Last weekend, my friend Jen and I took Levi and Mark to the Golden’s Bridge Pony Club Hunter Pace. This was the last in a series of paces we attended this fall and it was great fun because in addition to the regular adult teams there were junior teams of teenagers and even little girls out on ponies with their moms and, in a few instances, their dads. The cuteness factor was really off the charts.
We finished early and decided to head home instead of waiting for the winners to be announced, so imagine our surprise when an envelope came from Golden’s Bridge containing our two red ribbons! Yes, we placed second in the Hunt Division!
Yesterday we trailered over to Steep Rock land preserve and had such a wonderful ride. Our boys who started the season very chubby and unfit, are now quite muscled up and bordering on (but not quite) trim. We had a long gallop around a corn field and the horses still had plenty of gas left to climb a small mountain! It has been a highly enjoyable hunter pace season because Mark and Levi are very happy and calm in each other’s company and Jen and I are very happy and sometimes joyous in their company. We both own other horses, but these grey geldings are our favorites, I think I can speak for Jen when I say this. One of the reasons I’ve so enjoyed pacing with Jen is because she, like me, enjoys the caring for and conditioning of the horses as much, if not more, than the actual events we attend with them.
We just love these boys.
I bought Mark when he was three years old and though he was broke to ride, he didn’t know much. He was terrified of water and would not cross even the smallest streams, didn’t like to walk into trailers, didn’t know his left lead from his right. But he did like to ride out on trails and was always super charming and smart and he captured my heart from the very beginning.
I’m not sure of I’ve ever shared this story about Mark here before, and am too lazy to search the archives so please forgive me if I’m repeating myself. I bought Mark when I really didn’t need another horse. I had a very fancy dressage horse and an old guest horse and a couple of little ponies that nobody rode. But my friend had Mark and was looking to sell him and she just had a hunch that the two of us would get along. Mark and I are very similar personality-wise. He’s really the horse version of me – my familiar. Anyway, she said that she would be happy to just drop him off for a few days so that I could try him out and get to know him. Yes, that Sally H. is a shrewd gal. She knew that once she unloaded that little chap, she wouldn’t be able to steal him back from me.
When she unloaded him that first day, I was immediately charmed by his silly mane that stood straight up and his beautiful dappled coat. Grey horses usually start out almost black when they are babies, then their coat often turns into a beautiful dappled grey. Later, they may become all white like Jen’s Levi, or develop a coat that is called, unfortunately, “flea-bitten” grey, which is what Mark’s coat is now. Anyway, Mark was rather small but stocky. He’s a mix of Morgan (sturdy, small, very smart breed) and Percheron (sturdy larger draft breed). Somehow the combination of breeds works on Mark, he’s really able to pull it off. And it was just love at first sight. He was such a fun, handy little fellow! But I didn’t really want to tell Denis that I had bought another horse because it seemed so indulgent. SO I neglected to mention it to him for a few weeks. One day, we were all sitting down by the house and Denis was gazing up at the barn and then he said, chuckling, “It’s so weird, but if you squint, it almost looks like there’s a white horse up at the barn! It must be the way the sun is slanting down or something.” Of course, this made the kids and I laugh very hard (the kids had assumed D knew about the new horse). Denis met Mark and Mark worked his charms and the rest is history.
Mark and I had to learn to trust each other. He eventually trusted me enough to walk onto trailers and through rivers and streams when I asked, and I had to trust that he wouldn’t slam on the brakes in front of strange jumps (we’re still working on that one). Over the years we’ve done all sorts of dressage training and some jumper training. We’ve fox-hunted, hunter-paced, and even competed in a couple of hunter trials, the first of which we earned a blue ribbon, having no idea what we were doing, just cantering through a field and over the jumps, all hopped up on adrenalin and joy.
Sometimes I attend the A-rated horse shows in our area to watch the top riders compete on their very fancy athletic horses. At the end of their awe-inspiring rides over a very challenging course of jumps, the riders usually dismount and hand the reins over to a groom. And that is when I go from envying these riders to pitying them. They’re missing the best part. Sponging the sweat off their bighearted friend, applying liniment to sooth the muscles in his legs. Covering their kind beast with a clean sheet and tucking him into a thickly bedded stall where he’ll find an apple that was left in his bucket to surprise him. And of course the kissing and murmured vows of love (not sure if all horses do this, but Mark does).
And he smiles for photos:
Ann, you hid a horse for weeks.. I can’t even smuggle a Christmas Present into the house,, stop, what is that,, what’s in the bag/box.. .. you are one clever lady!!
Awe! Now I want a horse!
Such a beautiful horse. We had Sandy – a beautiful Palomino – growing up in Reading, MA in a small suburban neighborhood. Not much space to ride like you describe, but the bond was there and I miss that closeness. Enjoy – thanks for sharing you days with us!
I’ve often wondered what he was – I was thinking Irish sport horse with those gorgeous legs. What a gem you have in Mark! And I couldn’t agree more about those folks who pass their horses off to grooms, my favorite parts are the my-pretty-pony moments, I’m happy to pick a hoof or four.
And I know a guy in LA who has 4 or 5 horses secretly stashed around town that his boyfriend doesn’t know about. Stashing horses is a breeze!!??
I’ve never been around a horse; I’ve lived these 50-odd years and never been near, much less touched or ridden a horse. But you make it sound so wonderful I want to bring a horse into my life. I couldn’t possibly hide it from my husband, daughter, dogs or fish, but that part sounds like it would be fun to try.
What a fine looking horse, really beautiful. That was the one thing I really looked forward to growing up, my summers going down to TN to spend time all summer with my family. The horse back riding was a huge bonus, so fun for a city kid like me. We rode every day and went to a local saddle club as well. I loved riding on the farm equipment and working in the huge gardens too, so fun. OK, just to share: I went out and got the Nice & Easy Root Touch-Up for myself. I purchased the medium blonde at the Ulta store, I think $5. It was so easy to use, and I left on 15 minutes like Ann did, and I am soooo happy with my hair. I too have highlights, and paid a lot of money to have them done in the past. The color matches really well and I asked the girls in the office to be honest with what they thought, and they all said they could not tell I did not go to the salon. Theres my testimontial. Happy Firday.
HURRAY! the post is about Mark. Thought I wasn’t going to live thru the creepy celebrity and her twittering divorce.
I just learned about “flea-bitten” at the recent horse show my hubby and I attended. We saw a flea-bitten Arabian. That’s where I learned all about and feasted my eyes on Friesians.
Thanks again for starting my day in such a wonderful way.
I love your horse posts. I’d be happy if that was the only topic you posted about. But I’ve got to comment on your “A” show comment. While I agree there are many riders who do hop of their horse and hand them over to grooms. There are some of us out there that do it all. We ride our horse back to the barn or trailer and take care of him or her, before we then take care of ourselves.
Congratulations on the unexpected 2nd place!
What a sweet post today, Ann. Clearly you and Mark have a very special relationship. And what a great story about Denis. Congratulations on your ribbon!
This entry made me so happy. The moments when you really connect with your horse (either while training or untacking or just visiting them in the field) is really what riding is all about. What a great partner you have in Mark.
I loved reading about how Mark came into your life. He is so beautiful.
‘Laughed at Denis’ vision.
sigh…. you had me at whinny.
loved this post, especially your last few lines and the hidden apple. thanks for taking me away from the stress of work for a little while.
This story also brought me happiness and calm in a really hectic, stressed day. Thank you, Ann, and thank you, Mark.
Now, on to my next meeting.
I’m so glad that you are “lazy” and shared the details of your love affair with Mark. He is beautiful. He puts me in mind of all of the Bennett girls that brought their horses to college and rode while the rest of us had equestrian ENVY! Is it too late to learn to ride in one’s 50′s?
Mark really is a gorgeous, gorgeous horse, His pictures are stunning! Your post about hiding the horse reminded me of a memory i have of you. Remember when we were stood with KC and we were all looking at the painting of the horses and then the gorgeous pottery, while i was still in another world thinking of Bidding on the Red Sox tickets and KC said..oh I would love to bid on that picture but how do i get Matt to agree with me, you turned to her and said” oh, ask me anything about doing things like that I have been married xxxxx number of years and where there is a will there is a way”…. now i see your point, hiding a horse……… NIIICCEEEEE!
Jody, It’s never too late. Ask KC. She’ll tell ya all about it.
Ann, I can’t get enough of the dog/horse stories. For all those folks out there that would like to spend time with horses, I would like to recommend Equine Assisted Therapy. There are programs all over, and even one called Horses for Heroes for returning veterans. It is so much fun tacking the horses for the children, and sneaking apples and carrots to them. I even visit the horses when they are not on duty. I do sneak in a ride once in a while, and have even ridden one of the therapy horses bare back. All the best, happy thanksgiving.
oh be still my heart. Mark is here today. Such a handsome gentleman. First photo especially sexy where he whipped off the fly mask.
I can completely, wholeheartedly understand this post. A connection with a horse is really hard to describe in words. But a connection with a special horse, who almost picks you instead of the other way around…there’s nothing like it.
I want to run out to the barn in my PJs and hug all my horses now…and then go to Akindale and hug all 140 horses there. Can you imagine me tromping through 50+ acre fields in the dark with my reindeer flannel pants on?
Sadly, I bet you can.
I thought I’d lost that connection when I lost Midnight, almost a year ago. I’m happy to say that lightning does strike twice, and sometimes thrice – Zeus and I are getting there, and there’s a 2 year old filly at Akindale that I’ve claimed as my own. Rather, she picked me.
Jody, it’s never too late to learn to ride! (Thanks Ais!) I have riding students in their late 60′s, and a very good family friend still competes in Eventing (a grueling equestrian sport) and wins. By the way, she’s in her mid-70s.
Bev – you and Ann are my gurus of married life!
Ann, this post really moved me. Thanks. xo
An animal knows when it is loved and cared for!
I am so behind on all the posts…but have been catching up.
With regards to NICE AND EASY Root Touch-Up…is it permanent or semi-permanent hair color?
Oh Ann, my, what a handsome horse you have! I can truly see why you were instantly smitten. He looks so regal in the photos where he is jumping, just perfect. I think his color is beautiful, something straight out of a King Arthur movie. There is nothing like the feeling of bursting with love and pride for one’s animals. Great post and photos, thanks for sharing. p.s. loved the part about the surprise apple too, so sweet.
Mark is just a heartbreaker and I LOVE this post! I can’t wait to ride again. Unfortunately, I don’t think I’ll be getting back to it until after the holidays. However, I will be at the farm on Sunday to hang out with some of the horses I’ve befriended and give each other some soulful healing. Oh – can’t forget the peppermint treats they love so much. Cannot wait.
I picked up Loreal Root Rescue. They had more colors than Nice and Easy (at least for today). Will be ready to apply later in the month.
Oh, and Ann, you’re my hero!! Hiding a horse for a few weeks — HA!! And the way you tell the story, seems that Denis didn’t so much as bat an eye. Love it!!
Dear Ann-I LOVE this story! It is both hilarious and charming (like you, I suspect!)…Thank you!
P.S. Why don’t you and Mark start training for an event up here at Spruce Meadows?
What a beautiful and captivating story about our connection to animals! I have two cats that I absolutely dote on – they both sleep with us at night – Miko sleeps at the foot of the bed and Zeke sleeps practically under my chin – I love those sweet purrs of contentment they make – for me it melts away all of the day’s stressors and I drift off to sleep with all my men in bed with me. My husband feels a bit put out sometimes – wants more of the bed than the cats will give up – but, IMO, that’s just the way it is. I, too, “smuggled” Miko into my house when my husband was on vacation – he was a straggly stray that I met on an afternoon walk – they pick us, you know. My husband says that Miko knows the sound of my car as it makes it way up the street and my gorgeous black cat meets me at the door – I can’t imagine not having pets. And the therapeutic benefits associated with horse riding for those with developmental delays or brain injuries is well documented in the health care literature as well as for cats and dogs in hospice centers and nursing homes. Thanks for sharing Ann.
I LOVE MARK! Cesar Millan, The Dog Whisperer, says that sometimes we are lucky enough to meet the dog we need. You were lucky to find the horse you need.
Ann, what a great post and beautiful photos! You and Mark are so lucky to have each other & that priceless bond between you. I feel so blessed to still be riding a horse that loves and trusts me and I him. I’m in my mid-60s & have ridden all my life. I hope to be able to continue for the remainder of my days. Horse people are the luckiest people in the world. I would never hand him off to a groom either! I love all the bits involved with preparing him and cooling him down. Plus the surprise in the bucket.
Thank you for sharing.
he is smiling
how adorable
not to blog hijack but if anyone wants to see me making a fool of myself with dance central and the new xbox kinect i put it in my blog
oh yah i will be filling up my dance card in no time at all
Ann – what is that thing lying in the road in the first photo? Is it some sort of fly mask?
Kim, it looks like batman dropped his mask. Wow, Ann knows everyone.
Hello my friends,
Ann, it seems Mark has come a long way. You two share a strong bond. He is a handsome horse. Glad you had such a terrific time. How did you manage to hide a horse from husband for weeks? This I cannot figure out. Riders look so elegant when jumping obstacles. What a beautiful time of year to go riding.
One week of radiation down, six more to go. I am expecting to glow in the dark, thus becoming more radiant as the weeks go by. I am fatigued and strangely dizzy so early in the ballgame. This has me a bit concerned. Despite the inconvenience I still go running (as long as possible) and speed walking. Lily Belle has become indispensible.
Have a good week all,
Gloria
Yay, Gloria!! You are as inspiring as Ann and Mark. Continued good and loving times to both.
Dear Colleen,
Thank you, when one is in the process of booting the Big C out of one’s life every bit of encouragement. I intend to kick its ass into the middle of next week. I’ll need energy for that. I’ve never tried those energy drinks such a Red Bull or others. I bought from 7-11 these tiny little bottles that claim offer 5 hours of energy. They mayhelp with the fatigue before it becomes more intense. The last radiation will be on December 31, 2010. What a tulmous year I have had. Now I get to begin 2011 cancer fre and back to my life.
Gloria
Ann, you can be considered “The Horse Whisperer.” The novel (I use the term loosely) made me ill with its dismal writing and plot. However, the director, Robert Redford and he screen writer did such a fantastic job and turned it into a film of depth and intelligence.
Gloria
Gloria, I’m so glad to hear that you’ve got one week behind you. Hopefully, all the weeks will be behind you without incident, and you can start the New Year with gusto.
Thank Heavens for Lily Belle. She must have been sent from above.
When I met you and Mark at Steep Rock last month it was hard to resist hugging him. That jolly boy radiates enough good will to qualify as ambassador for the entire species.
Of course the two of you glow with shared trust, which never happens by accident.
Love the photo of you and Mark jumping. Love it. You told us the story about hiding Mark, and Denis’s reaction when seeing him, and it is one of my favorites. I do not know much about horses, but it is clear to see that you and Mark are very connected.
CBJ, I just looked at your website, and you are so incredibly talented! I loved the paintings of the elephant seals. When I saw them, I thought they surely must be from the elephant seal habitat in Cambria, and it looks like you have spent some time there. I just spent the weekend in Cambria. It’s one of my favorite spots, and we visited the elephant seals. I really enjoyed all your work.
CBJ, I too just looked at your website and your blogs. What a beautiful surprise, finding your work. I especially like your animal pictures. I would like to subscribe to an art magazine or two. Do you have any that you would like to recommend? I am not an artist, just an art lover.
Jody Mellenthin. I just discovered your delightful blog and would like to subscribe. Don’t know what to do when it says Google, Yahoo, etc. Help?
Sandra, you are right on the money. These elephant seals were in the Cambria/ San Simeon area. I can’t get over how deeply they affect people with their human behavior. Their comparative anatomy fascinates me too…seeing fingers encased in flippers and so on.
Linda, “Artist’s” magazine has a lot about process and media. “American Art Collector” features artists and shows. Think you’d enjoy both.
Sandra and Linda, thank you for the kind words and thanks to you Ann for writing a blog that is so thoughtful and entertaining. I’ve been as just as sporadic following blogs as I’ve been writing mine, but the Ann Leary site warrants frequent visits. (No I haven’t dared try the hair thing) There’s also that excellent older material I’ve been trying to catch up with!
My parents couldn’t afford the tuition for Girl Scout summer camp, where I just *had* to go, because there were horses. I began a passionate letter writing campaign, asking the camp to please let me be a camper for the summer and in exchange I would work in the horse barn or the kitchen or do whatever they needed. Today I would be labeled a stalker and probably sent someplace for an “evaluation,” but the 12 year-old me got lucky. The camp director gave in, I think, to stop the barrage of tear-stained pleading mail that included sketches and poems of Arabian horses (my fixation at the time, thanks to the Walter Farley books).
I spent 3 summers of my life working the stable in exchange for my summer camp tuition. All the other girls rode for an hour a day. I got to be there just before dawn, feed and brush and tack the horses; I took each of them on a gentle morning ride. I mucked the stalls while the other campers finished their rides, then they’d rush off to arts & crafts or archery. I cooled down the horses, gave them afternoon snacks of apples or carrots, took them to the pasture to graze. Then in the evening I brought them back to the barn and put them to bed in stalls fresh and clean.
It was such a gift to be allowed to care for those horses, to feel responsible for their safety and contentedness. I still miss Firecracker, the one who claimed my heart with his nuzzles and snuffles. He was as far as a horse can get from the elegant Arabians of the Black Stallion series but I didn’t care. When he leaned his whole head into my chest, he would sigh like he was telling me stories, long-held secrets. We’d stand forever that way, his tail gently swishing at the flies, me watching the sun come up or go down over his haunches. I’d hum sometimes and he’d up-down up-down up-down his head. I was in girl/horse heaven.
Thanks for reminding me, Ann. Give Mark a shiny apple from me, would ya?
Great story, Denise!
Denise, ditto what Aislinn said!
Denise, Thank you for sharing that wonderful story!