Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Cooper Chapters - Lady & Beauty

I remember telling everyone, "I have a horse--her name is Lady, and Georgia has a horse too--her name is Beauty! Yes, every year at Auntie Beanie's, we got to ride Lady and Beauty. We'd get up early with everyone, eat fast, and out the door we'd run. No one had to guess where we were going or what we were doing. We'd be with the horses all day long.... I remember Auntie Beanie telling us "Give the horses a REST!" So even if we only had horses for 2 weeks of each summer -- they were really ours. We were the only ones to ride them. Their job used to be working on the farm. By the time we came along to ride them, they had been retired from their work job of pulling the plow, hay wagon, etc.

This picture says May 1958, so I'm not sure if it was of us girls in summer of 1957 or early 1958. Depends on how long the film had been in the camera before getting developed. So I was about 10-11 years old and Georgia 8-9 years old.

Just have to tell you about the worst thing I ever did! I could never tell a lie, as I'm bad at telling on myself even! Well, Spose I wasn't much older than in this picture, and Georgia and I were in the barn. We'd already caught the horses, and they were so big, and we couldn't reach high enough to get the bridle headstall slipped over their ears, so guess what I did????????? Rather than wait longer for cousin Bunty to get there, I put the head of one horse into the cow stanchion - OMG! Poor thing! Of course the stanchion closed by itself and the horse went NUTS!!!!!!!!!! I remember bawling, and of course we must have been screaming and then of course, cousin Bunty showed up - thank God; then the horse got loose, and then Bunty had to catch her. She was cut up on her head by her eyes pretty good. More like really scraped up! I think I got a licking. Don't really remember that part; but do remember our horseback riding was done with for that year!!!! I still have a hard time believing I did that! That's what you get for being a dumb town kid.

Isn't that just about the worst thing a kid could do? I still feel bad thinking about it; can't imagine why we just didn't wait. I loved those horses too much to intentionally hurt them. I bet Lady and Beauty are in horse heaven, and have forgiven me-I just know it.

5 comments:

Leah said...

I love this picture - you girls were so brave! I'm sure they forgave you by the next time you were in the pasture - animals are the most forgiving!

I'll miss your posts while you are gone - have a wonderful time and send updates if you can.

Jewel said...

you and your sister remind me of me and my sister.I loved horses too. love your header

g said...

Your header pic. is just grand.
For a fact, I know those horses have forgiven us...we probably set their horse training, knowledge way back when we came to the country...Pulled too hard on them, tugged to the left to go right...well, you get the picture. I thought your idea of getting and keeping the horse in one spot was pretty good.
I imagine Beanie had a few good things to say to us, oh well. Poor Bunty came a running, huffing and puffing to find out what happened, I can still hear him cussin.
I believe that we were NO MORE than 7 and 9, film was kept in a camera for a very very long time back then. You sure were brave, standing straight and tall, me...I don't think I was too sure about that horse. What they put up with is unreal. We sure loved them and looked forward to seeing them every summer. Bunty was sooo lucky to have those horses, we sure idolized him...remember him riding? Good memories of a time gone by. Can you believe that Beanie would have us there for a couple of weeks with all the work she had to do?

The Pink Geranium or Jan's Place said...

You know a kid in love with horses can do dumb things.. after all how did you know the horse wouldn't be placid like a cow in one of those things?
After all they're both large farm animals (thinking like a kid here!)

Far Side of Fifty said...

Wow that is some photo! Wonderful story, I really enjoyed it! You were very brave! I am sure the horse forgave you..:)