Stuck in the River

We went to the New Market - Middletown Valley hunter paces this weekend and almost got swept away by the Catoctin River or a very large branch thereof. I swear.

The place was beautiful -- Station Road off Route 17 almost on the Washington County border, west of Frederick, Maryland. The parking field is surrounded by an historic stone wall. There are wrought iron benches along the river so that you can look across the river at the horses coming to the finish line and the last 5 jumps or so. It was the prettiest site we've had all season.

Burton and Kona were once again team-mates for the flat course, this being Kona's third hunter pace now so he's an old hand. We mount and ask where the start is. We are told it is down by the river. Indeed -- the starter tells us "your time starts when you hit the water!" We look at the water. It's the Catoctin River itself (or a very large branch thereof) -- full from the recent rainstorms, rushing very fast and very deep across river pebbles. It is very clear water. And as soon as our horses step in it we realize it is also very cold water.

Burton dips his toes in and says, "No -- this is very cold and it's moving too fast and is tickling me. I will do bogs and muddy streams and snow and ice but not rushing mountain rivers that tickle me. No." Kona, who was otherwise quite willing to move into the refreshing current, says "Oh, well maybe I'm not supposed to go over there....?" He takes his cues from Burton and Burton will not move. We are about 10 feet from the starter with lots of teams behind us waiting to go. I kick and kick and kick and kick and kick and Burton goes three feet out into the river, at which point it is already up to his belly. Then he won't move anymore. He has become a Thelwell pony. Kona stands there mildly. Burton drifts downstream a little and smacks broadside into Kona, who has also waded three feet out into the river. Kona bobbles around but still rather mildly. He is taller than Burton so maybe he wasn't so cold or something. I am still kicking Burton but now we are so close to Kona that every time I kick Burton I also kick Kona. Jonathan meanwhile is also kicking Kona which means he is kicking Burton too. The horses drift further downstream packed tightly against each other -- downstream it is even deeper and colder. We are up on top of them flailing and kicking. Huge amounts of water sprays everywhere -- froth and foam and we are up on top screeching and wailing at our beasts. COME ON! COME ON! BURTON! etc. We are now wet through. The opposite bank is getting farther away because we are going downstream instead of across. We look like tiny children just learning to ride. We scream and kick and wail some more, all the while no more than ten feet from the starter. It was like that movie where the guy is lying on his back flailing around in three feet of water thinking he is drowning. SAVE US! OUR HORSES WON'T MOVE! WE'RE STUCK! HELP! HELP! AAAAGHHHHH!

Finally I take Jonathan's whip from him and crack a good one on Burton and he finally went across the river. SUCCESS! We could begin the course!

We were proud of ourselves until we turned around and saw Dale sitting on a horse on the river bank glaring at us.

La la la!

Turns out this mighty river was also the finish line. So when we came back through we ran flat out for the river so that the horses wouldn't have a chance to even thinking about stopping in it. A much better performance.