Folks, I am now back home. This afternoon I went to Castroville, Texas where I have my horses boarded at my cousin's ranch. This is difficult for me to write at this moment, so if you do not mind, I will tell you basics and try to write a complete story in the next day or two.
We had to move to the city because I am diabetic and I was in the early stages of losing the use of my legs due to extreme nerve damage and circulation problems. It had gotten to the point that it was very difficult to maintain the old home place. The final blow was when I could not sit a horse longer than fifteen minutes before experiencing extreme pain, swelling, and then numbness, Several times I fell when I tried to dismount because I could not feel my feet hitting the ground. Then Dr. Oliver told me that my riding days were over, and do not get on a horse again.
As we pulled out of our driveway onto the country road for the last time, I pulled over and stopped for a minute or two. I looked at Debbie and told her that we would be in the city now for the rest of our lives, but I would return to ride a horse again. She looked at me and cried all the way to our new home. Debbie quietly told me that she loved me and it hurt her to tell me that it will never happen, your legs will get even worse. My next visit to the doctor, I told him the same thing. He said it was a nice dream to have, but he doubts I would ever be able to ride again, also that it was too dangerous. When I mentioned it to my friends, I could see that they did not believe me. Guess what? I never listened to any of them, in my mind, I could do it.
Last October, I made a mistake when giving myself an injection and had a bad reaction, then to top things off, I came down with the Shingles. I was pretty sick the rest of October, November, and into December. A few days I just stayed in bed, I was sick. During this time all I thought about was riding a horse again. Last month I made the decision that it was now or never to ride again. I would sit in a chair and push up with me legs, I did constant walking on and off until the pain was so bad that I would be on the verge of collapse. I used my legs anyway I could. Yesterday afternoon, I made the decision that I would be riding on Friday. I was in a great mood, even called a few friends just to shoot the bull, but I told no one what I intended to do today. After Debbie left to go shopping with a friend, I loaded my saddle into the bed of my pickup truck, then I went to the garage, opened a big box by the door an pulled out the bridle and saddle blankets that belonged to Blueberry. I gently laid them on the seat beside me and headed for Castroville.
Cindy knew what was up, but did not say a word about it. She helped me saddle Blueberry and then saddled a horse for her to ride. I must admit that I tried, but she had to help me get into the saddle. Once in the Saddle, I was OK. I might make mention that Blueberry was the last horse that I had ever trained. I bought her when she was seven months old. Up until the time that we moved to the city, I had been the only person to ever ride he, she was my special horse. Now Cindy rides her and we are the only two that has ever ridden her. I put everything I knew into training her. She had lots of cow in her, excellent roping horse, and she is smart. She saved me several times from getting into trouble, and if ridden at night, I would give her a free rein, she always knew the way home.
Well, I rode for just a tab over two hours today, across the fields and then into the brush, and along several dry creeks. I rode through a small herd of cows, then across another large field, then headed back to the barn. I had some pain, and swelling, and on and off periods of numbness, but I kept going. I had a goal of two hours, nothing less than two hours was acceptable. We reached the barn and Cindy helped me dismount and remove the saddle. I rubbed Blueberry down and turned her loose in the big arena to cool down some more. Then I fed her and said good by. Cindy and I sat out by the fence for a little while and then it was time to come home.
Folks, my riding days are indeed over now, but I called the shots! I did it my way, I made the decision, not some doctor that does not know the difference between a mule and a horse. I did it the right way, riding my last horse, using my saddle that I had used for over thirty years, and using the short shank medium port bit that I always used when riding Blueberry. I wore the old hat that Debbie would like to burn, the hat is almost twenty five years old. I just said the magic word, old. I am sad, and I hurt down deep inside me, but I am also happy to have had the life that I have led too! I now enter a new era of my life. The high school has been pestering me to assist with their ag program in horses, they know I cannot ride, but I do have lots of knowledge about horses and I can help those young people. My riding days are over, but my horse days will still be here.
Debbie was very understanding when I came home and told her what I had done. She said that she figured out what was happening when she saw the saddle missing from my study. She put her arm around me and we came into the house. I drank a cup of coffee, then brought my saddle into the house, and into the study and placed it on the saddle rack that I had made over thirty years ago. It is to remain in that saddle rack until the day that I pass from this world, and then it is to go to my Grandson, Brayden. Brayden already knows that in another year or two that he is going to be on a special horse by the name of Blueberry. He is going to be taught to ride by Blueberry, an old grumpy grandfather, and a "real" lady by the name of Cindy.
I have now hung up the old spurs, the saddle is secure in the saddle rack, and I hurt all over! I did it my way! Good night my friends, Kelley (Texas)
