If I was a horse, they would shoot me

[Todd & Toni Jones <tjones@coinet.com>]

Hi all,

I have an "idol" in the person of an
87 year old lady who has ridden and
loved horses since she was around 4
or so. Ethyl is an amazing lady who
has the colorful stories of when her
folks came out west on the train she
did not want to give up her favorite
horse and friend so her folks agreed
that they would ride the train and
she would ride the horse. Keep in
mind this was early in the LAST
century and times were very
different. But she remembers meeting
up with her folks in town after town
that the train went through and then
they'd plot their course to the next
town and what route the 9 year old
would follow on her horse. She said
it was lots of fun and met all sorts
of really nice people along the way.
Personally I cannot imagine being
able to do this... but, times and
people were different back then. She
has ridden some endurance and been
in saddle clubs for years. She sewed
her own costumes for herself and
horse and participated in the
Portland Rose Festival parade for
many, many years. In her early 60's
she bought what she felt would be
her last horse. As her daughter and
granddaughter have horses she bought
a 4 year old arab gelding, Charm,
figuring they could use the horse
when she died or could no longer
ride. Well, Ethyl still lives on her
own and Charm? well, he's about 28
now and if you were to see him you'd
think he's about 14 or so and they
still participate in local parades.
Neither shows any sign of slowing
down. However in this long
illustrous life Ethyl has ridden in
many scarey situations, been bucked
off, dumped, splattered, stepped on,
kicked, run away with, etc., you
name it it's happened to her and
nary an injury with the horses.
She's had broken legs, fractured
vertebrae, fractured ribs and
various other internal injuries. How
did they happen? All doing
housework, cleaning windows (i.e.
falling out of them)! So she jokes
that riding her horse is safer! What
a lady! What a life!

Toni Jones
Shagya Stallion O'Biwon
Prineville, Oregon




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