Act Like It

Colorado Summer was technically my sister Nancy’s, horse. However, I know I logged way more saddle hours on her than Nancy ever did (Nancy has me beat on the number of hours logged irrigating). Summer was exactly one year older than me, and our birthday was/is the first day of summer, hence her AQHA registered name. She was the quintessential quarter horse, a beautiful sorrel, about 16 hands and very well bred.

She was an all around great horse for riding and roping; she also used what is called a hackamore bridle. A hackamore bridle is the type of bridle that doesn’t use a bit through the mouth. It is just a has a nose piece and doesn’t provide quite the level of control a regular bridle does, but Summer didn’t need a bit because she neck reined so well there was no need.

When I was about 14 I was showing horses and since my horse, Rosetta, was still pretty green broke, I was using Summer. One of the club requirements was to ride in a couple of the downtown parades during the spring and summer. No big deal, except that either the parade or club required that all horses have a bit, no exceptions. So I started a couple weeks before our first parade, and that bit turned this a well-mannered, sweet tempered Summer into a nightmare. She threw her head and threw a fit, every time.

Frustrated and angry I went to talk to my Dad who was busy fixing his swather. I told him how Summer was acting and how mad I was…my Dad let me rant and rave then, never looking up said, “Who is smarter? You or that horse?”

Indignantly I said that I was smarter.

Then my Dad looked up at me and said, “Then act like it.”

Words I admit I haven’t always remembered in the heat of the moment, but that have served me very well for many years in many situations.