Maeby's Big Day Out

Ever imagine a worst case scenario of what could happen to your horse?  Does it involve your horse running away from you and out into traffic?  If you own a Maeby, you can make that nightmare your reality!

This weekend, Bryan and I decided to take Mae out and hand walk her on the trails near my barn.  She’s never gone out beyond barn property since we’ve had her, and of course we decided to choose the coldest, most blustery day of the weekend to throw on her halter, leadrope and go.  Surprisingly, initially she did better than I expected. 

To get out onto the actual trail, you have to traverse under an active overpass through ankle deep mud, through some woods where the litter can get piled up to your shins (where I was trampled by Ryon btw), and then over one wooden bridge that spans a creek.  As we slogged through the mud, under the overpass, and winding through the trees, Mae was nervous but not crazy.  She wanted to be close to me, even though I was literally trailblazing, and in front of Bryan but otherwise she was reacting as she normally does when she confronts something new.  When we got to the bridge, which is about two stories above the running creek, Mae calmly walked over it without a pause, shocking considering I had fought with Ryon for over half an hour to get him to even step onto it. 

I thought we were in the clear when we ended up in the big, open field on the other side of the bridge.  But Mae was looky at the dog walkers and looky at the cars driving by.  She’d nervously graze and then whip her head up to look around.  After we had let her wander around for 15 minutes, I asked her to trot in circles, paying attention to me, which was going smoothly until - well - it wasn’t.  All of a sudden, Mae decided she had had enough of this outdoors business, bucked, cantered, ripped the lead rope out of my hands, and took off at a gallop across the field toward the bridge heading back to the barn.  She stopped right in front of the bridge, as if waiting for us to follow.  I didn’t think she’d be able to cross the bridge on her own, and Bryan and I walked (quickly) toward her. 

As soon as she noticed that we were heading in her direction, she sniffed the bridge and nonchalantly picked her way across it BY HERSELF.  As soon as she crossed the bridge and disappeared out of sight, we ran for it.  When we reached the bridge, we saw that she had loped off, past the opening in the woods that headed back to the barn, and was running toward the other bridge on the far side of the trail.  She stopped tentatively at that bridge, took a nervous poop, and then slowly crossed that one as well. 

The paved sidewalk, at that juncture, continues to the left under another overpass, however you also have the option of taking a right and walking on a gravel trail that cuts behind a shopping complex toward a busy six lane road, three lanes in both directions.  The gravel trail also happens to be a shortcut back toward the barn, once you get through the busy intersection and past the active golf driving range.

It was at this point that Bryan started muttering under his breath - she’s dead, she’s dead.  I thought we were pretty calm throughout her entire escape but my heart dropped as she turned toward the gravel path.  As she picked her way toward the intersection, images of her running into traffic and getting smashed by a car were flashing through my mind. 

Of course by the time we reached the intersection, she had beat us to the road, standing on the curb, looking at traffic.  The light was red when she stepped onto the street, although it flashed green as soon as she was two lanes across.  Oncoming cars slowly and patiently came to a stop in a line at her crossing.  No one honked or shouted.  At the median, she paused.  Steady traffic was rushing the other direction.  She didn’t spook, she didn’t even look scared, she looked in our direction as if to say - okay I thought I figured out the way back home but clearly I didn’t.  Bryan quickly stepped across the street, grabbed her lead rope, and calmly walked back across while she meekly followed.  She walked back the entire way, quietly and calmly.

I cannot tell you all how scared and angry and frustrated I was at the entire experience, meanwhile feeling like the most awful horse owner ever.  I knew better than to bring only a lead rope, especially one without a chain.  I knew better than to bring her out on her own.  I had thought about bringing treats with me but didn’t grab them before we headed out.  Reflecting back on it all, I’m flabbergasted and astonished at how the entire series of events went down. 

In all my days of trail riding down that particular trail, I’ve never seen one horse willingly go across those bridges, especially not the first time.  When we’re out on the trails near traffic, at least one car honks at us, which startles the horses.  I have never seen a horse WATCH FOR TRAFFIC when it crosses the street and then wait patiently when it knows it doesn’t have it figured out.  The first time I trail rode Ryon, he wouldn’t even step off the curb into the street until we ponied him across.  I’ve met grown adults with a worse sense of direction than this mare.  I may have the world’s smartest or dumbest horse, I’m not sure, but all I know is that she’s the world’s luckiest horse.

When everyone was safe and sound in their paddocks, feet cleaned, and cooled off, Bryan joked that Mae was going to be bragging to all of her friends about her big day out and her grand escape.  I think at that point, I had started breathing again but still couldn’t laugh.  I can finally nervously laugh about it today.  You can bet your buttons we’re going out on the trails again.  But maybe with a pack of horses next time.  And an anchor.


Comments

  1. Oh my goodness, how terrifying! I'm so glad you guys were able to catch her. My hear started pounding just reading this 😓

    ReplyDelete
  2. OH...MY...GOSH! Rooth, Maeby sure does like to keep things exciting! This is like a movie, you know? Whew! Good to know everything turned out all right, but I can totally imagine how you guys must've been feeling. That's like when we kinda "lost" one of the kids at Disney:P He walked ahead on his own, and next thing we knew, he was gone! He did turn around eventually, but man, those few minutes when we were looking for him....

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yikes! That's one adventure I could do without; seriously, I have a nervous twitch just reading about it . . .

    So glad everyone made it back to tell the tale!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yikes that is absolutely terrifying! After having 1 too many horses get away from me when I was younger, I always handwalk with a chain, leather gloves and a whip. I'm glad that Maeby was ok!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Leather gloves = SO KEY. I had on fleece ones and the lead rope just slipped right through although I've been dragged by lead rope before and that's not fun either...

      Delete
  5. You were so so soooooo lucky! What a smart girl she is!

    Lily made that nightmare come true for me too 3 summers ago. She spooked, ran off the barn property onto a busy road, gouged a hind leg with a screw and fractured her splint bone, which then required surgery and a week-long stay at the equine hospital on IV antibiotics.

    Fun times.

    I'm so happy your story ended well!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. GEEEZUS what a nightmare. We certainly did get off lucky

      Delete
  6. That's really scary. I'm glad it all ended well.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Holy crap! I would have had a heart attack! Glad she survived unscathed! Perhaps she's got better instincts than most!

    ReplyDelete
  8. uh that's horrifying. stud chain and / or rope halter 4 lyfe. it's not worth the risk with a flighty horse!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What's dumb is I have a rope halter at home and just didn't bring it. SO many lessons learned

      Delete
  9. Nervous but not crazy... So far so god. Now, did you say she took a nervous poop? Hmmm I see. Personally, had I been in your shoes, I'm pretty sure I would have been the one taking a nervous um poop. Great term. Great term. Not visual at all. But are you sure you shouldn't rename Maeby? Adventure is what springs too mind.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oh my gosh, this story had me so nervous! I am so glad that Maeby is ok! She is definitely quite the adventurer!

    http://roadesque.com

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh my gosh! What an fiasco! I'm glad you're all ok. I think it's so cool you have horse. Annabelle has been asking to ride a horse. If you want to bring Maebry here you could teach her!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I think the worst is that feeling of total helplessness. Glad everyone is ok!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Haha, oh Lord! What a day for you guys :') Firstly I'm happy that Mae left out harmless and that everyone is ok.
    I'm sure Mae is definitely the luckiest horst in the world! And I also couldn't help
    but to laugh a bit too at the end. Anchor unload ahoy!
    Xx ice pandora

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular Reads