Dreamer

This is Dreamer. Looking happily scruffy and dirty with hay hanging out of his mouth. I love Dreamer. He saved my life. He is not my horse. He belongs to Flourette. I was leasing him for a time. One day we were out trail riding in the woods and we got chased by a Grizlzy Bear. Odd for this area. We never used to have Grizzlies here. A developer punched an access route through to their territory. Now we get the odd one. 

So that day when I turned to see what was behind me that had Dreamer so agitated, I did not know what I was looking at. I had never seen a Grizzly Bear before. I thought, "That's a strange looking Black Bear." Some part of my brain registered that it might be a "Brown Bear" but at that time I wasn't even sure what one looked like. This one was an adolescent. Much bigger than a Black Bear but not full grown. Unfortunately I assumed that the same rules applied to Brown Bears as to Black Bears. So I ignored it thinking it would be scared of my horse and run way. It didn't.

It chased Dreamer and I. There was only one way we could go. Into a path called"The ribbon trail" due to it's ext ream narrowness. Black Bears are, for the most part very timid. They generally run from a horse and rider. When it came after us I thought it was odd behavior. However I assumed I could scare it off they way one would a Black Bear. So I turned Dreamer to face the Bear and tried to get Dreamer to charge it so I could get close enough to give it a good whollop with my riding crop. A riding crop can really pack quite a punch if you know how to use it. 

I've been riding since before I can remember. When I was tiny sometimes the only thing that allowed me to control a big horse was the presence of a riding crop in my hand. Horses see them and immediately are on their best behavior. It helps when you are four feet tall, weigh less than a hundred pounds, and are trying to control a sixteen hand 1000 lb horse. 

I knew i was in trouble when I could not convince Dreamer to get close enough for me to get a wack at it's eyes or sensitive nose. It was about this time I became aware of how much bigger it was than a Black Bear. It sat back on it's haunches and sniffed the air and sort of stood up. I saw claws. Teeth. And I thought "Huh. Maybe... running is an option?"

So we ran. Once we could run. We had to get out of the Ribbon Trail first. That was dicey. It was swatting at Dreamers hind quarters the whole way and I seriously wondered if running was going to work. Once we could we ran at a flat out gallop for a mile or two to the barn. The Bear was behind us the whole way. They can really move. They have this loose lopeing gate and they sort of huff when they are exited. Puff , puff, puff like a big steam engine. I still hear that sound in my dreams.  Dreamer handled the rough terrain like an eventing horse. Even jumped a fallen log like a pro. Amazing considering he was only six and had very little experience on the trail. 

He even stood like a rock when we got to the barn and I needed him to. Much harder for him than running under the circumstances. I don't know if I would have made it on any other horse. I lost both stirrups for part of the mad gallop and he sill listened like an Angel and never even thought of trying to throw me. 

Needless to say I just adore him! I made a spirit doll of him. It has no tail yet. I have a piece of my horse Cass's white mane. I plan to make it his tail. I think it's fitting. I had Cass for thirty years. She just passed a few years ago. I miss her like crazy. I think her mane will be perfect for Dreamers tail. 

Dreamers Poem

Riding

Ribbons

Spotted white

Snow dappled

Stead

A bear paw

Dripping 

Grip

Of claws

Sat

Buddha

Just a 

Breath away