Tuesday, November 23, 2010

I dig a pony

Here is a fun picture of me on Pie and my friend Kathy Savory on Sovereign taken Saturday.
In 1980, my parents bought me an adorable dark bay pony, Penny Lane. I posted about her before here and here. Penny Lane, aka "Star" had been owned by Kathy Savory (isn't Kathy's last name lovely?). Kathy needed a bigger horse to show and event so she sold the sweet and impish Penny Lane to us. (Coincidentally, Pie REALLY resembles Penny Lane. He has her same gorgeous almond-shaped eyes, as you can see, above.) Kathy was a few years older than me, and I remember idolizing her teenager lifestyle (she could drive!) and her courage as a rider. I groomed for her at a week-long show in Middleburg and at an event in New Jersey. Both instances taught me that I did not have the guts to ever attempt the riding Kathy did. The fences that she took in the woods on these crazy inclines while being timed looked nuts to me. I remember grooming and riding all the horses around for cooldown and thinking that I had the better end of the deal! The last time I saw Kathy I was 13 years old, but I always wondered where she was and if she was still riding.
Well, Kathy is still riding - she owns and events 3 horses in Maryland! Thanks to the wonder of the internet we reconnected after not seeing each other for 30 years and she drove up to ride with me on Saturday!

Last Christmas when we were in Florida I got an email from Kathy wondering if I had ever owned a pony named Penny Lane. She had stumbled upon my blog apparently because she recognized my photo on my post about Walton's Mountain!

Sovey loved Kathy and was a perfect boy for our entire outing.

The morning sun gave way to dark skies and wind, but we didn't care. The horses seemed to sense that this was an extra special ride and they had wonderfully willing attitudes the whole time. One neighbor had 3 sets of sheets on the clothes line. The wind got hold of the fitted ones and lifted them like sails. Pie was having none of that, but Sovey and Kathy pushed us on in such a confident manner that Pie had no choice but to act like a good boy.

Maizie, the photographer, captured the beauty of two Tbreds in late autumn light.

Pie and Sovey gobble the last bits of their barstool apples, above. While we rode, Kathy told me about her horses and eventing. She is in the heart of serious horse country in Maryland and trains with some of the best. She had the opportunity to take her horses to Ocala a few years ago and we both talked of our dreams of living part-time in Aiken or Ocala.
We had a hysterical mix-up in our conversation at one point. I was telling her about our trip to the track to see Found in the Fog. I said that Brian had been such a patient husband this week by taking me there and listening to all my horsey ramblings. Kathy asked, "How old is he?" I answered, "Forty-seven." Shocked, she asked, "Really, and he is still racing?" And, I said that he runs the mile now. Then, we started cracking up - she was asking about Found in the Fog and I thought she was talking about Brian!!!

15 comments:

  1. Thats so great you connected with an old friend. I hope someday I will meet up again with some of my old riding buddies.

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  2. what a fun day to reconnect while on the backs of two gorgeous OTTBS :)

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  3. HAHAHA -THAT is too funny..Brian and Found in the Fog mix up..What a Horse!
    I mloved seeing your smiling face right off the bat...I caught myself smiling..the entire time i was reading..am still am! I loved that you two reconnnected!
    OH, and love Pie's new sidebar shot with that Smile of yours!

    Good times and freindships rekindled...THANKSGIVING is all around!
    XO

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  4. Great story - it's amazing what the internet can do. Your pictures are beautiful.

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  5. Oh the pictures are so gorgeous and so great at setting a mlod. I can almost fell the crisp air and felt those scratchy branches on the path. Your paths look like so much fun. And I love those almond eyes! Get this: I would be a little afraid to ride a thoroughbred! isn't that silly? I guess I am a wimp. Would Pie let me ride him If I came for a visit? It only so often that we get to see your face in a post...I love it so much--you are always smiley and happy in them. it must be that the country air and your beautiful horses are good for your soul. Mine too!

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  6. Thanks everyone for the nice comments!

    baystatebrumby - I think you need not be fearful of riding a Thoroughbred since you are fearless about galloping around on your Lilly girl. That is hardly wimpy!!!! I want you to come for a ride ANYTIME - we have an entire empty house for you or other blogger friends to come and stay and ride. Pie is the best boy to groom and graze and kiss up like a roly-poly puppy. He is a little silly sometimes under saddle so our calm Sovereign boy would be just the thing for you or anyone to hop on. Bonus - Sovey lets you love him up as much as you want when you are on his back! He only is an alligator when you are on the ground so as long as you are riding him, you are safe and sound. As far as the Thoroughbred breed goes, I think it is all a unfair rumour. These boys are level headed. I agree that country air and horses are good for the soul.

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  7. Wow, that's really cool that you got reconnected like that. I have a couple of friends I'd love to find after all these years.

    Hope you have a great Thanksgiving!

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  8. Juliette, what a wonderful time you had with your old friend! And your two boys behaving so nicely - just wonderful! (About Found in the Fog, you made a thoughtful, considerate decision about him, and possibly another family will, indirectly, thank you for letting them love him! Have a good trip!)

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  9. hahaha That's a funny mix-up. :-)

    What a wonderful thing that your horsey-friend after 30 years came up to ride!!!

    Now THAT is a good use of the internet!

    Great pictures and post. (Oh, and I love your childhood pony's name.)

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  10. How wonderful that you and your friend reconnected after all this time, and that you are still active horsewomen, and had a lovely ride. The pictures are beautiful.

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  11. Hi Julie,

    I tried to send a message before, but it didn't go through. So I'll try again!

    I can't tell you how much fun I had hanging out with you, your mom, and the most amazing Maizie (and meeting Brian)--and of course riding the wonderful Sovey! I think he would make a fabulous eventer, by the way--just sayin' ;-)

    Catching up, reminiscing about Ryegate, and hearing your mom's great horse stories (for those who are reading--Julie's mom was [and is] an amazing rider, who knew and rode with many of the greats) was truly a blessing for me. I haven't had that much fun in a long time.

    When I found you and found out that you had kept Star all those years, it made me happy and also broke my heart a little bit that I hadn't gotten in touch sooner. She was truly one of a kind and the best pony a girl could ever have. I can never thank you enough for giving her all the love, attention, and cans of soda she deserved.

    Thank you so much, and I hope we can make many more memories in the years to come.

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