An Obstacle in the Path

Leaving the animal cemetery and following the flight of the bright Scarlet Tanager, we walked along a beautifully shaded wide path further into the forest. Cool, pleasant and filled with interesting trees and wild flowers, we noticed an obstacle ahead of us. In seconds, we realized the roadblock was one of the jumps used long ago in the steeplechase events so important to the history of St. James Farm.

It is interesting to see horses jumping such objects on television and in movies, but up close it is much more challenging. These are not neatly-clipped hedges that are more visual than physical; these are giant logs, structured into a demanding jump over a fence. It made me think back to the grueling nature of steeplechase which we learned at the gravesite of The Honda.