TONY

Tony! I cannot believe how stubborn, unpredictable, mean-spirited that animal was! He even bit me a time or two with those huge dirty teeth of his; it’s a wonder I am not emotionally scarred from the shenanigans he put me through…..

Wait a second! Hold your horses! Did you think I was talking about Tony, my husband? No. I’m talking about Tony, my Shetland pony! The horse that had two different colored eyes, one brown and one blue. My husband’s eyes are both hazel! Although in reflection, they both have a look of mischief about them.

That horse terrified me. Once, my Dad and I had him visiting our home on Third Street. I had already decided I didn't like him all too well.  Dad insisted I mount him which I reluctantly did.  That darn horse took off and didn’t stop for nothing until he came to an abrupt stop at the fence of our farm pasture. Let's see, locations were at least 2 miles apart with a highway in between? And then there was the rodeo parade (Kansas Biggest) incident where I had both myself and Tony (the horse) dressed up in our finest western wear as an entry in the parade. Smack dab in front of the Panther Café, he stopped to flick flies off of his hind-end. We were holding up the parade! I got out to get him moving and then with the horse and the cart moving, I jumped back in the horse cart, grabbed the reins only to have him come to a dead stop-- again! I no longer felt like the ten-year old Star Cowgirl I did a bit earlier in the day. I wanted to leave that stupid horse to swat flies and hold up the Rodeo Parade alone! Wasn’t botherin’ him any. As for me, I was embarrassed, petrified and couldn’t see much of anything through the tears.

And then, I saw him running from somewhere in the crowd. My hero, my Dad! Although I didn’t want my eyes to connect to the crowd that lined the street, I heard their applause as the little cowgirl, along with her beloved (NOT!) horse continued on their way along the parade route.