Adventures With Horses

Jess's Adventures

TOUCHING THE BUZZARD

Jess, the 18 year old, aboard the hot and hypy Pandemonium Serena, and Dusty, the 11 year old, mounted on the trail wise Pandemonium Lucretia, wanted to go on a trail ride, preferably in "wilderness" style terrain. Only having a few hours, hitting some hidden valley in the remote reaches of the Rockies was out, so they did the next best thing, the four mile distant government ground attached to the backwaters of the man-made Lake Rathbun.

Crashing through the undergrowth sans trail, navigating by the "seat of the pants" and the knees, (Bang! = bounce off in a new direction... a bit hard on the anatomy, but an effective course correction device until one learns to steer under stress) led them to a small clearing which STANK mightily.

Ever the budding biologist, who desires to specialize in things ornithological, Jess popped off to investigate, discovering multitudinous animal carcasses in various states of decomposition.

Something sitting on a low branch under a buzzard's nest darted under the branch into a little hole as Jess approached. Drawing closer, but unsure what he had seen, Jess poked a stick under first, which flushed a buzzard. Noting the feathers on its neck, Jess realized it was a fledgling.

Irate baby buzzard squalls filled the clearing as Jess came up behind the helplessly flapping fledgling

Catching both the wings and the neck from behind with one hand and the legs with the other, since even baby buzzards will try to beat, claw and bite with already powerful beaks, Jess safely captured the buzzard.

In a futile effort to discourage Jess from examining it, the buzzard vomited up a black wad of horrible glop which emitted a rancid stench strong enough to turn even the strongest stomach. Undeterred, Jess continued his examination. When he was done looking at it, he released it.

Puffed up, as yet useless wings flapping, straight across the clearing it fled, right toward the two horses and Dusty, who was as terrified as they were. Four foot tall Dusty was suddenly trying to hold two horses, one of whom had turned into a 61" tall monster as 15.1 hand Serena puffed herself up as high as her LONG neck could take her head. Putting her humongous eyeballs on stalks, she pranced backward, trying to escape the fearsome creature flapping toward her.

Jess was afraid Serena was going to dislocate Dusty's shoulder, or maybe drag the gutsy midget as the bird drew ever closer, so he quickly recaptured the fledgling a mere two feet from the trio, and stuffed it back in its hole.

Reclaiming Serena, Jess mounted and paraded out of the clearing further into the wilderness, kicking up several deer who had bedded down to pass the heat of the day. They would run ahead, then lay down again, only to be spooked up later as the horses continued down the deer track.

Heading into what appeared to be another meadow, Jess suddenly found himself sinking into the marshy ground. Giving Serena her head, he let her find her own path back to solid ground.

Wanderlust eventually satisfied, (or maybe with as many saddle sores as they could take for one day,) they headed home, Serena still going strong.

Next inststallment:

Shy Guy