Re:Warm Fuzzies

[Bob Keeffe <bkeeffe@nativeson.com>]

> Subject: RC:     Warm Fuzzies

I've enjoyed all these wonderful Warm Fuzzie stories and wanted to share one
of mine.
  I was the little girl waiting patiently for the pony of my choice at the
pony-go-round, sometimes waiting very patiently while another go-round for
the special one I'd chosen was available.  I started saving every penny
given to me as soon as I realized what a horse was...just knew someday I'd
have one of my own.
  Riding lessons started at age 9 for me, my parents wouldn't allow me to
have a horse until I knew how to care for and ride one.  I worked at the
stable every chance I had to pay for more lessons, this little girl was
determined to have a horse of her own. I loved every minute of it.  Ho hum,
yeah so what's so new about this story?!  Maybe nothing.
  Well, the summer between 6th & 7th grade while at Girl Scout Camp I
received a card from my father.  My father!  This was big.  Inside the card
was a picture of a paint horse with a note that said "Is this your horse?".
WOW! You can bet I couldn't wait to get home to find out.  Finally camp
ended.  There was no horse at home.  My heart was broken.
  A few more days passed and the realization that no horse was going to
appear settled in.  One Sunday a couple weeks later my mother, father and I
drove to visit friends and pick berries.  I loved where we were going, the
friends had horses. In fact there were a couple of horses tied at the barn
all saddled and ready to go when we arrived.  Of course I had to touch,
sniff and say hello to the big guys. My father approached and said the owner
wondered if I'd like to ride the paint.  You BET!  After a nice ride around
the paddock and meadow I came back so the owner could go do whatever was
originally planned with him when my father asks "Do you like him? Do you
want him?"
  Was this a trick question?  Of course I want him!
As it turned out I had saved enough money to buy ol' Tony, a halter, bridle
and saddle . . . my parents bought all the other equipment needed at the
time and soon Tony was trailered to our house where he lived happily ever
after.
  It didn't matter that ol' Tony was 19years old and retired from rodeo and
cowboy work.  He was the most beautiful paint horse I'd ever seen in my life
and he was all mine.
  We'd be gone day after day riding the back roads and trails of Grass
Valley, we even did some shows that threw spirit back into that old horses
life.  That old man taught me more than words could ever tell.  And secrets!
Wow, he was the best ever a keeping them.
  I will never forget Tony, my first horse and first true love.
That was over 40years ago and there have been a lot of horses in my life
ever since. These days I give lessons to new riders on yet another paint
horse who loves and cares for her riders just like Tony did me all those
years ago.

The warm fuzzies continue,

Jeannie Keeffe 
Arroyo Grande