Roamin’ in the Gloamin’
My name is Platinum Decision and I’m a thoroughbred, the fourth horse to join the herd. Like many thoroughbreds, I started training at the racetrack at age two. Only the fastest horses stay there; most of us are sent off to new homes and new jobs.
After I left, I learned how to be a “hunter”, which is not the same thing as a person who tracks down animals. A “hunter” is a horse who is taught to move in an elegant style called, English riding—but you don’t have to be from England to do this! Even a Martian could be an English rider with the proper training.
Hunters also jump—a job I really like. Soaring over a fence is just like flying! Too bad Mom is as wimpy as Sonny; she’ll only go over tiny jumps. I’ve tried to convince her to try something higher, but she says, “No thanks Plats. If I fall, I’ll probably break into a million pieces.” Yikes! No wonder she’s scared.
MY MINI-ADVENTURE
The sleet was stabbing the ground for the third day in a row and I knew we weren’t going outside. Being cold and wet isn’t healthy for us. I had plenty of hay, so I was content. Not Trinity. Mom says he has “ants in his pants”. If he’s bored, look out! It wasn’t easy for him to get into mischief locked in a stall, but as they say, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way”.
To give him as much freedom as possible, Mom left the top half of his door open. Silly, naïve Mom. This enabled him to reach over and grab my door latch with his teeth. Although it took him nearly an hour, he never gave up and finally managed to pull it free. With a final nudge, he slid my door open. I felt guilty and knew I was being naughty, but I couldn’t resist the temptation to leave the barn.
It felt awesome to be free to go wherever I wanted to—although I wasn’t dumb enough to go near the road. I took my time exploring our property until Mom spotted me standing outside the barn. I tried to pretend I’d been there the whole time, but the hundreds of hoof prints left in the snow told the real story.
“How did you get out Plats?” she asked. I didn’t tattle on Trinity, but she knew he was the culprit. “Come on, Plats. Time to go back inside and get dried off,” she said. Since I wasn’t wearing a halter, I knew she couldn’t force me to go back into my stall and I was tempted to ignore her. Then I thought, “That’s silly. Where would I go? Who would feed me? Who would love me?” Cherokee has told us scary stories about owners who don’t take care of their animals. Frightened that Mom might sell me to someone like that, I walked quietly back into our nice cozy barn.
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.