For Horse Lovers

Tonight I was talking on the phone with my cousin, who also happens to be my sister-in-law, (we're married to brothers, if you're trying to figure it out) and our conversation turned to my blog. She reads, but doesn't comment. (Hi, Vondie!) Anyway, I told her that every time I pull up my blog, I sit here for at least 15 seconds and watch the little red horse make a lap across the top of the posts. She said she does, too! After that, the conversation turned to Texas because that's where I lived before I moved back home to Kentucky. The years I spent in Texas were the nearest I came to living the western fantasy I write about. For a while, I lived on a mini ranch in the big piny woods that begin just north of Houston. Tonight, I'm feeling a little nostalgic about that and my horses I had then, so I'd like to share a few pictures.

This is Cheyenne, a big chocolate brown gelding who thought he was still a stallion. He was as gentle and playful as a big ole puppy dog... until you brought out a saddle. Then he turned into a wild-eyed demon. I never rode him, nor did I ever try. I wasn't that crazy even then, but my husband tried it a few times. The one time he managed to get out of the lane on his back, Cheyenne took him over into the woods and tried to crush him against a tree. Sure did, but for some reason, we loved him anyway.

This is Santa Fe, standing in front of the tack shed, all saddled up and ready for a ride. She was a gentle old strawberry roan who behaved like a lady when you climbed into the saddle. The only downside to riding her was the way Cheyenne behaved when she got out of his sight. He stomped along the perimeter of the fence and whinneyed his head off until she came back.

Here's Sante Fe and Cheyenne, romping and kicking up their heels. Santa Fe is on the far left. Her roan coloring kinda blends in with the landscape so you have to look closely to see her there behind the tree.

Here's another shot of Cheyenne acting all stallion-like. This is my favorite picture of him, I guess because of the way the light is reflected from his coat. He looks so noble and positively gleaming.

The quality of this last picture is very bad. It had turned red, so I tried to correct it and this is what I ended up with. Anyway... This little filly is an Anglo-Arabian, which is a cross between a Thoroughbred and an Arabian. Her official name was Three Times a Lady, but we called her Sunshine. Believe it or not, she was a rescue who lost her mother in a flood. The girl giving her a scratch is my little sister, and the dog's name is Jake. He was part Beagle, part Basset, and 100% sweetheart.

Those were the days and I miss my horses, but I doubt that I could keep up with all the work now that goes along with owning these big, beautiful animals. I'm just thankful I was able to live out my dream with them for a while.

Peace,

Devon