In the horse world there is an old saying that a green horse with a green owner will be a disaster. For those unfamiliar with equine lingo, the word "green" in this context means untrained and INEXPERIENCE. And usually, the green owner refuses to (a) admit he/she is green and (b) listen to those with more experience.🙄
Remember Danny? The guy in my funny blog "Hilarious southern charm story," who tinkered on cars insisting he was a good mechanic when he wasn't, whose brakes went out when I needed a ride as we careened down a steep hill at high speed, driving around the Higgins' driveway loop FIVE times waving and smiling to the Higgins on their veranda without ever stopping because we couldn't? THAT Danny.🤣
As I had shared, just-a-friend Danny and I knew each other because he boarded his horse at the same farm as I did mine. Now Danny had never owned a horse before, or had experience with horses, only he absolutely refused to admit he was inexperienced, because in HIS eyes, all the westerns he watched as a kid gave him all the learning he would ever need in handling a horse.🤔
Danny found an unbelievable deal on a tiny two year old mare he named Renegade. We tried to tell him the reason why Renegade was cheap is because she was so young and only "greenbroke," meaning, she accepted a saddle, bridle, and human on her. And she had been taught how to go and stop, but only a few times. Renegade was FAR from being a trained horse.🥴
Another thing about horses, is they can tell in a heartbeat if their human knows what they are doing or not. If they know their human doesn't know a damn thing, they are just THRILLED to be able to take advantage of this situation and do it quite well.🤣
Immediately after Danny and Renegade came upon the scene the stories began circulating between the rest of us helplessly witnessing this disaster unfolding before our eyes. There wasn't a thing we could do though, because Danny refused to hear any advice because, "I know what I'm doing, thank you kindly."🙃
Here are just three incidents of the Danny/Renegade disaster...
If horses think they can get a human off their back, they will. One day Danny and Renegade came charging up the hill full gallop to the barn area. Only Renegade would not stop when Danny pulled the reins to stop.😲
There was this small deep sludge "pond" just beyond the barn which once contained hogs. Renegade charged to the edge of this awful sludge "pond" and slammed to a stop. Danny went flying over her head right smack into the SLUDGE! Just covered in it.🤣
He blamed the bridle. But it wasn't...the...bridle.
We tried to tell Danny when putting the saddle on a horse, after you tighten the girth (the "belt") keeping the saddle on, one must give a slap to the horse in their barrel (stomach) because horses hold their breath in this process. Giving a slap forces them to release their air, so the girth may then be securely tightened. Danny refused to listen.😖
So off he went on Renegade. Approximately twenty minutes later Renegade returned with the saddle UNDER her. And no Danny. A few moments later, there he was trudging up the hill a mess. He blamed the girth. Thought he should get a new one.🤨
Next, Danny decided he and Renegade would ride off farm one day, joining Ben, John, and I riding our horses. We tried to dissuade Danny because we knew this was not going to turn out well. Danny wouldn't hear of it. So off the four of us went.😬
We were headed to the trails. For a brief stretch we travel on a one lane road then come to a cross walk on a two lane road into town. The more seasoned horses knew the sounds of traffic, but not Renegade yet.😮
As we began riding across the intersection, a nearby truck backfired. Renegade took off in terror down the busy two lane road. We could see Danny holding on, as cars hurried out of the way or stopped, as Renegade flew. Police not thinking, began trying to help by squawking their sirens WHICH DIDN'T HELP slow Renegade down, as they tried to warn motorists of the runaway horse.🥴
John, Ben, and I rushed back to the farm to get John's truck and horse van. I stayed to get their saddles and bridles off their horses, and the bridle off Bashum, fed them, and waited.
This was in the days before cellphones. Finally the barn phone rang. It was Danny.
"Awww, Miz Adelaide, I should've listened to all of you!"
"Danny! Are you and Renegade okay?!! Ben and John are out looking for you with the truck and horse van!"
"Well, Renegade and I are okay, but we caused a LOT of trouble for people! The school buses couldn't leave the school because all the Main Street traffic was at a standstill because of us. Then when Renegade did finally stop, it was at this man's prize rose bushes in full bloom, and I went flying into them and wiped out his bushes, and oh man, he is pissed! The police aren't happy with me either."😖
"We'll talk about this later. Where ARE you?"
"In front of the Sheriff's office. With Renegade."🙄
"Be on the watch for the guys looking for you, okay?!! Call me back in ten minutes. I'm going to hang up in case the guys call."
They did, and I told them where to find Danny and Renegade. Ben told me traffic was still snarled. Then a policeman saw them, promptly escorting them to the sheriff's office so they could get the renegade horse and rider out of town who threw the town into complete chaos. And destroyed a poor man's prize rose bushes.😲
Back in those days, the small town of Wildwood still had its' own newspaper. Usually, not much happened to report about. However, "The Renegade Horse And Rider," story with pictures made the front page!🙄
At first the rest of us feared we would no longer have access to the trails via the crosswalk, but the townspeople realized there had never ever been a problem before in all the years the farm had boarders, so we gratefully were allowed to continue.😃
Danny? And Renegade?
Danny was cited for disturbing the peace. Then of course had to make restitution for the prize roses destroyed. My fellow boarders and I gave the man honey from the beehives one kept, another a small quilt she made, Ben and John repaired his fence, and I gave him two of my prints. We happily succeeded with our intent to leave
him with a kinder feeling concerning horses and their riders.😃
Danny realized he was crazy and stubborn by thinking anyone could get on any horse and ride one just like they did in westerns, and for not listening to us when we tried to help. He sold Renegade to a fellow boarder, who immediately changed Renegade's name to Star and went on to further train her into a beloved horse her grandchildren rode for many happy years.😃
As far as Danny, he continued to tinker with cars, yet we all avoided letting him ever tinker with OURS...🤣
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