen her heading hoping
to pick up tracks.  Malik whinnied his silly head off and while I would like
to say he was calling her, he was calling ANYBODY....especially, the love of
his life, Dallas, the TWH mare Nelson was riding.  It was hot and humid and
miserable....I am sure the heat index was well over 100.  It felt like it.
My consolation was that I knew she would have water and forage if we
couldn't find her right away.  Nelson headed back the way we had come "just
in case" and we all made arrangements to search certain parts and meet back
at one particular spot that we all felt we could find easily.  This is only
the second time I have ridden this area and only one of us in the group
really was familiar with the trails at all (Rob Losey).
On this day,  I forgot my cell phone...in fact, three of us with cells
forgot them because we were only going out for a short jaunt.  Yeah, right.
Every lost horse story I ever read on RC was going through my mind.  The
adrenaline rush made me forget my sore shoulder and neck (from my tumble at
Hopkins Creek...the story which I never have posted...sorry).  At one point,
Malik stopped like a German Pointer staring straight into the trees...THERE,
our little chestnut Luna through the trees!!!  I called her name...and a
damn deer took off through the woods.  At least Malik doesn't spook at deer
anymore....when he knows they are there. I encountered no less than 3 piles
of bear poop and was able to hear the dogs out with the bear hunters
(training only!) as we rode.  It was so hot in my T-shirt, I took out my
knife and cut the sleeves off and a slit in the neck to let some air flow
in.  Menopause is bad enough and this was a hot flash to end all hot
flashes.  Then again, it was just HOT.  :)
Malik and I finally turned back and when he started picking up the pace and
pricking his ears forward, I thought perhaps his whinnying had paid off.
But it was sister, Mary on Badar who was following OUR tracks thinking it
was Luna.  Kristie was right behind her on foot...lucky for her, she is one
of the fittest people I know, running/jogging even when it's 90 degrees
out... for fitness!!  Sometimes, I'd like to smack her...but she refused to
ride double so I got off and walked a ways with her....I needed a stretch
anyway.
We met up with the rest of our group, Diana and Maddie on the trail but no
Losey on his mule, Annabelle (I know, I know, with an E) and no Nelson.  We
were discussing our plans on getting help and water out to us on the trail,
where we could camp to keep looking, who has a 4 wheeler, who to call to
keep an eye out, etc., etc.  when a little white motorcycle with a little
old fella in a white helmet (startlingly like a knight in shining armor)
started puttering our way in the distance.  We waved him down as he
approached and said, "We've lost a horse...." and before we could finish, he
replied, "No, you didn't.  I have her."  He got some of the biggest hugs and
kisses from Kristie...he gave her a ride back on his little motorcycle, too.
His name was Don Johnson, he was about 80, snappily dressed and still had
the church's Sunday offering in his pocket.  I am sure Kristie would have
gladly ridden off into the sunset with him as long as she had her mare back!
He informed her that he is THE Don Johnson, one and only original!  :)  I
doubt her own husband, Don, would have appreciated that though.  :)
As it turned out, Luna got back on the trail and headed back to Losey's
place but didn't take her turn on the right path and kept right on heading
into Moorestown, down the pavement.  Church was just letting out as she hit
town and someone was able to catch her with no trouble.  Nelson and Dallas
were right behind her having picked up her trail and found her reins but
when someone said they had her, he headed for Losey's for the truck and
trailer.  Not really a scratch on Luna....one hind leg has a sore
bump....maybe a branch or something banged her during her flight during the
woods or up the bank from the creek.  We don't know and it's nothing a few
days and hydrotherapy won't fix.
Rob's wife, Judy and Kristie came back and met us with buckets of water for
horses and jugs of water for people...we sure needed it.  Judy doesn't ride
with us which I feel badly about but I was glad she was available today and
we are thinking maybe she needs to be our "dispatch" in times of emergency!
:)
We were all thankful to finally get back and get water on our horses and
ourselves.  Losey grilled us some wonderful steaks while we relived that
story and many others for several hours.  A breeze finally gave us some
relief but Nelson and I were not going out again today!  We need a NAP!  :)
I think Kristie has earned her new Fakawi tribe nickname (we all had
suggestions) but I like Princess Slippery Fingers best.  This leads me to
some points I want to list and maybe others will have some suggestions to
add!!!!
1)  If you have a cell phone, carry it.  Dumb, dumb, dumb on our
parts...would have made things easier.  Even long range walkie talkies would
have been nice!  Oh, and on your person, not on your horse!!
2)  If you don't know the area, get a map from the local DNR, especially if
it's state land....a map would have helped us organize more quickly and not
end up following each other around!  Carry a compass if you don't know which
way is which!!  On your person!
3)  Know the number (helps if you have your cell phone) of your local
conservation officer, county sheriff, etc. to alert them to a loose horse
and maybe get some assistance in searching.
4)  Even if you THINK it's going to be a short ride and steak on the grill
is not that far in your future, take some snacks and something to drink!  I
did have iced tea (which was not iced for long) and my sister carried some
almonds with her.  Thank goodness!  Something for an emergency is soooo
smart...and being diabetic, I know better than to be without!!!
5)  Well, I know in rereading this, I will find a zillion more things to add
to this list.  I used to carry all kinds of things with me...tiny first aid
packet, plastic water bucket (would have been handy today!), nuts and jerky,
fly wipes, you name it, I had it!  Just when you figure you don't need it,
you will...at least I had my knife...I was glad to be able to get those
sleeves off!  :)  If you have any suggestions, please share them as well.
P.S.  The whinnying horse thing obviously didn't work for us as she headed
so far away from us, she never heard Malik!  She ended up at least 5 miles
away before she was caught....had she headed in the opposite direction, it
would have been a long time finding her!  Oh, and I think this might make a
great article for a horsey mag....has anyone ever seen one on this subject
before?  If you have had this experience and recovered your horse, how did
it happen and did you do anything to facilitate it yourself or did you get
lucky?  Can I use it if I decide to write an article?  It's just one of
those things that you never think will happen to you.  Talking about it and
sharing experiences and having a PLAN could sure make a big difference!
Anyway, hope you enjoyed Luna's excellent adventure... it sure could have
turned out differently and we are all thanking God and our lucky stars she
is safe and sound (pretty much!) tonight.
Maggie



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