AUGUST COUNTY LINE
Its
hard to believe its August already, this summer sure has gone by fast.
The
last week of June found 35 of our members at Cook Forest in PA and what a week
we had. There was alot of mischief going on in camp. First thing right off there
was another flamingo snatching. LeeAnn's flamingo came up missing, and I think
the culprit got away with the theft, it was found the next morning. Next we had
a mule thief and a horse mail box snatching. Of course Dorothy Pugh got accused
of the mail box theft. She had to get her a lawyer cause she was going on trial
for the theft. She chose Ray Tidd to represent her and according to her turn out
to be a shyster lawyer and we still think was paid off. We had a mock trial one
night with judge and sheriff who arrested Dorothy for the theft. She sure did
some slick talking cause she got herself out of the whole thing, the group
wanted to hang her for the crime, since stealing a mail box was a federal
offense, even though the Dorothy claimed since it looked like a horse it wasn't
an official mail box and it didn't leave the camp site just got moved to the
back of the trailer. Then we had Dan Laughlin accused of stealing Dorothy's
mules, since she was accused of taking his horse mail box.
One
evening when 5 of us girls took a walk down the road and on the way back Dorothy
and the woman that owned the place where ahead of Joann, my daughter and I and
she was yelling at us to get up there right now,since she wasn't sounding real
upset we weren't in a real hurry to get up to them, then she yelled again and
she said she was serious, by this time it was very dark outside. Turns out they
heard some ruffling of leaves and growling and they didn't know what was out
there, so we finally got up to them and the noise had stopped, but Dorothy had
to get Joann's flashlight for a closer look, she saw the leaves move again and
thru a rock at what she thought was out there. Later when we got to the camp
fire it was confessed that it was Bob Piggett, Barbara Hoover and Dan Laughlin
in the woods trying to scare us. They were laying behind the brush making it
move and doing the sounds. Good thing Dorothy isn't a good shot cause she just
missed Bob's head by a little bit. Barbara Tidd had gotten back before us and
told them where we went and they took into action on their plan. And there are
bears there and it really could have been something out there.
Again
there was another attempted theft of LeeAnn's clothes from the shower by non
other then Dorothy, but she was caught in the act and the theft didn't take
place. While at lunch on 2 of the days Bill Hoover's boots came up missing while
he was in his hammock or more appropriately renamed the hay net.
He
called on Ranger Bob Piggett to help solve the mystery of the missing boots.
They were found both times the second time they were hanging in a nearby tree.
The case of the boots came before the court on the same night as the other
crimes. We either have some slick lawyers or some fast talking defendants cause
they all got off for their crimes.
Bill
wasn't taking his boots off again after the second disappearance.
We
also had some excitement on the trails as well. It was decided that we would
cross the river the second day since it was too high the first and about half
way across my Rocky decided he wanted to go snorkeling, he slipped on one of the
rocks and his head went clear under water, he was one mad boy, his ears were
back the rest of the way across the river and stayed that way part was down the
trail on the other side.
We
also had a nephew of one of the woman that came to join us later in the week
that fell off twice that day, first time wasn't far from camp, guess he was
hugging a tree as his saddle slipped, then later he decided he wanted to take a
swim, involuntarily of course, saddle slipped again and he went right in the
river about 2 ft from shore. I must say for someone who really didn't ride he
was a good sport about it.
The
first day out Sheila Laughlin's horse tried to negotiate crossing a tree and
since the horse is blind in one eye didn't choose the right way and she ended up
going over his head. She became the newest member of our elite
AAAAAIIIIIIIEEEEEUUUUUU group. This is an elite group that have done the Airborne
Equitation off their horses.
One
night we had some culprits that turned a few horses into polka dots. We were
seeing spots all day long the next day.
Also
about 3/4 of the way thru the last day Ray Tidd's horse got very dehydrated and
was tying up in the trail. Thank goodness someone had a banamine shot and it was
given to the horse right on the spot, we came back to camp and the trail boss
took her trailer and picked up the horse and his wife Barbara and her horse, the
vet was called and electrolytes were given and a sponge down. It took quite a
while but the horse got better. His heart was really thumping hard and he was in
a crisis situation.. Ray was also given a salt block for the horse and he licked
on that and drank water for a few hours and his heart slowly came back to
normal. It was sure a scare, but it had a happy ending.
Leigh
Ann also fell off her horse on the last day, she was bolted right out of the
saddle when her horse was trying to get her back feet out of a branch and she
raised her back end and off she went.
Luckily
none of the ones that fell off were hurt.
Overall
we all had a great time, we laughed so hard the night of the trial that we were
sore.
The
food was also very good and the hospitality was great.
The
first couple days were pretty warm but it cooled down some and was pleasant the
rest of the week, except for the brief thunder storm we had out on the trail one
day.
Hope
I haven't forgotten anything, so much went on it's hard to remember it all.
Upcoming
Rides for August are:
August
9-11 Salt Fork
August
16-18 East Fork
And
if enough people sign up an overnight bus trip to Kentucky Horse Park August
24-25
Caroline
Patterson