I got Amy, my first horse, when I was twelve. At the time, I didn't realize that horses are herd animals and need companionship.
Amy and me when I first got her. Can you see why I cried when I first spied Abby and ended up bringing her home? (I still have that saddle, bridle, and saddle pad in Tim's tackroom.)
The arrow is pointing to Gossip Corner which is across the highway that split our property into two parts. (It's under the telephone poles in this photo.) Amy used to stand down there in that corner of the paddock and whinny at Scoj and Lass, two Quarter Horse mares down the road.
Gossip Corner should have been a big clue, but I was young and inexperienced and almost all of my know-how came from reading books.
One night after we had all gone to bed, a car speeding down the highway lost control and crashed through the fence at Gossip Corner, leaving a large hole behind. (Luckily Amy was not hurt.) The driver sped off leaving us unaware that she now had a way to go visiting.
Boy howdy, did she ever take the opportunity! Amy hightailed it down the highway IN THE DARK and soon the sheriff began getting reports of a loose horse on highway 43. Meanwhile, we slumbered on, unaware that my horse was gone.
Amy's jaunt - the top arrow points to our home and the bottom arrow to the place where she was finally rounded up and safe.
Two miles later, she had made it all the way to the edge of town. The sheriff caught her, and someone held her while he began looking for the owner. That meant driving north along the highway and stopping at places that looked like they might own horses.
At 5:00 AM he knocked on our door, shining his light on his badge so we knew it was safe to open the door. A quick check showed that Abby was indeed gone and the sheriff drove my father back to town so he could get her.
Since we did not yet have a trailer, Dad had a long, lonely, and scary walk back home. I'd like to think he got a police escort with lights flashing for safety, but I don't think he did. Amy went into the paddock and Dad repaired the damage from the hit and run driver.
We'd learned our lesson and soon our herd began to grow. But let me tell you, that's the hard way to convince your parents that you need more than one horse!
