WASHTAE …

This is Washtae… Sioux for good!

He was a beautiful horse. I rode him for 2 years. He was never the kind of horse that had good use of himself in the mountains.

Jr. Cox , Les and myself went on the Grassy Branch Trail. It is long and places are rough. One place in particular.

You go down a steep hill and the ground is soft at one point you have to turn sharp left and take 4 steps down and continue to the creek and cross into a Rhododendron thicket.

Where you make the sharp turn and step down are two trees to close to go between. Washtae was not slowing down in fact he was picking up speed. (his problem was that he could not ever get his hind feet up under him like he needed to . Needless to say I thought I was done for. I even closed my eyes tight and squinched up braced for the worst! At the last instant he turned left and down the steps he went. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

He scared me so bad and it made me mad! You know the feeling! So happy I was not hurt but blast that horse for doing that to me!Jr. Cox allowed he did not know I could say all those words! (I had kinda forgotten too!) Said he felt bad for the horse! Ha !

You ask why did I not jump off? The safest place is on that back of that horse! All ways! Jumping breaks your bones !

There was another time we were riding here in a cut over and a deer was laying beside the trail. 3 horses had passed the thing. Then Washtae and I go by it (no one not even the horses had seen the deer) Well the next thing I knew I had a deer jump up hit my leg and I am sure Washtae figured he was done for! We were going UP a steep hill and I was leaned forward with a good (to) forward hold on his main and  FLIP! up and over I went    I was upside down on Washate’s left side he was in a hard lope by now. Did I mention tree stumps of the correct height to kill me? Well I can’t hang long! And I let go at a spot (maybe 2 seconds of hanging upside down) just before a big stump would have creamed me!  That day I walked out and we hauled him home! I had enough! I was too scared to ride him any more.

It was all ways something ! My saddle slipped he got loose he spooked he was an accident looking for a place!

I traded him to Ken Treadway he sold him and the folks love him !  I am glad too! I loved him just could not have good success with him!

Washtae was just one pretty horse in a long line   of horses on my way to finding a great horse. More on that latter!