Going, Coming, and Chasing

A few changes have taken place over the past few weeks here at Jordan's Crossing. First and foremost, we said farewell to our equine friend Star whose new home is with one of our riding students, Miss M. Miss M waited a very long time to get Star (who was pregnant with Boomer when she decided to buy her), and we were all thrilled when the day finally came that we could deliver her to her new dwelling. Star was a wonderful mare who gave us both Zoe and Boomer, and she will be a great friend and 4-H project for Miss M.

Now for any of you who know this family well, you will rightly ask, "Who took Star's place?" Of course we didn't have an empty space for very long! Soon after Star left Emma learned of a pony named Britches in need of a home. She called the owner, secured the purchase, and away went the truck and trailer to bring Britches home.

Surely you don't think I'm speaking of Britches without sharing a funny story...? What would a new pony be without a funny new-pony story?! First a little background: Britches had a short "vacation" here last winter -- he lived with us for 10 days between transfers from one owner to another (both of whom are friends of ours). Britches has always been known for one particular bad habit - playing "catch me if you can" in the pasture. When he stayed here that short span of 10 days, Emma was getting pretty good at convincing that pony to come to her without a chase. Well, the day Britches came to live with us for keeps, Emma was at a friend's house so Brian offered to pick him up and bring him home. Somehow Brian got totally distracted that day and absent-mindedly turned Britches out into an open 2 acre pasture. Bad idea! Just about the time night fell and it turned completely dark, Brian remembered that Britches had a wound that needed attention and he tromped out to the pasture to doctor him. Brian was gone for a very long time before my phone rang. "Can you come help me please?" I slipped on my boots and headed out to the barn to see what he needed, and was shocked to find him saddling up Dixie. "What are you doing?" I asked increduloulsy. "I can't catch that pony, and I can't let him win this battle, so I've got my lariat over there and I'm going to rope him I need someone to stand at the gate and come out to hold Dixie once I catch Britches." Now, I KNOW my husband is a cowboy in his heart, but seriously, I don't recall ever seeing him PRACTICE with a lariat before, and I was pretty darn sure that Dixie didn't have a clue what roping entailed. But not wanting to pierce his pride, I walked with him out to the pasture and opened the gate. As he entered the pasture and took a moment to set Dixie up, Lily hollered "Dad, how are you going to see anything out there?" He responded "By the light of the moon, babe, by the light of the moon!" And off he went to corner Britches. Now I won't bore you with all of the details, but I will say that if there had been the least bit of light that dark and beautiful night, it would have been a comical show I'm sure, but all we heard were hoofbeats and whinnies...back and forth...back and forth. After about 30 minutes and a long pause I finally yelled "Honey, you have to THROW the rope, not just hold it!" His response? "I'm afraid I'll miss and spook Dixie!" And with that, he tossed the lariat, which went flailing behind him, caught in Dixie's tail, and caused her to jump and dance and prance past the gate as Britches ran full force to the south end of the pasture. I couldn't hold my laughter any longer, and that got a glare with a "humph," at which time Lily hollered out "Dad, are you having fun?" And he replied, "I sure AM Lil!" That did it for me -- I KNEW it! This wasn't about catching a pony at all, but about my husband's sheer desire to feel like a cowboy under the blanket of stars. The end of the story is this -- Brian never caught that pony with his lariat that night, but as Dixie trod her way back to the gate to leave the pasture, Britches sure did follow her. He didn't like that his new playmate was leaving him. He let me pet him at the gate, but he wouldn't let me put a rope on him. Emma came home around midnight, and the next morning all three of us went out to try to catch that pony again. But guess what? Emma didn't need our help. Brian learned one very valuable lesson...it always helps when you arrive with treats in your pocket. :)

Enjoy your goings, comings, and chasings -- "...do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you." Hebrews 13:17