I guess I've got one of those, although his head is a little big and sometimes in the morning when it's cold he'll still try and buck you down if you're not careful.
But as much as I love him and how wonderful he is, and as much as I have loved all the other horses in my life-there will never be one like my ugly bay.
I had shetlands, good gentle big "babysitters", cranky ponies that tried to kill me and a few good just plain regular horses growing up. I loved them all in their own ways and still remember them happily (except that damn pony who always tried to kill me. I don't miss his antics at all!) but the one horse I will always remember and have a place for in my heart is the ugliest one of all.
He has a small head and a pinched mouth that can crack a literal smile. Crooked legs and woobly knees that end on tiny semi-cracked and delicate feet. When it's spring and the feed is good his coat turns shiny and he fills out, but over the winter he can become a little funny shaggy pathetic creature.
If you showed him in a confirmation class, lets just say he would most likely loose to most folks.
But he is so beautiful to me.
Because when he's turned out on 1500 acres and sees me from a long way away, he comes running. And if I come to visit in the pasture now that we can't ride together anymore, he lets me lay down next to him in the sun and nap with his silly ugly head resting on me. And when he see's me after a long time, contrary to what all horse-trainers say, we have a long game of tag and chase and he bucks and snorts like he's a baby again. And my ugly horse makes me smile.
Given to my sister and I as a two year old, I'm pretty sure he was one of the first horses she ever started. His Skipper disposition pretty much dictated that as a baby, he wanted to get along and pretty much started himself-we both made so mistakes on that poor horse it's a wonder he never just killed both of us just to get rid of us!
We did everything on him. Using the hell out of him and loving every second of it, he was the first "big" horse I felt truly comfortable on after a pony from hell who liked to try and swipe anyone off onto the side of the trailer or fence-but that was a great teacher in how to keep your seat.
Cappy was roped off, raced, hauled across the country, taken to other countries, run bareback across more pastures than I care to count, hauled my 14 ft indian lodge as a travois everywhere, was packed up and down mountains and hauled wood for winter campfires. He was taken to winter camps, high-lined, hobbled and plain turned loose at hunting camps and came every time leading the rest of the ponies home...even after that one time he ate my sister's bridle horses tail off. I got into a lot of trouble for that one. The ugly horse smiled.
Everyone says not pretty, he can't be ridden anymore and he's getting old.
One day, I know I will have to make a hard decision and say goodbye to my little "ugly" best friend. But until then, I wouldn't trade his crooked smile or legs for anything. And I hope he enjoys his retirement playing tag with me and ruling the band of horses, he's earned some time off.
Because my little ugly horse is simply beautiful to me.
xoxo
~Adrian
Awh, I loved it!!! I don't think he looks that ugly at all. That's exactly how I felt about my dad's old horse Gus. He was cruel to all horses except 1, his mustang mare. He would race around the field forever when my dad tried to catch him, he bucked every time he came home, even if he'd been ridden hard all the way off the mountain, and oh my gosh did that horse STINK! He was seriously rank, you didn't want to have to use his blanket for anything, or really even touch it LOL. But when I started riding him we just bonded, if he walked away from me I just had to tell him whoa, and he stood waiting. He only bucked me off once, and that was because I spurred him in the flanks while landing a jump. He hated getting gussied up for 4-H shows! He cut cattle on his own, broke after strays on his own, always knew his way home no matter where we were, and Never gave up! He could also outwalk any horse in the country. It literally felt like he was trotting without actually trotting. He was AWESOME! He had a digestive problem and had to go on an all grain diet, then foundered, then went blind. He let me ride him after that too. He was somewhere around 30 when he finally went down, poor old bugger. Boy how I loved that stinky old horse!!!! You just can't replace something that near and dear to your heart! Wow, that was long huh.... Sorry ;s
ReplyDeleteDon't be sorry I loved that! I think everyone has that one special horse that just has meant the world to them....I always love hearing about peoples great horse love!
Deletesounds like a fun horse, i love to go horse riding sometimes,
ReplyDeleteso question, are you going to be at cowboy poetry next year?
hope you have an awesome weekend.