Back some time ago, I had a beautiful mare named Starlight. I bought her as a starter horse as I had not owned one before. She was about 18 or 20 years old and was as stubborn as they come. I had met my match apparently.
Even so, I loved her and we took lots of great rides together where I lived in North Carolina. The country roads gave us a lot of freedom to ride and enjoy the scenery. This photo is not one of Starlight but a very close likeness. Depending on the light and time of year she would look like the night sky with all her gray on white coloring. She was an Appaloosa.
This one particular fall day I decided to take her out for ride. Now mind you, we had gone on many long rides previously as much as 7 hours. On this day it was not too hot and we took off on a winding country road not far from the barn and stables. All was going well for a while, three to four hours as I recall.
On our way back however, we came to the end of that road and to another one that led either to the barn or away from the barn. My instincts were to head on back but I wanted to ride a bit more. Bad decision on my part and Starlight decided to change the dynamics of our ride.
At the juntion of the country road I turned left. Yep, away from the barn. I kicked into full gallop mode and for a few yards all was well. At approximately 3 minutes into the full speed ahead, Starlight pulled a ”Hi-Yo Silver, Away”! For those of you who never watched the Lone Ranger, look it up. Meanwhile back to my story.
Starlight did a 180 degree turn on her back legs when she decided to put on the brakes and show me who was in charge. She was somewhat larger and I may have had the reins but she had brute force on her side. In a flash, i was catapulted off the saddle onto the side of the road landing about 6 inches from the asphalt on my backside.
She was on her way back to the barn in a split second and I was dazed sitting there with the saddle a few yards in front of me and the blanket a few more yards up the road. Funny thing is, I still had the reins in my hands when I landed. She was happily on her way back to the barn.
Now a real sweet couple came by and picked me up with all the horse paraphenalia scattered along the roadside. Starlight was waiting when I arrived back (no broken bones, just buised pride) and you guessed it, I was extremely ticked off. But the lesson here is to listen to your instincts and follow your best judgement even if it comes from the horses mouth.
There’s my horse story for you! I have more but that was a doozy and Starlight went to a family with a nice young lady who would take care of her and take shorter rides. Thanks for listening.
