All I seek is Heaven above me, and a horse beneath me.
"Hey Adelaide! Let's swim across on our horses!"
Sadie was a dear, sweet black and white pinto, and she absolutely LOVED water! We could not just cross a creek, you see. Sadie had to splash in it until she got us both drenched...which is exactly why I never went anywhere NEAR a creek during winters.
Lacy's horse was a beautiful black Quarter Horse mare named Vandalla, and Rob's horse Havoc was a large black and white pinto pony. Like me they rode bareback and often barefoot too during the summer months. And there was not a trail or field for miles we had not galloped on with our beloved horses.
"Oh Rob," said Lacy to her brother, "do you think we should? It could be deep."
"Yeah," I responded, "but it would be fun! And besides, it's SO hot today!"
"Aww common, Lacy! Let's do it for the horses!" said Rob, as we both looked at Lacy with our pleading eyes which always worked.
Now this was not just any pond. This was a HUGE pond, about the equivalent of a soccer/football field! On my Shetland pony, Sadie. With my best friends Lacy and her brother Rob and their horses I wrote about in my "Mustang Show Ring" blog.
Sadie was a dear, sweet black and white pinto, and she absolutely LOVED water! We could not just cross a creek, you see. Sadie had to splash in it until she got us both drenched...which is exactly why I never went anywhere NEAR a creek during winters.
Lacy's horse was a beautiful black Quarter Horse mare named Vandalla, and Rob's horse Havoc was a large black and white pinto pony. Like me they rode bareback and often barefoot too during the summer months. And there was not a trail or field for miles we had not galloped on with our beloved horses.
As I touched on before we three lived with alcoholism and violence in our homes, which not only made us profoundly grateful for our horses but for each other too.
One bright summer day we discovered this amazing long trail that went through a forest and then suddenly opened up into these vast fields with this HUGE pond. It was when we took our horse and ponies to let them drink and Sadie began splashing that Rob thought it would be great fun for us to swim across. Something none of us had ever done before.
One bright summer day we discovered this amazing long trail that went through a forest and then suddenly opened up into these vast fields with this HUGE pond. It was when we took our horse and ponies to let them drink and Sadie began splashing that Rob thought it would be great fun for us to swim across. Something none of us had ever done before.
All we did was give the three each a little nudge and they plunged in with no hesitation! Since Sadie was a small pony we began swimming immediately! Rather she swam and I swam beside her holding onto her mane and the reins. Vandalla with Lacy, and Havoc with Rob, were soon swimming next to us doing the same.
We hadn't exactly planned the best way we should exit the pond though which would have been a very good thing to have planned first. Like should we try to be on their backs when we came out?
As we neared the shore we instinctively floated over their backs so when they came out we would be on them. Hopefully. Only horses become very slippery when soaking wet. And I am talking SLIPPERY. VERY SLIPPERY.
We made a grand exit beneath a grove of trees when we came out of the pond. Immediately our horses shook off the water and then each of us too. Laughing our heads off.
We hadn't exactly planned the best way we should exit the pond though which would have been a very good thing to have planned first. Like should we try to be on their backs when we came out?
As we neared the shore we instinctively floated over their backs so when they came out we would be on them. Hopefully. Only horses become very slippery when soaking wet. And I am talking SLIPPERY. VERY SLIPPERY.
We made a grand exit beneath a grove of trees when we came out of the pond. Immediately our horses shook off the water and then each of us too. Laughing our heads off.
AND THAT IS WHEN WE SAW IT.
Apparently older teenagers or young adults used the secluded place to have fun and romance. And they were carrying huge amounts of loose change on them too which had escaped their pockets unawares for before us bright shining change was everywhere!
By the time we gathered it all up and counted it there was exactly $12.30, which back in those days and to three kids who earned our own money to care for our horses it was a hell of a lot of money to find! Dividing it we each had $4.10 and were absolutely thrilled!
In those days there was a country store not far from where we were called The Hitching Post with an actual hitching post in front for their horseback riding clientele. Only when WE three were lucky enough to have Coke money we took turns going in because we were so protective of our horses.
Immediately we rode to The Hitching Post. We could have bought comic books and a bunch of candy but we didn't. We did each buy a Coke, candy bar, and a carrot and apple for each of our horses. As we sat beneath a tree enjoying these with our horses we were still marveling at both the swimming and finding treasure we would not have found had we not gone swimming with our horses in the first place.
Soon it was time to go our separate ways and head to whatever would be waiting for us at our homes. Yet we all three decided that no matter what happened or where our lives would take us we had just shared the best day young friends may have that neither time, distance, or circumstance could ever take from our grasp.
"If the hands of time could be held, I would keep them warm within my grasp and never let them go."
~Brian's Song
No comments:
Post a Comment