He dragged his hooves for the last few steps as he entered through the gate. The sun was setting, and we were all exhausted, although Johanna and I still had a spark of excitement watching him enjoy a much-deserved bite of grass. Champion was finally home and taking in his new surroundings. It was one unforgettable moment of childhood.
I was a horse crazed tom-girl living in Kaministiquia. My family did not own horses, but when a young family of five moved next door, I became a horse owner. I immediately connected like a sister to Johanna, who was my age. We have an endless amount of cherished memories, especially with horses. Once in awhile, our teenaged neighbour would trot by on her black horse named “Beauty,” and we’d stare in awe. We were mesmerized and a bit jealous of the stunning sleek mare and gorgeous teen rider.
“One day, that will be us,” we’d say to each other. It wasn’t long before that day came.
Johanna’s dad knew a thing or two about horse ownership and decided to share his knowledge with his family by getting a horse. When Johanna told me the news, I could hardly believe that our horse dreams were coming true! It was a solid fact when I saw the fencing work being done and the barn construction. Johanna told me all she knew about the upcoming horse and all the care that he would need. Horses are a lot of work! And we couldn’t stop talking about the trails we’d explore. We would gallop in the fields and trot down the road with our blond fly-away hair. Champ would have the best leather saddle with the fine intricate designs etched into it. He would have a steady canter, like the soft bounce of ocean waves. Our dreams were boundless.
The day had arrived. The whole family came to the farm in their red four-door Pontiac car. I thought maybe they had a trailer rental to pick up the horse, but Johanna’s dad had other plans. We were to ride him home! Oh, how exciting! There would be plenty of time to take turns riding, as we were miles away from home.
Johanna and I jumped out of the car, just as it came to a rolling stop. We were filled with joy as we ran to the fence. Lagging behind us, were her younger siblings, running hand in hand to try and catch us. They were excited, but not as horse crazy as we were. I’d never seen so many horses at once! There had to be dozens scattered throughout the open fields. Perhaps it was a horse rescue farm.
“Where is he!” I screamed. “I don’t see a brown horse!”
When the adults were near, we jumped through the fence, going in the direction of a pointing finger.
“He’s over there near the Shetland pony.” Said Johanna’s dad.
We called his name; he stopped his grazing and looked up at us. My heart skipped a few beats, as every step brought me closer to petting him. At last, I stood before him, and let him sniff my hands before I stroked his muscular shoulder and neck. He was a big boy, a gentle giant. A standardbred cart horse, retired from racing. His coat was chocolate brown, and he had a black mane and tail, along with black hocks. A specimen of perfection, in my mind. It was time to claim him and take him home.
The men were prepared with hidden sugar cubes, and a bridle. They walked him to the driveway and saddled him up. It wasn’t the beautiful shiny leather saddle I envisioned; it was hardly a saddle at all. The seat was foam covered with a stitched red material. A large blanket was placed under the “saddle.” This may have been padding meant to be used under an actual saddle. I wasn’t sure, and I didn’t really care at that point, one more pull of the cinch, and we were ready to ride.
Johanna’s dad was the first to ride. It made sense since he was the adult and had to get an understanding of Champs temperament and how he handled traffic. I and the rest of the clan were in the car, slowly guiding Champ home. Occasionally, we would pop our heads out of the window and let Champ know that he was a good boy. My turn didn’t come until after Johanna. I was being as patient as I could and finally, I climbed up on the big fella. I sat high above the ground, my feet unable to stay in the stirrups because I was much shorter than Johanna. I didn’t have the western horn to hold onto, so I grasped his mane with one hand and held the reins with the other. We continued circulating riders over a few hours. Johanna’s mom eventually left us to bring the other sibling’s home. The journey was approximately five hours of riding and walking. There were a few occasions of trotting, which was a bouncy ride I wasn’t used to. We were amateurs and didn’t know much at all about horses.
We travelled gravel roads, pipelines, and some parts of the highway. We chose the safest way to get home instead of the quickest and several hours later, dusk was near. With the gate in sight, we saw the rest of the family waiting. Johanna and I were relieved to see home. The two of us were on Champ, while her dad led us closer to the empty field. Our hearts were full of love and joy to have our Champion home. This was the longest ride of our lives, but worth every aching muscle.
What was one of the most treasured days of your childhood?
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