Citizen Wausau

On the Road

by Billie on December 25th, 2008

Last night, I was luxuriating in the depths of a warm bubble bath, when I received a most unusual phone call.

The voice on the other end of the line was panic-filled and breathless.  I leapt out of the tub, dried off and hastily threw on several layers of warm clothes.  Shouting for Kevin that there was an emergency, I gathered together hats, gloves, and flashlights while trying to put my boots on.  Kevin’s visiting mother put her outdoor clothing on, and we were soon on the road.

Traveling in the dark on ice-slick country roads, I fought against the abject terror lodged in my throat.

Twenty minutes later we neared our destination, and I finally had a signal on my cell phone.  I made a phone call, was given hurried instructions, and made for a little used dirt road.

Malinda, typically the voice of cool logic and as unlikely to panic as the mighty sequioa, had calmed down some and the situation was now well in hand.

Because her truck has not been starting well of late, she had decided to jump-start it and drive around the block in the hopes that it would start better in the morning.  She drove around her country “block” and was stunned to see horses in the road.  It wasn’t long before she realized that they were HER horses.  Applying the brakes, she slowed some, but not enough to avoid striking her 5 month old filly Greta. 

It was at this point that my phone rang.

All I knew was that Malinda sounded like I have never heard her before, that some of her horses were out and running down the road over a mile from her farm, and that Greta had been hit.

Back in cell phone range, I called Malinda to learn that Greta was seemingly fine, that a strange man had stopped to help, and that I needed to locate and retrieve Malinda’s truck.

I slowly drove the truck with Kevin following.  About a mile distant I saw a truck with its flashers on, creeping slowly down the road.  Half a mile later at a stop sign, I saw the vehicle ahead of the truck make a left-hand turn.  Seated in the bed of the truck was Malinda, holding on to lead ropes attached to my horse Ashton (on the driver’s side) and her horse Lederhosen (on the passenger ride) with little Greta trotting loose between the two.

Within 10 minutes the convoy reached Malinda’s house.  I thanked the older gentleman who had driven Malinda home, and ran off to help her to secure the horses in their pasture, with none the worse for the experience.

What could have been a disaster turned out to be another in the long list of “adventures” that we have shared as horse owners.  My adrenaline level had been so high during the 30 minute ride to her farm that I was left feeling absolutely drained.

When asked how the horses had escaped, Malinda sheepishly responed that she had left the gate open…

Malinda, if you are reading this, there are nicer ways to get me to deliver your Christmas cookies!