Molly's Country Memories

Molly's Country Memories

The memories and happening in the everyday life of a country girl

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Confessions from the Farm House and riding a horse

I have come here today to confess my shame to all of you, Oh, I'm so ashamed...said with head bowed...I am afraid in all my tales, I have not really, truly, been totally honest with you. Well it's really just a little deception...
Alas, I wasn't as fearless as I seemed to be when I was a little squirt, (mean as the devil, feisty, and mischievous), but I was a little chicken from time to time...lol...even of the old snakes in that pond...for just a minute....as long as I wasn't touching it and had Spot along...
Wait, now that I think of it I did tell you I was scared of that old Tom Turkey and I did say I wouldn't go past the Haunted Tree, (not that I believed in them Ghost stories) just didn't see any sense in finding out the hard way...giggle. So I guess I wasn't totally dishonest...Bwahahahah
But tonight I will tell you the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth about one part of farm life that scared the Bee-Jesus, out of me, and that is horses...ok, stop laughing, I am scared spitless of riding horses. I don't mind getting close enough to pet one ...if some one pushes me into it, and is standing close enough to keep it from attacking me, ok, ok, maybe they won't attack me, but at that age I would have rather held a snake than ride a horse, and I wasn't going to touch a snake on purpose either...
One story my Dear Sister, (who by the way LOVED horses and would've lived on one if she could have,) loves to tell about is ........
One Summer when we were visiting the farm house, from New Orleans, My Granddaddy had a wooden leg and couldn't walk around alot, so he always rode the mare to the pastures to check on the cows and the crops, mostly corn and some cotton. Well this Summer I was about 3 and she was about 5. Granddaddy always took her with him to go check on the farm, I wouldn't get close to the horse. Well now, one Day he, in all his wisdom, decided enough was enough, I was going to learn to ride., he made Momma hand me to him and oh, my did all H*ll break loss...he went off down the lane with me in front of him on the horse screaming so loud, that when we passed that old Cider Tree if there had been a haunt in it, it would have run for dear life back to were it was it came from...it was a blood curdling scream...oh my not a pretty sound or sight....mean while back at the Ranch...lol...Dear Sister was standing at the front gate screaming loud enough to wake the dead down at the old cemetery 3 miles away. That wasn't turning out quit the way he'd hoped, Mom said she heard him coming back at a run, that horse was ready to get back to the barn, he told Mom, in quite a flustrate tone...here....take this screaming young'um and give me that other screaming young'um....needless to say I was quite ticked at him for several days and Dear Sis was one happy camper, all smiles cause she had her throne back after all she was his riding companion, how dare I try to take her place...and old Dixie trotted off back down the lane as happy as a lark, all was right in her world again. I could have sworn that darn thing looked over her shoulder and sneered at me as she trotted off, she never did like me...well I never liked her either. But needless to say he never tried to put ME on a horse again, he had learned his lesson...
Everyone in my family loved riding, wonder where I came from...I don't have a picture of Dean or Grandaddy on the horse but I did find this one of Jim, look how natural and comfortable he & my city cousin looked...that's bad even a CITY cousin (from Beaumont, TX.) who only came to the farm one week out of the year, loved to ride and was comfortable with it.

Here is one of me, when I was about 11, the only reason I was on this thing's back is my best friend was there to ride and I couldn't let her know how chicken I was...after all I was a farm girl and she was a city girl...oh the shame of it...another city person who wasn't afraid of a horse..

You can tell I was holding on for dear life and if that think had'a moved I'd died right then and there. LOL, Mr. Wigham, an older Gentlemen who rented the front pasture to keep his horses in, at that time, was standing right behind the camera, till Linda took my picture. She loved to ride so since there was only one horse there tame enough to ride ( how lucky for me), I sweetly let my guest ride all she wanted, after all I could ride anytime, now couldn't I.......hey it sounded good and she didn't find out I was to chicken to ride. Don't you love my flannel shirt, big leg rolled up jeans and saddle oxfords with bobby socks, typical early 50's dress. I even had on a belt...wow, I never wear belts any more.

Ok, so now you know my deep dark sins. I will try to do better next time. Oh, we also had a ghost in the Farm House...I kid you not, even our CockerSpaniel, Honey was afraid to go in the living room after dark, but then that's another story........Y'all come back now, ya hear.

10 comments:

  1. I loved this story! I guess we all have our weak points. I love horses, but am petrified of moths! See? Your fear makes more sense than mine -- never heard of anyone being trampled to death by a moth!

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  2. I don't wear belts anymore either! A person needs a waist in order to wear one. lol

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  3. Good story! I, too, love horses, love to ride, but am afraid of spiders! Everyone has their dirty little secrets!!! Have a great day!

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  4. Everyone's afraid of something in life..I'm deadly afraid of raccoons, spiders and mice.
    If I see a mice I will jump out of a window. That's how bad it is.

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  5. "Mol-ly's a chick-en!!! Mol-ly's a chick-en!!!

    Hahahahaha

    Oh, just teasing you...you were very brave, except for your fear of horses!!! BUT Of all the creatures to fear!!! LOL...poor old Dixie, with a screaming mimi on her back and one on the porch, caught between a rock and a hard place, I'm surprised she didn't give a good buck or two!!!

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  6. oh dear,theres alot of "US". i am one.i love horses.i think they are one of the most beautiful animals God made.
    we used to raise them.i can feed them and walk them and love on them but.............when i get up on them.I AM AFRAID....i have no idea why.they pitch me the minute i get on.they feel my fear.i have never even goten my seat hot.i'm not asriad they'll pitch me,vecause i KNOW they will.it is strange.
    i have talked to pros that raise and train horses and teach people to ride.people like us,there is no chance.we cannot be fixed.i don't think there are too many things prettier than riding a horse.but................ann

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  7. I have to confess too...I will not get on a horse(or a donkey's) back. I am brave in a lot of ways, but not that brave.
    Good thing I didn't live before cars were invented. I would have had a lot of walking to do.
    Love your stories and can't wait to hear the ghost one!
    Have a great day.
    Pam

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  8. Horses are so dang tall....that's the biggest thing against them!
    By golly you got up on one for the photo. The last time that I rode a horse, maybe at age 16 or so, the saddle fell off and the horse kept rubbing the trees in the woods, right where my legs were. Very scary day.
    And also, the very last time this ol' gal was ever up on one. Forty one years ago, and it still gives me the shivers!

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  9. We have horses and I have had them since I was a little Girl, my new favorite song is Cowgirls Don't Cry by Brooks and Dunn because it reminds me of my Dad, he died 2 years ago and he bought me my first horse and taught me how to ride. He always told stories about how he had to ride a blind stud pony back and forth to school up and down hills (I believe the up and down hills part>>>he grew up in SW. Wisconsin in the Ocooch Mountains) but the rest of it was a story I think. :) He did grow up with horses tho. I have a photo (maybe I will use that for Vintage Thingie next week) of my Grandpa with his favorite horse and the horse was counting. :) Thanks for sharing, great memories.

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  10. Afraid of horses??? Oh you big baby LOL Now, along with several others around here, I'm afraid of mice. A much more reasonable fear :P

    Must have been quite a screaming fit to cause Grand-daddy to make a turn-around -- at least you knew how to assert yourself *grin*

    LOVED the storage tin for the shower gift! It is the perfect color combo, and as always, perfectly painted. I hadn't seen that pattern before --- you couldn't have made a better choice :) She will treasure it for sure.

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Little sweet memories whispered..