HORSES AND OTHER KID THINGS MOST OF MY CHILDHOOD WAS SPENT ON A FARM, ACTUALLY ANU™M FARMS DAD WAS A FARMER, HORSE TRADER AND FEW OTHER THINGS. HE SPENT MOST OF HIS LIFE RUNNING FARMS ON SHARES LIKE A SHARE-CROPPER, WITH DAIRY COWS INSTEAD OF COTTON ‘THE FIRST FARM [ REMEMBER IS MY GRANDFATHER'S FARM IN THE GREEN MOUNTAINS OF VERMONT, THE YEAR WAS 1939. TWAS PROBABLY FIVE YEARS OLD WHEN I HAD MY FIRST UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH HORSE: THEY WERE RIC SUCKERS. A LOT BIGGER WHEN YOU ARE A LITTLE RTD. THEY WERE PERCHERON DRAFT HORSES THAT WEIGHED A TON AND HALE GIVE OR TARE A FEW POUNDS. 1 LEARNED TO SHOVEL (THREE GUESSE: AND HARNESS. MORE SHOVEL THAN HAR! IT WAS ABIG _ WHEN DAD LET ME HOLD THE REINS WHILE MY BROTHERS LOADED THE WACON WITH HAY. THIS WAS BEFORE HAY BALERS. THE HAY WAS CUT WITH A HORSE DRAWN MOWING MACHINE qYEN LEFT TO DRY FOR A FEW DAYS. THE HAY WAS THEN RAKED INTO PILES WITH A HORSE DRAWN DUMP RAKE, MY DAD WOULD DRIVE THE TAY WAGON ALONG SIDE THE PILES OF HAY. USING PI7CHPORKS. DAD AND MY BROTHERS WOULD LOAD THE WAGON. PART WAY THROUGH THE SUMMER, THE BORSES LEARNED TO WALK FROM PILE TO PILE WITHOUT GUIDANCE AS THEY WOULD IN THE FALL, WHEN HARVESTING OATS AND CORN FOR WINTER FEED FOR THE ANIMALS. OUR FAMILY LEFT GRANDPA’S AND FOLIND 4 FARMER THAT WANTED TO FARM FOR SHARES. A COUPLE OF FARMS LATER, DAD CAME HOME WITH THREE BIG CHESTNUT DRAFT HORSES, THAT NIGHT AT SUPPER WE GAVE THEM NAMES, CORPORAL, MAJOR AND PETER, CORPORAL WAS A ROMAN NOSED SNEAK. HE WOULD CHEW THROUGH HIS JIALTER ROPE WHEN TIED IN HiS STALL AND OPEN THE DOOR TO THE GRAIN ROOM, THEN HE WOULD OPEN THE GRAIN BOX WITH THAT BIG NOSE OF HIS AND EAT T0 JS HEARTS CONTENT. HE USUALLY ENDED UP BEING RLOATED AND ONE OF US WOULD HAVE TO TAKE HIM OUTSIDE TO WALK IT OFF.MAJOR WAS OF THE THREE HORSES. MAJOR WAS ALWAYS READY AND EAGER TO DO HIS BEST WHEN PULLING THE LOAD. HE WAS HEADSTRONG AND ALWAYS WANTED TO GO FASTER THEN HE WAS GOING. HE WAS CORPORAL’S TEAM- MATE. HE MADE CORPORAL A BETTER HORSE BECAUSE THE TEAM MUST PULL TOGETHER. IF THEY DON’T, THE SLACKER ENDED UP WITH THE WHIPPLE TREE BANGING AGAINST HIS REAR LEGS. THAT AND A WHACK ON THE RUMP WITH THE REINS GAVE HIM THE INCENTIVE TO STEP UP AND PULL HARDER. PETER WAS HANDSOME, QUICK. AND THE EASIEST TO DRIVE (MOST OF THE TIME). HE COULD TROT ALL DAY AND DID NOT SEEM TO TIRE. HE WORKED WELL IN A TEAM WITH MAJOR OR CORPORAL. HE WAS BETTER DOING SINGLE HORSE JOBS. EWAS ABOUT TWELVE WHEN I LEARNED ABOUT FILCRUMS AND LEVERS AND TIMING AND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY ARE NOT IN SYNC WHEN OPERATING A DUMP RAKE. THE RAKE IS ABOUT TEN FEET LONG WITH A FIVE-FOOT TALL IRON WHEEL AT EACH END AND ABOUT THIRTY SPRING STEEL TUNES BETWEEN THE WHEELS. [WAS DRIVING THE RAKE BACK AND FORTH IN THE MEADOW PILING UP THE HAY WITH PETER, THE HAY IS COLLECTING IN THE RAKE. WHEN THE RAKE IS FULL. ALL YOU HAVE TO. DO IS PUSH ON THE TRIP PEDAL WITH YOUR FOOT AND THE RAKE RAISES UP, DUMPING THE HAY INAPILE. NOT KNOWING THAT IF [TRIED TO DUMP THE RAKE BEFORE IT WAS FULL ENOUGH STRANGE THINGS WOULD HAPPEN. THE PEDAL WOULD ACT LIKE AN ANCIENT CATAPULT. WELL T DID, BEFORE I COULD SAY WHOA. I WAS ON THE GROUND ROLLED UP IN THE HAY, AS PETER PLODDED ALONG. _ I FINALLY GOT HIM STOPPED (ALWAYS REMEMBER NEVER LET GO OF THE REINS). I'M NOT SURE THAT EXPERIENCE IS ALWAYS THE BEST TEACHER. LEARNING TO RIDE A HORSE WASN’T HARD. BUT LEARNING ON A DRAFT HORSE WAS HARD. HARD ON YOUR REAR END, HARD ON YOUR BACK, AND HARD ON YOUR BEAD. IT WAS LIKE RIDING ON A FARM WAGON THAT HAS NO SPRINGS TO CUSHION THE BUMPY ROAD. THAT'S PROBABLY WHY THE KNIGHTS OF OLD WERE 80 SHORT, WEARING ARMOR AND RIDING A CLYDESDALE HORSE HAD TO BE A HELL OF A JARRING RIDE EVEN, IF HE WAS TRYING TO SAVE A FAIR MAIDEN. WE BECAME MODERNIZED AND BOUGHT A TRACTOR BUT DID NOT REPLACE THE DRAFT HORSES WHEN THEY DIED. L TRAINED BLACKIE (FOR THE OBVIOUS REASON) ONE OF THE DAIRY COWS TO RIDE. SHE WASN'T FAST, BUT SERVED A PURPOSE. SHE WAS ALWAYS THE LAST IN THE HERD.WHEN WE GOT HOME AFTER SCHOOL, MY BROTHER AND I WOULD BRING THE COWS IN FROM THE PASTURE FOR TH! NING MILKING. AS WE DROVE TI DOWN THE ROAD TO THE BARN ON THIS PARTICULAR DAY. DON, I, AND BUSTER THE COW DOG WERE BRINGING UP THE TAIL PUN) OF THE HERD, ONE OF THE COWS STARTED TO STRAY AND DON SENT BUSTER AFTERAER, BUT BUSTER WENT AFTER BLACKIE INSTEAD AND BIT HER ON THE BUTT. SHE STARTED TO BUCK AND | WENT THOUGH THE AER. LTING IN A BRUISED EGO AND A SMALL ENCOUNTER WITH DON. J PUNCHED DON AND YELLED AT FINALLY GOT AUSED SADDLE. A CAVALRY SADDLE, NOT COOL BUT FUNCTIONAL. IT DID AWAY WITH BAREBACK RIDING AND SADDLE SORES ON MY BUTT. IN THE ADIRONDACK MOUNTAINS IN UPSTATE NEW YORK, THERE ARE 4 LOT OF DUDE RANCHES. iN THE OFF SEASON, THE HORSES ARE PUT OUT TO PASTURE ON DIFFERENT FARMS. THIS PARTICULAR WINTER, DAD DECIDED THIS WOULD BE AN EASY WAY TO MAKE A FEW BUCKS. WIE HAD ABOUT 100 HORSES TO TAKE CARE FOR. ‘THE SIDE BENEFIT WAS WE HAD ABOUT 100 HORSES TO RIDE. ILEARNED HOW TO RIDE AND ABOUT HORSES. THERE WAS A HORSE OF EVERY COLOR, DISPOSITION AND PERSONALITY. FROM BEAUTIFUL TO UGLY. FROM SMART TO STUPID. w 2D OF 100 THERE WERE TWO HORSES J REALLY LIKED. SMOKEY WAS UGLY, OLD, AND SMART AND YOU COULD CATCH HIM. HEE WAS A GOOD CUTTING HORSE. HE COULD WORK A COW OR ANOTHE! BY HIMSELF. [ WENT ALONG FOR THE RIDE. I USED HIM TO WORK THE OTHER HORSES WHEN WE CHANGED FEEDING AREAS. THE OTHER HORSE WAS BEAUTY. BEAUTY WAS ABEAUTY. SHE WAS HIGH STRUNG. BEAUTY PRANCED SIDEWA) "VER WALKED AND COULD RUN LIKE A BULLET. BEAUTY WAS SO FULL OF ENERGY THAT AFTER 30 MINUTES OF RIDING SHE WOULD BE COVERED WITH 4 LATHER OF SWEAT. SHE DIDN'T HAVE SMOKEY’S SMARTS, BUT A HELL OF A RIDE. ONE AFTERNOON, I WAS SHOWING OFF FOR MY MOM, DOING THE FLYING MOUNT. I TURNING THE HORSE AT THE END ON A RUN, WHEN I FOUND OUT THAT SHE WOULD ALWAYS GO THROUGH ANY OPEN GATE WITHOUT WARNING. SHE WENT THROUGH THE GATE AND I WENT DOWN THE ROAD. ANOTHER TEMPORARILY DAMAGED EGO.DURING THE SUMMER OF MY SENIOR YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL, I IAD JOB ON A DUDE RANCH IN LAKE GEORGE, MOST OF THE GUESTS WERE FROM NEW YORK CITY. ILEARNED A LOT ABOUT PEOPLE AND HOW MUCH 1 KNEW AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT HORSES THAT MAKES YOU REAL COCKY. FORTUNATELY, THAT TRAIT DISAPPEARED AS 1 GREW OLDER. WE MOVED AGAIN. THIS TIME WE ACTUALLY BOUGHT THE DAMNED PLACE. IT WAS RUNDOWN, THERE WERE TWO HOUSES, A COUPLE OF BARNS, LOTS OF LAND. LGOT MY OWN REAL RIDING HORSE, A PINTO GELDING (NAMED RANGER). MY BROTHER DON GOT A HORSE THE YEAR BEFGRE (NAMED ROXY), RANGER WAS GOOD HORSE, NOT A GREAT HORSE. HE WAS HARD TO CATCH WHEN HE WAS OFF LEAD. A FAIR CUTTING HORSE AND QUICK ON HIS FEET. RANGER WAS WITHOUT A DOUBT THE WORST JUMPER IN HORSEDOM. HE WOULD ALWAYS GET STUCK STRADDLING THE FENCE. 1 HAD TO GIVE HIM CREDIT, HE KEPT ON TRYING. MY SISTER GOT HER FIRST HORSE WHILE LIVED ON THIS FARM. CHARLTE THE PONY. HE ARRIVED IN GRAND STYLE IN THE BACK SEAT OF DAD'S CAR WITH HIS HEAD OUT THE DOOR WINDOW. YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN THE OTHER CARS ON THR ROAD THAT ALMOST LOST CONTROL AS THEY PASSED OUR CAR. CHARLIE WAS A STALLION AND ABOUT THREE FEET AT THE WITHERS. CHARLIE REALLY HAD AN EGO. HE WAS THE KING OF OUR HERD HORSES. HE COULD WALK UNDER MOST OF THE HORSES. IT WAS QUITE \ SIGHT TO SEE HIM TRY TO MATE WITH THE MARES WHEN THEY CAME INTO HEAT. HE DAMNED NEAR KILLED HIMSELF TRYING, IT WAS AT THIS FARM THAT DON AND I STARTED BREAKING HO! FOR SADDLE AND HARNESS. THIS 1S A JOB WHERE YOU SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN THE SADDLE AND A LOT OF TIME LN THE AIR. WITH PRACTICE YOU CAN SPEND MORE TIME IN THE SADDLE. BREAKING A HORSE TO HARNESS IS. EASY IF YOU HAVE A SEASONED HARNESS HORSE TO PUT WITH THE GREEN HORSE. HARNESS HORSES TRY TO GET AWAY FROM THE WAGON AND SADDLE HORSES TRY TO GET AWAY FROM THE RIDER... IT WAS VERY SATISFYING WHEN THE HORSES BECAME TAMED AND TRAINED. THIS WAS ABOUT THE TIME DON AND I STARTED RIDING IN GYMEHANAS- ALL OVER THE COUNTY SPONSORED BY LOCAL RIDING CLUBS. THE EVENTS: WERE CUTTING CONTESTS, HORSE RACES, RESCUE RACES, BALLOON BUSTING CONTESTS AND OTHER FUN STUFF THAT J DON’T REMEMBER. IT WAS GREAT. SQUARE DANCING SATURDAY NIGHT AND RIDING [NG AROUND) ON SUNDAY *** YAHOO.***DON AND 1 USING HIS HORSE ROXY, WON MOST OF THE RESCUE RACES. THEN THE RULES WERS CHANGED. THE TEAM HAD TO BE A BOY AND GIRL BECAUSE WE WERE WINNING SO MANY RACES. BEING ALITTLE CHAUVINISTIC WE DIDN'T ENTER ANYMORE, CAN YOU IMAGINE HAVING TO PARTNER WITH A GIRL IN A GUY'S RACE. YUCK. WE SOLD THAT FARM A FEW YEARS LATER AFTER THE BARN BURNED DOWN AND MOVED 10 THE OF TOWN HUDSON FALLS, WHERE 1 SPENT THE REST OF YY CHILDHOOD. WE KEPT OUR RIDING HORSES. MY FATHER RENTED 4 LRM DOWN HILL FOR A FEW COWS AND OUR HORSES. DAD BOUGHT ME A PINTO MARE NAMED SILVER, AS IN QUICKSILVER. SHE WAS AS QUICK AS QUICKSILVER. A VERY GOOD CUTTING HORSE AND EASY TO CATCH. [SOLD RANGER SOON AFTER. RANGER WAS GOOD FOR A SUNDAY AFYERNOON RIDE WITH YOUR GIRL FRIEND, BUT L COULDN'T AFFORD TO BE A TWO. HORSE COWBOY (DRUG STORE). YOU ARE PROBABLY SAVING TO YOURSELF. WHAT IS ALL THIS BUS! ABOUT CATCHING A DAMNED HORSE. YOU HAVE TO EXPERIENCE TRYING TO HOLD ONTO THE HALTER OF A HORSE AS AE SPINS IN CIRCLES AND YOUR FEET ARE OFF THE GROUND. ALL YOU CAN DO IS HOPE THAT THEY STOP BEFORE, YOU WENT SAILING THROUGH THE ATR. LCONTINUED MY HORSING AROUND UNTIL WENT INTO THE ARMY DON’S HORSE ROXY WAS KILLED BY A TRAIN THE SUMMER WE GRADUATED FROMIECH SCHOOL, THAT WAS IHS LAST HORSE. A FINAL WORD ABOUT SILVER. IF SHE WASN'T RIDDEN REGULARLY SHE WOULD TRY TO BUCK YOU OFF, JUST TO MAKE SURE YOU WERE PAYING ATTENTION. [GOT HER WHEN SHE WAS ABOUT 12 YEARS OLD. WHILE T WAS INTHE ARMY, SILVER WASN'T RIDDEN MUCH. WHEN T RETURNED. I HAD TO BREAK HER AGAIN. THAT'S SPUNKY FOR A TWENTY YEAR OLD MARE. USTOPPED RIDING HER WHFN L WENT AWAY TO SCHOOL. SILVER TF MOVED IN WITH ANOTHER OLD HORSE THAT LIVED ACROSS THE ROAD FROM MY BROTHER ALDAMOR’S FARM. THERE SHE LIVED UNTIL SHE DIED WHEN SHE WAS OVER TIHRTY YEARS OLD. GENE AUTRY WAS BETTER THAN ROY ROGERS. ALLED MY SISTER TO CHECK A COUPLE OF FACTS (YEAH RIGHT) ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT SILVER WAS ORIGINALLY BOUGHT FOR HER. THEN WE FOUND OUT THAT SILVER DIDN'T LIKE WOMEN. THAT WAS LUCKY DAY. YEP. MY