• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Subscribe
  • Donate

WyoFile

Indepth News about Wyoming People, Places & Policy. Wyoming news.

  • Latest News
    • Education
    • Energy
    • Legislature
    • Native America
    • Natural Resources
    • People
    • Photo Friday
    • Places
    • Policy
  • Voices
    • Drake’s Take
    • Madden’s Measure
    • Guest Column
    • Studio Wyoming Review
  • Support WyoFile
    • Membership
    • Publisher’s Circle
    • Institutional Supporters
    • Underwrite WyoFile
  • COVID-19
  • Latest News
    • Education
    • Energy
    • Legislature
    • Native America
    • Natural Resources
    • People
    • Photo Friday
    • Places
    • Policy
  • Voices
    • Drake’s Take
    • Madden’s Measure
    • Guest Column
    • Studio Wyoming Review
  • Support WyoFile
    • Membership
    • Publisher’s Circle
    • Institutional Supporters
    • Underwrite WyoFile
  • COVID-19

Horse Shibboleth

July 12, 2011 by The Sage Grouse Leave a Comment

Tweet
Share
Pin
Email
0 Shares
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Horse Shibboleth

My last piece on wild horses generated a lot of blow-back, including a comment (not published) by a reader who wished upon me certain death, preferably a slow death. That, together with other poisonous rejoinders, led me to think that henceforth maybe horses would be a good subject for me to avoid.

But, hey you bullies, I ain’t skeered. Anyway, I’m pretty sure them horse lovers ain’t goin’ to shoot my ass.

Today some things got me to reflecting on my experience with horses. Said experience is limited. I’m not very handy putting on a saddle or bridle or pack, but I can help.

My father bought two horses when we lived in Buffalo, Wyoming.  (You always have to say “Wyoming” after the name of the town, you know.) One, a bay gelding, was aptly named Blaze for the white blaze on his face. The other, a short-coupled (maybe part Belgian) black-as-coal mare, was inappropriately named Beauty. Think of those black horses in jousting tournaments; she was that beautiful.

Dad rented a 20 acre pasture with a tiny wooden shed; the shed had a feed room and a two-horse barely larger feeding room with a wooden trough for feed. Every day after school I either rode my bicycle or dragged my Radio Flyer sled (obviously depending on the weather) about a mile each way to feed and water the horses.

These horses were gentle, but I didn’t know much about that. Because my father told me: “Don’t ever get behind a horse because it will kick you.” That warning was engraved into my memory like every one of Moses’ commandments.

The problem: the feeding stall was just long enough for a horse to put its head in the trough without bumping its butt on the opposite wall. How is a fellow to put hay and then cake in front of each horse without walking behind at least one of them? And, of course, they were rowdy and enthusiastic from the moment of my arrival; they crowded the shed door and crowded the feed room door. I, remembering the dire warning, was terrified the whole time I was there. How long would it be before one of them kicked or stomped me into hamburger? Every day I got out of there was a miracle.

This only lasted four or five years. Since then I have ridden bareback with college girls, packed into the wilderness in British Columbia and Montana, hunted horseback for weeks in Wyoming, and let more than a few of them nuzzle me. I think I recovered from the trauma.

Take-away lessons: Parents: Be aware that categorical statements which you may understand are not absolute may be taken by your children to be written in stone. Horse-lovers: Try to be more tolerant.  (Yeah, right)

REPUBLISH THIS COLUMN: For details on how you can republish this story or other WyoFile content for free, click here.


Popular Articles:


Zinke review team calls for big changes to Obama era-plans


Ryan’s health care freedom promised bankruptcy


Trump’s brilliant strategy


Filed Under: The Sage Grouse

About The Sage Grouse

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Want to join the discussion? Fantastic, here are the ground rules:
- Identify yourself with full name and city. WyoFile stands behind everything we publish and expects commenters to do the same.
- No personal attacks, profanity, discriminatory language or threats. Keep it clean, civil and on topic.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Tweets by @WyoFile

Search WyoFile

Become an Underwriter
Sign Up for Free Weekly Newsletters

Recent Comments

  • Thad Meyers on Rancher defends $339K award for stock he claims grizzlies killed
  • Harvey Reading on Rancher defends $339K award for stock he claims grizzlies killed
  • Robert B Crooks on National money, small donors pour into Wyo’s U.S. House race
  • Larry Christensen on Rancher defends $339K award for stock he claims grizzlies killed
  • Sven Larson on National money, small donors pour into Wyo’s U.S. House race

Footer

Recent Posts By Date

April 2021
M T W T F S S
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
2627282930  
« Mar    

From The Archives

  • About Us
  • Careers
  • How to Republish
  • Freelancing
  • Contact Us

Copyright © 2021 by WyoFile