Recalling a morning sighting as a teenager horseback riding near Marblemount witnessed in Skagit County, Washington

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This sighting happened on a summer vacation trip with my mother who is now deceased. The trip was July 1973 outside of Marblemount Washington State. We were staying at a camp called Jim Clark's Dude Ranch (no longer in business). The facility had cabins, and activities, one of which was horseback riding on their fenced in property; I don't recall how long the ride should have taken. We were assured the horses knew where to go so we would not get lost! I believe we left around in the morning, just my mother and I. The surrounding woods and property consisted of Alders, Evergreens, local trees and lots of underbrush, berry brambles and a barbed wire fence which was 4 or 5 feet tall, 3 strands It was a clear, sunny day, no clouds and no wind. I could hear the river and birds chirping. The horses were walking along the well-worn trail until we came around a small bend that followed the property line, and then the horses stopped, fast! We were questioning what the heck was going on as...