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Ah ha! A cell phone! I flipped the phone open and searched the menu, trying
to figure out whom I should call first, then saw a menu listing for MOM.
Good place as any to start, so I pressed SEND.
…and a cell phone in the saddle bag of the other horse started to
ring! The caller ID on that phone said "Denise". Great.
There was still no sign of the riders of these horses. We called the police,
gave them a rundown of the situation and told them that we were getting
ready to mount up and go out to look for two people, but we had no idea
who they were—other than one was MOM and the other was "Denise"—or
what condition they were in.
Just about the time we were ready to ride out, two hot, sweaty, red-faced
ladies emerged from one of the trails leading out of the dry river bed.
It was MOM and Denise! Other than having a long walk, they were both,
fortunately, okay. They had dismounted from their horses to adjust their
tack. Denise had used her reins to tie her horse to a mesquite tree and
the mare spooked, breaking the reins. Naturally, because her horse spooked,
the other horse did likewise and they both ran off, leaving Denise and
MOM behind in a cloud of dust!
Moral of the story: Although there is a love/hate relationship with cell
phones, they have become one of those evil necessities that we cannot
seem to live without. However, keep a few things in mind while you are
out on the trail:
1. Keep your cell phone on YOU—not hanging from the saddle, or in your
saddle bag. If you and your steed should happen to part company, do you
think HE is going to call home to let everyone know that you are both
okay?
2. In your saddle bag, or somewhere on your saddle—keep some sort of ID
tag with your name, your horse's name, stable (and/or home) address, stable
(and/or home) phone number and your cell phone number on it, so that if
Trigger should happen to wander into someone else's stable after he dumps
you, they know where he belongs and can start the reuniting process to
get you and him back together (and maybe have an idea of where to look
for you!).
3. ALWAYS let someone know where you are going and when you expect to
return—even if it is the same trail you have ridden hundreds of times.
If no one is around when you ride out, tape or tack a note to your stall
door.
4. If you are hauling your horse to a trailhead for your ride, do not
forget your ICE—Information Concerning Emergencies.
Law Enforcement agencies are asking folks to do this in order to aid them
in helping with search and rescue efforts, should one arise. ICE is
simply a piece of paper or large index card with your contact information
and itinerary on it. Write your information on one side of the paper (you
might even want to include a photo of you and your horse) then write ICE
in big bold letters on the other side of the paper. Place the paper on
the driver's seat of your vehicle with ICE face up, so that it
is visible through the driver's side window.
Does
that sound silly? Even experienced riders have accidents! Remember-safety
first when it comes to riding! Taking a little precaution at the beginning
of your ride will ensure that you have Happy Trails for many more rides
to come!
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riders—wandered into the stable yard. They were sweaty and appeared
to have run through some cactus. One had apparently stepped on her reins,
since there was only about an inch of right rein attached to the right
side of her bit and about three inches of left rein attached to the left.
