Land Between Lakes Ky LONG

["guest@endurance.net" <guest@endurance.net>]

carla lawson robcarla@bellsouth.net
It was humid Monday morning and Haley and Ansata rested in the back yard. The Dodge hooked up and the trailer all nice and cleaned we loaded up drove to some friends house. There we had a nice breakfast of Egg and Sausage Souffle, Hash Browns, Ham, sausage or Bacon Biscuits and OJ! we headed out about 8:45 for the 1.5 hour drive to Land Between Lakes here in Kentucky. Had an easy trip. You know one of those "mmmm things are going to great!" I expected to hear from someone on the trip down that they couldn't make it to work and have to turn around. Fortunately THAT did not happen. I was on a mission here...to make it to LBL and try out my saddle. I rode 3 hours Sunday with a friend who wants me to sponsor her next year as a Junior. I am still out to lunch on that. I really like the saddle its the stirrups I wasn't sure about. 
We started on Trail 9,10 and 11. 
first thing the trails are decently marked. The map is confusing as hell. All the dots, dashes, sqiggley lines are EXTREMELY confusing. Perhaps they need to take some ideas from RM's. There Trail five goes round and round and round. All the trails make loops. It could be hours before you see something that makes sense. But any hooo.. Robert actually cantered for the first time in his life and actually was able to ride it comfortably. I looked back expecting to see him bouncing all over the place instead he has this big huge Grin on his face. I knew that he had it pinned. This was a very proud moment in his life and for me too! Ansata Spooked at every single mud puddle. I have never seen a horse do this sooo often. Even with other horses around. I was unseated several times almost to the point of actually making her stand in one and even back out! I just cannot get her to understand that MUDPUDDLES DO NOT BITE!!! we even had the QH roll backs in the middle of a good canter. I am seriously condsidering makeing barbed wire spurs!!!!(ARRRGHHHHH)
Some how,the kids,there were five of them got way ahead of us. The adults, 6 of us got hopelessly lost...and one of the kids found us. We managed to make it back after four hours of a great ride. We estimated we went about 15 miles. I believe it was longer due to the fact we cantered and trotted quite a bit. Also a foot note here to you folks that may be interested in the Buddy saddle by Abetta? it has a tendency to slide ALOT!! we had to stop about 5 to 6 times to readjust it. Plus if your kid has a tendency to look around you to see the front it slips even worse. It needs to connect lower on the girth to keep it from slidding. But it is an okay invention it has little stirrups that keeps the feet way out in front of the rider. they need to be down underneath the rider so they can get some grip. 
All was going to well for us. We ate and started to head home. Robert and I trailering in the rear. 1 1/2 mile out of Day camp back on the main Highway the water pump decides to go ka-plooey!
our convoy finally figures out something was wrong about 20 minutes after we pulled over.  Soooooo We rearranged horses and managed to get all of them on trailers. Robert and I decide to stay behind with our rig. I am paranoid what can I say? Well Rob decides to lets go down to this one area and sit awhile and wait. Okay sure noooo problem...till we start to get eaten alive by Skeeters!! Not Mosquitos mind you..we actually applied some repellant to our bodies and clothing. Sooo we head back to the trailer for refuge. We crawled up in the gooseneck part and snoozed till about 1:15 in the morning when our party returned with two diesel trucks and one with a flat bed to load the Dodge on. We finally got home at 3:30 in the morning. Our Cell phone fried in the saddle bags where Haley sweat thru them. We honestly were stranded till our Party could return to us. It was honestly the most relaxing day...I think all need to get stranded every now and then. Yeah we worried about the stores and things that could happen. We worried and cussed about the truck.. But laying there in the gooseneck watching fireflys, hearing whipporwills, owls and listening to crickets, feeling the temperature lower from the lake, curling up in a horse blanket and talking about what the future may hold..all because NOT A SINGLE SOUL could get intouch with us if their life depended on it. That was as close to heaven here on earth. Put the cell phones down and go ride a horse.
Carla ($225 poorer but a whole lot richer)
Ansata (come get me!)
Haley (come get me too!)
Rob (How can you relax???)
P.S. Saddle was great... stirrups suck gonna replace them with my EZ rides!!