The Freedom of Riding a Horse

You know, it only seems like a short time ago that we owned horses. But the truth is that we gave the horses away nearly twenty years ago. My, doesn't time fly by?

We got the horses through Spouse's brother and sister-in-law. They had a hobby farm and owned a few horses themselves. Spouse has always liked horses and wanted one for years. The opportunity came in the early 80s for me to buy one and I did. Spouse got him as a birthday present and was immediately thrilled. Decca was a small, fat, Spanish Barb type horse who arrived in a panic. He was roan, with a small blaze and three white socks. And apart from his hysterical arrival, he was one of the lazier horses on the place. And he pretty much did whatever he wanted when Spouse rode him. B showed Spouse how to pull the horse's head back in order to turn it - when the horse refused to follow leg commands. This worked for everybody. Except Spouse. I watched Decca walk off (he never ran off) with Spouse on his back trying to get him to go in another direction. Since his head was pulled back he would actually crash into bushes. He only did this with Spouse. With everyone else he did what was expected of him.

My horse, Liebschen, was half Percheron and half Quarter Horse. She got the worst of both breeds, I guess, regarding appearances. She was a bay, and a lot smarter than anyone but me gave her credit for. My sister-in-law hated her. She ate more than any other horse. She was messier than the other horses. And she only obeyed me.

I rode Liebschen a lot. We would ride the four miles to the old train path which was now a biking, hiking, and horse trail. Then we would ride a few miles in one direction or the other and return.

There are several stories I could tell about riding Liebschen. And Decca. And the third horse we purchased: Brandy. But there is one which took place on the Luce Line near the town of Watertown.

Liebschen and I were on our way back after a ten mile ride out. It was late in the day and we were ready to go home. I was letting her walk slowly because it was hot.

Up ahead I saw a young girl between sixteen and twenty struggling to get her horse to cross a small patch of flowing water which had crossed the trail. It was spring, and the flood waters were still high in places. When Liebschen and I had come out she had stopped at the same place, very concerned about the water which wasn't supposed to be there. It was so small a five-year-old child could step across it without getting their feet wet. But it was different, and horses don't take to different sometimes. (I've known people like that.)

I saw no reason to hurry. For one thing, a horse rushing up might just frighten the other horse even more, and the girl was already struggling. No need for anyone to get hurt. I already knew how to solve the problem - assuming the girl didn't get the horse to cross on her own.

As I neared the girl on her horse I noted that there was a man standing down in the low area where the water was draining to. As I neared the man turned and greeted me. I was about to greet him back when I realized he was stark naked. No wonder the girl was distressed. At least she was on a horse. Should the looney try to reach her, she could at least turn and gallop back the way she had come, even if it was the wrong way. But there was no need for that.

While I never got to be an expert with horses, I had learned a few things. One was that horses are herd animals. They will instinctively group together. Also, horse greet each other by touching noses. That was how I got Decca to finally accept me. (When we first got him, he was terrified of me. I was taller than he was.) I would stoop so his head was higher and breath into his nose and let him do the same to me. In time, he came to accept me as non-threatening. A third thing is that horses have a difficult time concentrating on more than one thing at a time.

So as Liebschen and I came close, the girl's horse quit paying attention to the water and focused on Liebschen. She wanted to greet my horse. I let Liebschen stretch out her head to the other horse, which reciprocated the gesture. Then, just before they touched, I turned Liebschen using my legs. This made the other horse follow, hoping to complete the greeting. Before it knew it, it had crossed the water.

As soon as it did, the girl dug in her heels and galloped away. Liebeschen and I continued on our way. We still had ten miles ahead of us. Never saw the looney again. Or the girl. Hope she was spared, too.

We kept horses for maybe ten years. Seems like it should have been longer, but it wasn't. I haven't ridden a horse now in nearly twenty years. Don't know if I could anymore. The truth is, they are not that expensive to purchase. But they are expensive to keep. Monthly boarding bills can cost more than the horse itself.

One really needs to be in the country to have horses. Living near a managed horse trail like the Luce Line is an advantage, too. I miss it. Riding a horse through the trees put me in touch with my imagination in ways I have not been able to duplicate.

I still wonder, sometimes, whatever happened to our horses after we gave them away. Twenty years. Decca and Brandy are no doubt dead. Both were over ten when we got them, and they probably wouldn't have made it to thirty. Liebschen was only two when I got her, so she would be old - assuming she is still alive. I doubt she is. I was the only one who really liked her. Pity. I doubt we'll ever have horses again.