The Gillespie Horses

Down the road from my parents' home was a double pasture with a two stall barn tucked up against the moraine. High above on the moraine was the home of the Gillespies, the family that owned the barn and pastures.

Susan Gillespie was about eight years older than me and attending college at the time. Since she no longer lived at home, I was hired to come over twice a day and check the horses, fill the trough, and toss down hay and grain.

I loved it. (And it was much more fun than my other job, babysitting.)

 The double pastures looking from the barn down to the Wabash. When the water flooded and poured into the bottom pasture, I would close the gate and keep the horses in the top pasture. 

The barn with the Gillespie house behind it up on the moraine. Their home was accessed by a road up there and they used a path through the woods to get down to the barn.

When I began caring for Susan's horses, there were two mares who were sisters - Sycamore Lass and Scojeadon. Scoj's name was a combination of Susan's nickname (Scottie) with the names of her two best friends, Jean and Donna. 

Sadly, early in my time of caring for them, Sycamore Lass caught her leg in the slats of the divider between the two stalls and broke it. Susan was home at the time and is the one who actually found her. Lass had to be euthanized and I still remember the tears streaming down Susan's face when I arrived on the scene and she told me what had happened. The divider between the two stalls was removed immediately.

To keep Scoj company, the Gillespies purchased a donkey - Jose. He was a fun little guy and lived up to everything I had ever heard about donkeys. Sassy and smart, hard to catch, a loud brassy bray... I loved him!

Scoj was bred and foaled a colt one spring morning after a nighttime storm. It was the first foal I had ever been around, and I discovered him when I arrived for the morning check. I remember excitedly running home and calling Mr. Gillespie to let him know that the foal had arrived. The Gillespies named him Stormy and I got to watch him grow up. 

Stormy as a yearling with Scoj in the background.

 Scoj and Stormy in the winter.

Naturally, I did name two model horses after the Gillespie herd.

This is Sycamore Lad.

 And this is Scojeadon. 

When I went off to college, Leslie took over for me and began caring for the Gillespies' horses. I do not remember what happened to Scoj, Stormy, and Jose but I will ask her and find out and post it here.