Here is a lovely story about riding. Dad was always fascinated with the western United States. Western books, movies, plays, television series . . . He loved taking his sons to drive-in premiers of western movies, including comedies. The movie, “Cat Ballou” starring Lee Marvin as a drunken gun-fighter was a favorite with all of us. When Lee Marvin walked into a funeral viewing, thinking it was a birthday party because of all the candles and began singing ‘happy birthday’ you could hear everyone in their cars laughing so hard the cars were rocking on their wheels!
I think dad read every Louis L’Amour book ever written, and Louis was very prolific. His books are written with a style and feel that puts the reader right into the western atmosphere. Recommended reading for any Western fan.
Oh! I skipped what is number eleven in dad’s unfinished book, “It’s a Wonderful World”. It’s called ‘Memorial Day Remembered’. I am saving it, appropriately, I think, for Memorial Day which is only a month away and it’s a good one . . .
Thanks for reading,
David T
Riding Horses Brings Peace
By Don Tschirhart
Unlike automobile drivers, you don’t see many angry horse back riders, do you?
They don’t cut one another off. They don’t cuss out another rider. They don’t honk their horns after an error or give one another the finger.
There seems to be something about riding a horse either in the wilds of Wyoming, New Mexico or along Lapeer County’s Pollyann Trail and dirt roads that soothes the anger brain buds.
There is a magic ingredient in the rhythmic clippity-clop of a horse’s hoofs meeting the ground that no illicit drug can surpass.
Wouldn’t it be wondrous if we could bottle it and send it to the Israelis and Palestinians in the Near East.
A dozen years ago I rode my Paint horse, Big Toby, with my grandson behind me. Toby stopped and turned his head. A deer and her fawn stood there staring at us from behind a bush 10 feet away. Together grampa and grandson silently watched this beautiful scene until they departed. Josh just said, “Wow!”
Every fall for the last dozen years my son, Chris, and his lovely wife, Velvet, have sponsored a ‘Chili Ride’ for their friends [and boarders ed.]. The ride starts at their ranch and often goes eight to 12 miles or more.
Invitees bring small pots of Chili Con Carne. Each contribution is poured into a large vat with all the other chili recipes. Mixed into the vat are ingredients you may never put into yours alone. There are hot jalapeno chilies, Irish potatoes, hot pepper sauce and just about every ingredient you can imagine.
And every year the cry echoes the last year’s: “This is the best damn chili ever.”
This year, riders — some who board their horses at the Tri C/V Farm or other ranches in Lapeer and surrounding counties — arrive at noon for coffee and donuts, apple cider, pop, wine, schnapps, beer or something harder.
Among the 35 riders this year were those who play the horseback game that is becoming very popular in this area — Cattle Penning.
Much of the conversation is about the best way to gather calves and herd them into a small pen.
This year’s ride was under sunny skies. The wind was brisk; the temperature coolish. It was decided eight miles would be just the proper amount to wet appetites for the delicious chili con carne being kept hot back at the ranch.
The ride was a little long for my wife, Margie, and me. But friends Jack and Sandy Gilliland had a wagon with comfortable seating pulled by two beautiful Belgium horses whose hoofs were larger than my head. (And I have a big head.)
We spent most of the time behind the riders. A few of them had horses that spooked and were intimidated by the wagon and the huge Belgium’s.
It was nice just to sit back and watch the back-end of a horse and their swishing tails. Americans get too used to a world with its high-rise buildings, concrete freeways, computers and automobiles.
Too few people have the opportunity to see and feel the real world. So many are in a rush all our lives. We are so much in a hurry we find it difficult to slow down to see what is happening around us.
A real lesson about life is sitting quietly watching the countryside go by and listening to the clip clop of the two big Belgium’s, clinking wagon chains and the occasional “Git up there, Billy. You, too, Jeff.”
I spotted a deer with a good size rack near a wooded area in the distance. He glanced our way, raised his tail and jumped back into the trees.
As I sat quietly with a cold beer in my hand our wagon moved slowly along the roads between colorful autumn-colored trees and bright red bushes. Behind fences grazing cattle, horses and hogs stared back at me.
A few farm people came out on their yards, smiled and raised their hand in greeting. A gentleman in a car patiently followed our slow wagon until we got to a cross street.
It was a grand day, one that will be remembered for a life time. They don’t make many of them any more, except for those who ride horses.
After reaching the ranch and tending to the horses we all crowded into an observation room.
Waiting on a table was the pot of hot chili, cold beer and very tasty desserts.
Life doesn’t get much better. * * *
