OLD GREY MARE SHE AIN’T WHAT SHE USED TO BE

            Yes, there was indeed such an animal, I rode her to school and back. I was quite young, in my early years, as my legs were spread wide over the back of the horse poking out of each side of her back. I can remember saying to my older sister that the horse was too wide, my legs couldn’t go over her sides.

            The buggy was the common way of travelling to school each day and there was a shed in which the horse could be put into. Hay was packed into the back of the buggy for her and at lunch and recess time, one of us would go and give her the hay. It usually wound up that my sister would do it as she was the oldest.

            When the buggy decided to have a hissy fit, we would continue our way home or to school on the back of the horse. I usually hung on with my little fists wrapped around the mare’s mane or harness, which ever was handy. Horses may be great to look at, but to ride, I don’t know, it might take a lot to get me up there again. Scared the crap out of me at the time.

            When she died, Dad then took us to school each day, but then there were many days when we had to walk home. I actually enjoyed those two miles we walked, unless a skunk was sighted. I always enjoyed the nature that surrounded me as we walked.

The young colt that roamed the pasture had never been trained, for some reason Dad would never let us near it to tame it, especially when it was a baby. Never did figure that out.

We never did walk in the winter though, Dad would take us to school in a closed in sleigh, and he would sometimes put hot bricks in it for our feet, but sometimes not. He would sit inside and manage the horses from there as the front had a big opening in it.  Dad would always come and get us in the wagon that had sleighs on it. In the spring those would come off and wheels put on. As the years went past I never did see the closed in sleigh that we used to have. Wonder where that landed up.

I guess those years when I had to walk a lot more, for school, to get the cattle, to help with chores my weight stayed good, but alas through these later years, that has changed. No more said.