Just for T-Bone

[JeffSjo]

I was visiting my then step sister's house in Wyoming in the summer of 1982. They ran a little business on the side of selling pony rides to children and had a stable full of Shetlands. The day I arrived for my visit they had a proffesional horse breaker there to break in a new pony that had never been ridden.

The horse breaker was on the pony for what I remeber as less than an 8 second rodeo ride before landing on his keister. When he got up he said he was finished, then he left.

I quickly looked at my step sister and her husband and said,"I'll do it!"

After less than one minute into my ride the pony stopped suddenly. I'm talking full gallope to standing still here. I FLEW (or so it felt) face first onto the ground. It was quite a ride, those little ponies have such a low center of gravity that I felt like an upside down weeble trying to stay upright.

I did manage to get back on and ride until the pony was too exhausted to run or buck anymore. I thought it was over. Then the little pony turned around and tried to bite a big chunk of flesh out of my knee. After I avoided the nasty bite, the pony managed to just stand there with me on her back: both of us were panting with exhaustion: and give me one dirty look that lasted at least a full 5 seconds. Everyone was greatly amused who witnessed these events, and I still remember it to this day.

[T-Bone]

Great story Jeff, thanks for posting that! Now I understand why my Shetland pony reference hit you funny. Sounds like that little guy had it in for ya! Going for your knee, huh…musta been a dwarf mobster.

…Speaking of horse bites - I love animals – but as a city boy don’t know much. Years ago, a neighbor asked me to feed his horses while he was gone. I’m in the corral – this one horse is walking over to me – I’m thinking I could pet him when he gets close…but surprise attack – he bit my upper arm – it hurt like a sonofagun!

[JeffSjo]

Yeah T-Bone, that kind of thing happens with horses, they're herd animals and tend to have a competitive impulse at feeding time. That horse was just telling you in it's little horsey way that it was the boss.

Usually, once they're used to you that's not as much of a problem. But in the mean time I've discovered they have a pretty hard chomp.