There is a trail I ride often, its very beautiful, a gorgeous tree canopied three hour ride in the deep woods. At one particular spot, the trail is very narrow, dense on each side with vegetation, and I have never ridden there on any horse with any other people, that ALL the horses didn't get nutty. Tivar and my friend Sylvias older walking horse handle it best, hyper vigilant, blowy, Tivar wants to walk faster and stare to the left the whole time, like keep moving keep moving. Sylvias horse blows and snorts and wants to take off. The first time I rode thru there with stonewall he bolted sideways and sorta ran sideways about fifty yards then snorting and blowing continued on, wanting to go real fast. jaspar makes the marble in the nose sound and for him, spooks. he will jump a little at the least crack of a twig.
All of us wonder and speculate what it could be.We call it the spooky spot. I kinda think its maybe a place where a wild hog lives. There arent any smells or sounds that I've ever sensed. But one time my friend susan and I saw a GIANT set of footprints near there, like a huge dog or maybe a bear? a wolf? Today I rode Stonewall and he did a flat out complete refusal and when I demanded he go on, we were first, he crashed backwards into the bushes and did a half rear. He just would NOT go. I was about to get down and lead him when another rider went past and he fell in behind him. On the way back we were in second spot and the lead horse balked and refused to go and this time I kicked stonewall and he didnt want to, but he took the lead and we went on, with him tense, high headed and blowing the whole time. It is only about fifty yards. Should we go there one day and dismount and look around?? what if it is hogs or a bear... that wouldnt be good to be on the ground... Just thinking aloud.\Janice -- yipie tie yie yo
