NEIGH-borhood Tales: Ya Can’t Catch Me Monsters! Sonny
I’ve been wracking my brain for a story of amazing bravery, but unfortunately all I remember are more tales of fear and panic. Oh well, as they say, “It is what it is.”
I was Mom’s first—and only—horse until Cherokee moved in. Horses do NOT like being alone. It doesn’t matter whether our companion is a human, a dog, a goat, or even a rabbit. Another horse would be ideal, but any creature is better than none.
I’d only been here a week when Mom and her daughter, Sara, decided to tack me up for a ride. I wasn’t used to being handled by people who were as nervous and inexperienced as they were, and it gave me the shivers. I’m not brave enough to be the herd leader.
Even though I’m a chicken, I have excellent manners. I try to follow the rules and always protect my rider. With Sara onboard, I walked as slowly and carefully as I could, even though panic was starting to nibble at my nerves. It may have seemed like a peaceful scene to them, but it wasn’t to me. I knew predators were lurking in the bushes, licking their chops at the sight of a tasty horse snack.
All of a sudden something rustled behind me. My instincts screamed: “Run, run, run as fast as you can!” while my good manners pleaded: “Stand your ground! Sara will fall off and get hurt.”
Guess who won that debate? Believe it or not, it was a tie! I knew I should leave at warp speed to avoid being the main course, but there was no way Sara would stay mounted at a full gallop. I started bucking gently in place to “help” her get off before turning on my afterburners. One—she shifted off center. Two—she was hanging sideways yanking on the reins for support. Three—gone!
I waited while she scrambled out of the way and then took off. Mom watched this display in horror. Her mouth looked like the entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel; her eyes were as wide as whoopie pies.
I left the NEIGH-borhood and galloped around the surrounding properties, but no matter how far I ran or how loudly I screamed, I saw neither hide nor hair of another horse. (On a positive note, I saw neither hide nor hair of any monsters either.) However, I did discover a deep, dark hole the neighbors had dug for their new swimming pool. Don’t worry; I stayed far, far away from that.
As I was circling the nearby hills, I heard Mom calling my name. Knowing she was my only hope of salvation, I headed toward the sound. Believe me; running around aimlessly is not fun. I wanted her to catch me and save me from my runaway legs.
When Sara saw me galloping toward them, she spun around and climbed the nearest tree. Good grief! Did she think I was going to attack her? Luckily, Mom waited until I stopped, grabbed my reins, and then led me back to home. I’m pretty sure that’s when she reserved a stall for me at a local training barn where all of us were glad to be under the supervision of experts.
Like millions of youngsters, Nancy Di Fabbio was infatuated with horses and never gave up dreaming that one day she’d be riding one of her own. She eventually realized her dreams and got her first horse, followed quickly by her second, third, fourth and finally fifth. Passionate about sharing her love for this amazing animal, she’s written Saddle Up! – And Live Your Dream, a comprehensive how-to for the budding equestrian which will be released this fall. She also writes a children’s column about the exploits of her herd, but the stories are informative, funny and touching enough to appeal to everyone. You can share their adventures on TheExaminerNews.com website under the heading: NEIGH-borhood Tales
Adam has worked in the local news industry for the past two decades in Westchester County and the broader Hudson Valley. Read more from Adam’s author bio here.
