Sunday I caught a glimpse once again, of my show horse.  I took my big quarter horse gelding up and gave him a bath, scrubbing the dingy blaze on his face until it sparkled white.  Then as I led him back through the barn, he walked aggressively next to me.  His eyes were bright and determined, his ears pricked, and his giraffe like neck, although thicker then it used to be, was arched as we paced quickly down the aisle.  He was a horse on a mission.  Fox was looking for one thing in particular...not the grass just outside the door...not yet anyway....but instead, his collegiate friend Brownie had returned. 

 

Brownie has spent the last four regular semesters of Hamilton College at Fairway Farm while his rider is attending school.  Brownie and Fox have never been pasture buds, or even appear to like each other that much...but...They have however, stared across the aisle at each other for two years now.  They are both veteran riding horses and both share in the unique benefit of surviving horrific car accidents.  Undoubtedly, they stare across the way at each other, in all their great wisdom, and shake their heads at the strange things we are all doing as we bustle in and out of the barn.

 

How Fox knew that Brownie had returned, I just don't know.  He had arrived the day before and was up in the big barn.  But somehow, he knew.

Fox glided quickly down the aisleway and stopped abruptly when he reached his old neighbor.  They sniffed through the stall bars only briefly, and then we marched on.  Men of few words they are.  Now, we were on our way to the grass. 

 

Once again, I watched my bright eyed show horse lead me across the parking lot and to the lawn where he grazed heartily in the sunshine.  Fox was a World Class show horse in the prime of his life...and today he was reminding us.  He was not dusty looking and common.  There was sign of his many injuries that cause him to step a bit differently in recent days.  Instead, he stood brilliantly against the green of the grass and the red of the barn behind him.  So many days, I come and go, quickly cleaning out his stall and brushing him off....but not really spending the time admirring him like I used to.  Today I had no choice.  Typically laid back and always calm Fox, was alive.  He had a different look in his eye.  A look of a frisky young show horse that would not be ignored.  He is an amazing horse, and although he is retired and spends his days in the field relaxing, every once in a while, he reminds you who he is....Every once in a while Features Fox stands out and says, "Don't forget me...I am a Champion." 

 

And that he is.

----------------------------------------------------


For those of you who don't remember.  Fox was purchased for me in 1989 as my Novice youth hourse....to get my feet wet on the Quarter Horse Circuit.  In 1993 we place eighth out of 62 horses in the Hunter Hack class during our second qualified trip to the American Quarter Horse World Championship Horse Show.  An accomplishment I never even dreamed of....He is the best!