So….. we set up camp just before the paw paw tunnel which is closed and has a very steep 1.5 mile detour, we start in the morning with me riding to the first mountainous section and then walk. We were supposed to go off the canal at oldtown and follow the American discovery trail to fort Ashby, as we went over the detour ringo slipped about 7-8 feet down an embankment, I thought nothing of it as he seemed completely fine with not even a muddy knee but as we got to the toll bridge at West Virginia’s boarder he started feeling off and tried to go down then reared right up again. (The scary kind of rear not the fun kind) that’s when I realised something was wrong and he wouldn’t tolerate me on his back, we carried on with me leading him on a very busy road to for Ashby and had a vet look at him who seemed to not really have a clue but mumbled about torn muscles and cracked ribs. I organised transport to take us to a horse motel but they never turned up and a very nice waitress kindly offered her fathers services and transported us to a campsite then back to Maryland the next morning.
Since then we’ve camped out on the canal as there’s grass, water and most importantly free camp sites hoping he gets better and tried to see another vet who actually knows which end of the horse the head is.
So we’ve spent almost a week around the paw paw campground and met some amazing people, we met a scout group who I had dinner with, unforgettable I forgot to get the leaders details to thank them properly as it does get lonely with just ringo for company and the next day met a church group of fathers and sons going canoeing down the river and they also invited me for food. We also met a slightly mad cyclist who we met 3 or 4 times and talked as we were at the same camp site.
So today Sunday 25th we decided we’ve sat around enough and headed back to fort avery and ringo seems completely sound with just a tiny bit of mud fever still lingering. Unfortunately the feed store we were counting on was closed so he’ll have to cope with just grass till tomorrow. He did get a nice bath in the river which doesn’t happen often as getting down to it usually has a drop.
So to sum up ringo it’s finally good and getting better in traffic and kamikaze deer. Still terrified of rabbits tho.
Completely off topic of this post but it appears ringo loves cucumber and tinned carrots, he pretty much eats anything he’s given including last week goat feed. And yes everything is checked that horses can eat it.
Peter 