Welcome to Fern Valley

Here in central Alberta prime farm country,my husband Martin and I work together raising beef cattle and Appaloosa horses. Fern valley appaloosas have long been known for their quality of temperament conformation and color.I have recently rediscovered a love of writing and have published 2 collections of poetry. "Telling Tails" and Tails Trails and Campfire stories" . I look forward to a future spreading my wings as an author and as a horse woman .

Thursday 10 November 2011

You win some

This poem is about my beloved Sunshine (Honorable mention from last week )And the event is over 20 yrs ago (back when the challenge of a race down and unknown trail  seemed like a good idea!)
To watch her  when I was riding her, she typically looked like she was slipping out of consciousness,.Steady slow , rarely spooked and even at a lope appeared to be making no effort whatsoever . Just really seemed , kind of old and tired . Once  when my uncle jumped on her bareback , she dropped her back and let out such a groan that he jumped right off thinking she was injured! (Have I ever mentioned that Appys have a wicked sense of humour? ) Often walking along on the trail she would do something similar , letting out these sad and pathetic sounds moaning a little from time to time (most often when a really handsome cowboy was riding near , so I would be totally embarrassed and ride off!)
SO in defense of the braggart who challenged me to the race on the Alberta Trail Riders against  Cancer ride . She really didn't look like a horse that could beat him !(insert evil laugh!) But when I got that sweet girl opened  up on a trail?? Well I will let the poem tell the story

Once upon a trail ride
I rode across a meadow wide
I met a young man on that trail
Full of boastful stories and tails
He talked about his big black horse
Fastest thing on feet of course

I rode along and listened some
And though ‘bout how his day would come
He started then to joke and spin
“Your horse can’t catch her own second wind!”
The horse I rode was long and lank,
I knew just what she had in her tank
I shrugged and smiled and rode away
But he kept at me the whole day.

Finally I gave in. And said alright
Let’s take a spin
Along an open trail we ran
Neck and neck along the sand
That black horse ran with all his heart
Until I asked, when does it  start?

Stay safe everyone!

6 comments:

Country Gal said...

Fantastic poem ! I loved it. Are you guys getting any snow in your neck of the Canadian woods , here in Ontario it is windy and cold and I can smell and feel snow in the air always the farmer in my blood its coming for sure, usually we are already buried in it by now. Have a wonderful evening.

Nezzy (Cow Patty Surprise) said...

This poem was just wonderful sweetie.

God bless and have a warm fuzzy kinda day!!! :o)

Linda said...

Great poem....we always got our butts kicked for racing......if we got caught that is;)

C-ingspots said...

Atta girl Sunshine!!! Our old girl, Siri who passed away last July used to groan when going downhills. So funny, at first my hubby would feel sorry for her, but I think that was her plan. :) They're smarter than most want to give them credit for. *wink*

GoLightly said...

LOL, hilarious!

Rachel said...

I love this! What a terrific story and the poem captured it perfectly!

You just never know what those appys are going to do :)