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\n\t\t<\/div>\nMonday proved to be hot but by afternoon the temperature cooled, the sky turned blue with white puffy clouds and a slight breeze blew off the mountain. Around 6:00, Donna and I met at the barn for an evening ride. She planned to ride Sam. He hadn\u2019t been handled much and we wanted to know how he rode. I brushed down Pepper, slipped on her boots and saddled up. <\/p>\nDonna led Sam, a huge aging Belgian, out of the barn. Recently, Johnn moved a larger, taller mounting block to the driveway, placing it not far from the manure pile. The mounting block proved to be incredibly useful in getting on the peaceful giant. We mounted our horses and began a memorable afternoon ride; although, the trip started out in the usual uneventful fashion.<\/p>\n
Sam walked behind Pepper. He didn\u2019t enjoy walking down the steep hills we needed to traverse to get to the park. On past outings, Cristina had encountered difficulty with Sam at several points on the road. Donna, a more experienced rider, found gentle encouragement with the crop and a few kicks from her heels kept the huge horse on course, although, steering seemed to be a constant activity. We enjoyed a pleasant conversation and the horses enjoyed each other\u2019s company as we rounded the intersection near the pond and proceeded up West Park Road.<\/p>\n
The horses passed the baseball field, picnic pavilion overlook and outhouse. The gravel road entered the woods. A combination of early spring weather interspersed with an abundance of rainfall created a dense perfusion of plant life. Bushes sported a multitude of leaves; trees overhung the lane and rabbits popped out onto the trail from their hiding places among tail grasses tipped with seeds.<\/p>\n
Although Sam had never entered the park, he walked along at a steady even gait not worried by anything on the road, in the fields or woodlands. Pepper, ever vigilant of bogymen, walked next to the large Belgian without a problem. We stopped for a moment to exchange a few words with a couple walking their dogs and then rode up a long winding hill, passed the open entrance gate and left the park. Once out of the park, we picked up Weaver Road which twisted a short distance through the woods towards the Slocum place, but before we got there Donna experienced a minor mishap.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh no, I dropped my crop,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
We both looked down at the crop laying on the hard packed clay and gravel road. There was no way Donna would ever be able to get back on the huge horse if she got off.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe we could just drive back and get it?\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll get it,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou better not get off… I\u2019ll get it.\u201d<\/p>\n
I jumped off Pepper, picked up the crop and handed it to Donna. Since Pepper was tall and I am short, the only way I could get onto her back without a mounting block was to lengthen my leather, which I did. I stepped into the iron and Pepper eager to continue her journey to the barn began to walk off. I pulled on the reins which didn\u2019t do much good. Pepper kept walking. Quickly, I swung my leg over the horse\u2019s back and sat down in the saddle. I signaled for Pepper to stop, which she did. I readjusted the leather, and then everything was right with the world and we continued our journey.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d said Donna.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s ok; sometimes I have to get off if she loses one of her boots. She’s pretty good about that and waits for me to put the boot back on,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe must know it protects her feet from the rocks,\u201d replied Donna.<\/p>\n
We rode on a bit further and quickly came to the Slocum driveway and pastures. At the top of a rolling hill which overlooked the lower pastures and their barn, I listened for Roxy\u2019s<\/a> familiar bleating.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t hear Roxy,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t hear her either,\u201d said Donna.<\/p>\n
Sam walked on in a steady march happily making his way back to the stables, totally oblivious of the new surroundings. Pepper stepped onto a wide grassy expanse between the road and the pasture\u2019s fence. Halfway past the Slocum\u2019s pasture, we saw a horse and a spotted pony in the field. The pony started to whinny and wouldn\u2019t stop.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wonder where the other pony is? They usually hang out together,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
\u201cProbably further down in the pasture,\u201d replied Donna.<\/p>\n
In the distance, a group of horses and the other pony became visible as we continued riding parallel to the fence. Suddenly, we hear Roxy\u2019s familiar bleating and saw the goat among the horses. She was pretty far away and by this time we had almost come to the end of her pasture. Suddenly, the goat began to trot towards us.<\/p>\n
\u201cI see Roxy and she\u2019s coming,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, she can\u2019t possible catch-up with us. She\u2019s too far away,\u201d said Donna.<\/p>\n
The horses walked along; unaware that Roxy was headed for them. Sam plodded and Pepper moved at a faster pace. I pulled Pepper to a stop to wait for Sam, turned around in the saddle and spied Roxy making a beeline for the fence.<\/p>\n
\u201cDonna, Roxy\u2019s coming!\u201d I shouted.<\/p>\n
Donna turned her head, saw Roxy trotting towards us and said, \u201cThat little rascal.\u201d<\/p>\n
Roxy ducked her head and horns under the fence and ran straight for us.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe we can out distance her…lets trot,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
Sam and Pepper began to trot but it was no use the goat\u2019s trot turned into a dead run, and then she was upon us.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe if I walk back towards the pasture she\u2019ll follow Pepper and go home,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s worth a try,\u201d said Donna.<\/p>\n
I turned Pepper around and walked back the way we had come. Roxy followed but when we approached the fence the goat stopped and refused to go back to her pasture.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think she\u2019s wants to go home,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll just have to bring her back after we put the horses away,\u201d said Donna.<\/p>\n
\u201cI guess that\u2019s all we can do,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
Roxy trotted between the horses. When a car approached, the goat paid no attention letting the vehicle weave around us. Roxy\u2019s behavior left a lot to be desired. She went back and forth between the two horses making trouble. First, she ran in front of Sam, jumped up and hooked her front legs on his leg, and then started nibbling on the horse. When Sam stopped, she jumped in front of him and butted his chest with her horns. Sam paid absolutely no attention to the goat and walked on so Roxy decide to do the same thing to Pepper, this time grabbing hold of Pepper\u2019s back leg. The horse didn\u2019t like this and broke loose, prompting Roxy to try to get in front of Pepper. Meanwhile, Donna and I tapped the goat with our crops every chance we got. Finally, Roxy backed off enough to leave the horses alone. Our little group reached Sutliff Hill Road and turned towards the barn. Roxy hesitated for a moment and looked back up the street. It was as if the goat said to herself, \u2018I\u2019m pretty far from home, oh well, I might as well keep going. It\u2019s too far to go back now\u2019.<\/p>\n
The sunset turned the clouds pink and a wind blew through the shrubs and tall weeds alongside the road. Suddenly, a deer hidden near a ditch at the road\u2019s edge leapt up the bank and ran away towards a field. Pepper jumped, Sam just kept walking and the goat could have cared less. When we reached the creek near our pasture, I trotted up a short hill attempting to take some spunk out of the goat. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw Roxy\u2019s little legs moving in a blur. I couldn\u2019t believe a goat could run that fast, but by the time she reached the hilltop she was visibly tired and walked peacefully down the road towards our barn.<\/p>\n
CJ and Shadow grazing in their pasture saw the goat approaching and picked up their heads. They quickly walked up to the fence, stood close together, one a black and white Paint and the other a dabble grey. The horses arched their necks and pointed their ears forward in Roxy\u2019s direction. They looked like two mischievous school boys standing side by side trying to encourage the goat to chase them.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat if Roxy goes into the pasture?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf she goes in there she\u2019s on her own,\u201d said Donna.<\/p>\n
But Roxy didn\u2019t join the pasture horses for a game of chase; instead she walked calmly next to Pepper and Sam. The horses turned the corner into the barn\u2019s driveway and I jumped off Pepper. A stirrup keeper lay on the mounting block where I had left it. Quickly, I grabbed it intent on using the short rope with two clips on either side as a leash. Roxy walked towards me. Before she could start butting and jumping on me, I grabbed her collar, snapped on the improvised leash and led the goat with Pepper into the barn. I pushed open the empty stall door and put Roxy into Ginger\u2019s old stall as Donna had suggested, then quickly locked the door so Roxie couldn\u2019t get out. <\/p>\n
Donna and I unsaddled the horses, groomed them and turned the horses out to pasture. Roxy seemed to be happy in her temporary home. Donna looked over the stall gate and down at the goat. Roxy jumped at her, rapidly sticking out her tongue in a vain attempt to attack Donna. Unfazed, Donna took a towel and tied it over Roxy\u2019s eyes hoping to relax the goat, and then she led Roxy out of the barn. By now it was dark outside and the clouds opened up releasing rain in a torrent.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can try to lift her into the back of my Forerunner,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you sure?\u201d said Donna.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019ll be ok. My husband just came back from the dump. The black garbage bags he put down to protect the carpet are still there. Roxy should fit. Do you mind riding back there with her?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can do that,\u201d said Donna.<\/p>\n
The rain came down heavier and heavier, but we didn\u2019t notice as our focus was on getting the goat into the back of the SUV. Donna took hold of Roxy\u2019s front half and I grabbed the goat\u2019s rear-end. Not liking the fact that we were picking her up, the goat rocked backwards and forwards. I couldn\u2019t get a good hold around Roxy\u2019s fat belly so she tipped towards Donna.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe we can move the tall mounting block over. Do you think it will be too heavy?\u201d asked Donna.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy don\u2019t we try the smaller one first,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
I ran to the barn, retrieved the small, green mounting block and placed it next to the rear of the SUV. Donna stepped into the back of the vehicle pulling the goat in behind her as I lifted and pushed Roxy\u2019s hindquarters. The goat made it into the car and laid down next to Donna in total contentment. I turned on the ignition, flipped on the headlights and wipers and pulled away from the stables. Darkness filled the night and a heavy rain drummed on the windshield.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow is she doing?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cFine, she\u2019s very quiet. She must have ridden in a car before,\u201d said Donna.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s good. I was afraid she might give you a hard time,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
I pulled into the Slocum driveway, turned off the car, took the keys out of the ignition and ran around to open the rear door. Roxy easily jumped to the ground and Donna led her to the pasture fence where she released the goat. Roxy quietly walked away and disappeared into darkness.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat goat is a handful,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe sure is,\u201d replied Donna.<\/p>\n
We hurried back to the SUV and climbed into the front seats. I reached into my pocket for the keys but they weren\u2019t there. I felt in the cup holder between the seats and the keys weren\u2019t there either.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t have the keys. Maybe I dropped them when I opened the back,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
I ran around the SUV, opened the back and looked into the vehicle feeling for the keys. No keys, so I looked on the wet ground near the car.<\/p>\n
\u201cPat, here they are. I was sitting on them,\u201d said Donna.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, I\u2019m glad you found them,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
I sat behind the wheel, turned the key, and heard the engine roar. We pulled out of the driveway headed for our barn. Once we arrived back at the stables, Donna climbed into her car and drove away down Murray Creek Road. I followed Donna\u2019s car watching the red taillights flash against the black night. Rain gushed out of the darkness marking an end to our goat adventure.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Monday proved to be hot but by afternoon the temperature cooled, the sky turned blue with white puffy clouds and a slight breeze blew off the mountain. Around 6:00, Donna and I met at the barn for an evening ride. … Continue reading
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