Kelley (Texas)
New member
When I was fourteen years old, I spent a lot of free time over at Mr. Ferguson's place doing odd chores in exchange for riding some of his horses. He had a big bay horse by the name of "Boozer" that I loved to ride. I had the run of the place, could ride anytime I wanted, but the agreement was that I would have to be available to help him when he needed an extra hand. He would pay me fair wages in addition to letting me ride any of his horses.
One afternoon when I arrived home from school, Mother told me that Mr. Ferguson had called and needed me over at his place as soon as possible. One of his horses had run through a fence trying to escape from some stray dogs and had evidently been cut up pretty bad. Mr. Ferguson had tried to catch the horse, but it had escaped and headed towards the back of his property. Now this was indeed a problem because Mr. Ferguson had almost 7,000 acres of ranch land.
Without wasting time, I saddled up "Boozer," grabbed a halter and tied a rope to the saddle. As I headed out, Mr. Ferguson told me to be careful because there were some bad thunderstorms heading our way.
I soon found where the horse had gone through the fence...lots of blood. This did not look good, I envisioned that this horse was probably dead by now from loss of blood. I headed east and after several hours, finally spotted the horse...he was alive, but cut pretty bad. As I approached him, he took off at a dead run, heading for the area that we called the bluffs. It was at this time that I heard the thunder, and saw the lightning in the distance...I had to act fast in catching that horse.
As it was getting dark, I finally cornered the horse in a ravine and got the halter on him. He had a deep cut on his chest that was going to have to be sewed up, and it did disturb me that he was still bleeding. However, a new problem of greater concern was developing, it started raining...thunder and lightning all around us. I found a rock overhang and sought shelter there for us. To add to the problem was the fact that it was now dark and I was on a part of the ranch that was not too familiar to me. I had to make a decision, stay put or try to get this injured horse back to the ranch house. I elected to get the horse to the ranch house for treatment.
I left the ravine and headed in what I thought was the direction to the ranch house, but it did not take long for me to realize that I was confused and really did not know which way to go. I was lost! This was rough country, not some place that you would want to be lost in at night, especially in a bad thunderstorm with a hurt horse!
"Boozer" was also adding to the problem...he was giving me a hard time, he would balk, dance around, just made my problem worst. He had never acted this way before, but then again I had never rode him in a thunderstorm before.
Between lightning flashes, I saw a wide open area that appeared to have an opening in the rocks at the far end. I put "Boozer" into a trot and headed for the opening. As I got near the opening, "Boozer" became almost uncontrolable...really started to balk. Then I saw it...that was not an opening to a trail, but it was a bluff. I had come so close to riding off a bluff, and "Boozer" had sensed the danger.
It was at this time that I realized that the reason that "Boozer" was giving me a hard time was because he knew where home was and I was heading in the wrong direction. I made the decision to give "Boozer" a free rein, time to trust my horse to take me home.
That was the best decision I could have made, three hours later we topped a hill and I saw the ranch house lights. As we approached the house, I saw several cars parked there...one was a sheriff's car, another was my Dad's pickup truck. I did not realize it, but it was 2:30 in the morning. A search party was being formed to look for me. I was embarrassed and figured that I was in big trouble.
My Father hugged me, then gave me hell for continuing to look for the injured horse when I should have come back to the ranch house and waited for morning. I was wet and cold, wanted something hot to drink, but "Boozer" was going to be taken care of first. I took him to the barn, wiped him down, put him in a dry stall, and gave him a couple of flakes of hay. That horse saved me from riding off a bluff and possibly death. That horse was a hero! Please have a great day! Kelley (Texas)
This is the type of terrain that I rode in that night!
[attachment 16935 MVC-202S2.jpg]
One afternoon when I arrived home from school, Mother told me that Mr. Ferguson had called and needed me over at his place as soon as possible. One of his horses had run through a fence trying to escape from some stray dogs and had evidently been cut up pretty bad. Mr. Ferguson had tried to catch the horse, but it had escaped and headed towards the back of his property. Now this was indeed a problem because Mr. Ferguson had almost 7,000 acres of ranch land.
Without wasting time, I saddled up "Boozer," grabbed a halter and tied a rope to the saddle. As I headed out, Mr. Ferguson told me to be careful because there were some bad thunderstorms heading our way.
I soon found where the horse had gone through the fence...lots of blood. This did not look good, I envisioned that this horse was probably dead by now from loss of blood. I headed east and after several hours, finally spotted the horse...he was alive, but cut pretty bad. As I approached him, he took off at a dead run, heading for the area that we called the bluffs. It was at this time that I heard the thunder, and saw the lightning in the distance...I had to act fast in catching that horse.
As it was getting dark, I finally cornered the horse in a ravine and got the halter on him. He had a deep cut on his chest that was going to have to be sewed up, and it did disturb me that he was still bleeding. However, a new problem of greater concern was developing, it started raining...thunder and lightning all around us. I found a rock overhang and sought shelter there for us. To add to the problem was the fact that it was now dark and I was on a part of the ranch that was not too familiar to me. I had to make a decision, stay put or try to get this injured horse back to the ranch house. I elected to get the horse to the ranch house for treatment.
I left the ravine and headed in what I thought was the direction to the ranch house, but it did not take long for me to realize that I was confused and really did not know which way to go. I was lost! This was rough country, not some place that you would want to be lost in at night, especially in a bad thunderstorm with a hurt horse!
"Boozer" was also adding to the problem...he was giving me a hard time, he would balk, dance around, just made my problem worst. He had never acted this way before, but then again I had never rode him in a thunderstorm before.
Between lightning flashes, I saw a wide open area that appeared to have an opening in the rocks at the far end. I put "Boozer" into a trot and headed for the opening. As I got near the opening, "Boozer" became almost uncontrolable...really started to balk. Then I saw it...that was not an opening to a trail, but it was a bluff. I had come so close to riding off a bluff, and "Boozer" had sensed the danger.
It was at this time that I realized that the reason that "Boozer" was giving me a hard time was because he knew where home was and I was heading in the wrong direction. I made the decision to give "Boozer" a free rein, time to trust my horse to take me home.
That was the best decision I could have made, three hours later we topped a hill and I saw the ranch house lights. As we approached the house, I saw several cars parked there...one was a sheriff's car, another was my Dad's pickup truck. I did not realize it, but it was 2:30 in the morning. A search party was being formed to look for me. I was embarrassed and figured that I was in big trouble.
My Father hugged me, then gave me hell for continuing to look for the injured horse when I should have come back to the ranch house and waited for morning. I was wet and cold, wanted something hot to drink, but "Boozer" was going to be taken care of first. I took him to the barn, wiped him down, put him in a dry stall, and gave him a couple of flakes of hay. That horse saved me from riding off a bluff and possibly death. That horse was a hero! Please have a great day! Kelley (Texas)
This is the type of terrain that I rode in that night!
[attachment 16935 MVC-202S2.jpg]
.i've ridden several stable horses and man they do know the way home
.
