I’d sure like to tell you about some of the incredible horses in my short life of 26years that have passed away but meant so much to me and those around me. But first thank you for this chance to share their memories and allow it to maybe be memorable to others.

Editorial note - This is a nice read from a young woman that I thought I would share with you all.

Nifty was my second horse but the first I could ride by myself that wouldn’t step on me or my mom and wouldn’t try to rub me off on everything. He was our neighbors horse at first and oh how I loved horses though neither or my parents rode anymore by the time I was eight. Our neighbors daughter moved to the city and I remember the dream I’d think about every night of a big black horse all shiny and so beautiful, riding at sunset on a quarter we didn’t even own yet. Then he came! Free saddle and ALL! I only had to promise to keep him forever boy was that a tuff promise LOL.

I never thought of him as my big black stallion this maybe 14hh round bellied pony named Nifty who liked to buck when galloped at first. I went to the new local arena and learned to ride, scared at first then oh so happy and proud trotting around on Nifty. I could soon catch him anytime and ride around the country block visiting all the neighbors along the way saying hi ,showing him off, and having cookies!

He was very clever my Dad upgraded the fence I don’t know how many times when he thought he was jumping the fence and getting out. Until Mom caught him using a garden gate none of the other horses found or bothered for MONTHS! Boy was my Dad embarassed a horse out smarted him.

I entered the local gymcana club ,and 4-H where I met so many friends and learned so much Nifty and I. Gradually I found another wonderful horse through a lop sided horse trade with my Uncle giving a horse that would run blind into anything that was sold as a kids horse for Rocky yet another wonderful teacher.

But back to Nifty I tryed to retire him to a well fed leisure but whenever friends came by or someone wanted to go riding with me out came Nifty and Rocky and he was oh so smart pulling harmless tricks on those he knew instantly never rode a day in their life, yet the moment I got on left the yard without a fuss. Then my cousin who wasn’t able to have a horse of her own and just a single Dad family, learn to ride in 4-H with him and oh the confidence he gave that shy little girl. After she grew older and lost interest I would still catch and brush and feed Nifty turning him loose in an unfenced yard. No need to watch as Nifty would eat his fill, gloat at the other horses stuck in the pen then walk to the middle of the graveled drive way looking at the house windows waiting to be let back in. He slowly got stiffer and floating worming and a warm soft mash became a wonderful treat in the cold winter.His favorite mare (my moms old horse) was eventually sold. My mare Rocky had to be put down , and his half sister I was riding and loving with all my heart died in a tragic accident, a foal was still born from another mare and she had to be sold after being treated for founder because of it, all in a really terrible year.

Nifty was so sad … I got busy at school and felt so terrible but one day a wonderful little girl came alone she was so sweet and I learned she was living with her Aunt down the road as her mom was a druggy and she’d never been to school or had Christmas or Birthdays, lived in a Toronto appartment and never been outside! Well she wanted to pet a horse so out we went and out came Nifty of corse giving me the idea… Thanksgiving was coming… I had time off and Nifty… it was beautiful weather the day Nifty and I taught her the basics of riding in my fathers cow corral.. .I was still part of the local 4-H club and so I took her along to join… she had such fun learning and wrote me an incredibly touching thank you letter I still have to this day her excitment over every little thing like snow and summer touched me dearly and brought me back into my beloved horses and Nifty to life again…

We’d ride around the block again stopping for visits and water… exploring new trails… riding into the sunset again with my black gelding who could pretend he was a stallion and the boss but never hurt anyone… except the farrier he pooped on once lol.

Eventually we got older and busier with other things again but I always loved to catch and brush and feed him warm mash…. one day I came home from my boyfriends place and saw him laying down and instantly I went running tears rimming from my eyes there he lay on his side streaching out. My boyfriend helped me try to get him up he just wanted to lay back down I sat there holding him up for what felt like hours as the vet was called, my neice came with feed, and my brother with water to drink no use he didn’t want much… tears streamed as the vet said he was just to old and his liver had shut down so I had to make the terrible decision to put him down.

Many cried. Many had just sat on him from cousins to nephews even my brother after he lost his leg in a car accident and thought he couldn’t ride… Nifty sure showed him he was wrong and taught me to ride bare back dispite trying to kick and shove more than hurt unless I used a mounting block. He was my pal and as we’d ride I could talk to him about anything or just hug him in the pasture… he’d put his head on my shoulder or I could place it there and he’d hug back puting weight down closing his eyes and pulling me to his neck sometimes.

He was there when I lost my father and when we both lost so many good horse friends including my other teacher Rocky. He gave such pleasure and laughs to many he loved to trot around the arena and fart just to embarass his riders I think, and poop when he came out of the pasture at the gate, poop tied up being brushed, poop before getting into the horse trailer and if you cleaned it poop immediatly upon being tied up in it… I still have know idea where he kept it all.

But he was beloved by many his previous owner who cryed everytime she visited him and still again when she learned of his passing. He was smart enough to push us off, buck us off, step on us and just be down right mean but he never was though all the trials and difficult things we asked him to do he was a gentleman and the best little black stallion any girl could have asked for.

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