Camera Critter #85

I have a confession to make...

I live in cowboy country and I have ridden a horse only once, and that happened when I was three or four. But that doesn't mean horses haven't been a part of my life after that ride.

Sometime after that horse ride, I moved to Chicago and years later entered the Air Force. Riding a horse in Chicago wasn't all that easy and it just never crossed my mind to get on a horse and ride while in the Air Force, even though the opportunities were there.

Then I retired and settled in the town of Prineville, Oregon...actually two miles north of town in the ranch lands. My landlord had several acres of land on which he kept a different animals at different times. At one point, he was keeping two horses on his property...one belonged to a neighbor and the other to his brother.

Above is "The Gray." That's what we always referred to her as, and that's what she responded to. When I showed at the fence, she came running. We were good friends. In the background is Lady...the brother's horse.

After some time in Prineville, I moved to Redmond, Oregon. Our place was not far from my sister's small ranch-style home. Her place was on five acres and it didn't take long for them to populate it with horses.

The first to arrive was Curly. Curly was my brother in laws horse. He takes Curly everywhere, whether a local ride or a distance hunt, Curly is with him. Curly is a huge horse who hasn't really taken to me much...unless I show up with an apple.

Curly

However, Curly was nice enough to pose for a portrait when I was testing my new camera years ago. An apple helped, but no one needs to know that.

Then two addition horses showed up. Sarah, a medium sized horse with an easy going temperament and Spook. Spook was a pure white horse and at night with a bright moon, a person seeing Spook in the pasture would swear he was a ghost.

Sarah

Spook

I must apologize for the bad photo of Sarah. It's the only one I have of her and it was still learning to use my camera at the time. And Spook, well he's no longer with us. But Spook was a different sort of horse. Whereas Sarah would come to me, apple or no apple, Spook kept his distance. He would let me get within a few feet and then turn and run off. But my nephew, to whom Spook belonged, could approach with no problem.

And even with all the horses I've been around, I still haven't really ridden a horse.

Misty Dawn's Camera Critter Meme is a great way to see critters of all types. Go to the Meme homepage here and check out more entries. Then join the fun and let the world see your critters!