The best gift of all.........

First let me back up. I worked for awhile in a vet's laboratory, performing some lab work and calling in results to various other vet clinics around the metro area. Thought I was pretty hot stuff at the time about horses--thought I knew pretty much everything. Knew how to train, how to ride, just about all the breeds.....now I know how much I didn't know--and how much of an ass I was. But I guess we all go through that.

Anyway, one of the reports that I had to call on was on an Equine, breed-Tarpan. Never heard of it. So I asked the person on the other end of the line about it-and she turned out to be the owner. One thing led to another and I had an invitation to her home to see these horses. Ellen Thrall turned out to be a 5 foot 3 prematurely grey dynamo of energy who had worked in the zoo with them. When the zoo had closed the exhibit down, she'd asked for them and gotten the small herd. At the time, they were considered wild and untrainable. You'd have to know Ellen--she was, of course, riding the stallion and breeding the mares.

I had a horse of my own--but Ellen and I talked at length about the future of this recreated breed of prehistoric horses. I didn't want something that small--they're only 13-3 hands at the largest, although they can carry a large adult all day without difficulty. Also, I wanted more "fire" and these horses tend to be somewhat "cold-blooded". She'd been trying a few crosses with other breeds-and I suggested the arab cross.

About two years later, my phone rang. Ellen's voice was on the other end: Your colt is here. What colt? I didn't say I wanted a colt! But I went to see the baby anyway. Turned out there had been another-a filly--and Ellen had tried again. This one was "my colt". And he had been born to a mare that had been living wild and he had not been handled from birth either--so he was as wild as any creature on earth. She had managed to separate him from his dam because she was skinny from trying to feed him on poor pasture, and had gotten him into a trailer and brought him home with her. He was NOT amused--to say the least.

But he was gorgeous. That very angry, very fuzzy, three month old baby grew up into a wonderful partner for me. He's still around at 21 years now and still going strong. He became the intelligent, talented extension of myself that I needed. Ellen eventually gave me his sire who also gave me HIS heart as only a Tarpan can. I can say with all honesty that I have ridden like the centaurs of Greek mythology on three horses and these are two of them.

Ellen Thrall gave me the best gift because she recognized in me the Equus spirit. Her stallion was her bequest to me--she died not long after. I treasure her memory as I treasure the horses. Thank you, Ellen. In all humility--thank you.

The photograph

For any who might be interested--yes, that is one of my horses, and yes, I took the photo. It happens to be my half-tarpan, half-arab stallion, WP Asher aka "Buddy" and the camera was a digital. Buddy was just in the yard on a picket line grazing that day and I decided that he needed his picture taken. (We're still working out the details of who is in charge when I'm astride--it's okay that I'm up there--he just doesn't see the point in my having anything to do with decision-making--especially if the girls come to watch! He's not ugly about it-just doesn't see the point.)

And, yes, we'll entertain thoughts of his being a dad--if the right mare comes along. So far, none has although he swears she has--several times. He wishes his mom wasn't so darn picky.