Recently in July of 2003 I decided to buy a new horse because my mare, Sweet Mama, is getting old at age 28. I told Barbara I would go shopping to find a horse, well trained, who would be safe for me to ride. I felt age 8 to 15 would be about right for me because I don't feel as strong now at age 74. I found an advertisement at the feed store, called the horse trader, and went to see Poco. When I arrived, the quarter horse pinto was exercising freely in a large horse ring. At age three he seemed frisky, was kicking up his heels like frisky horses do when they have been penned and then set free to run in a large corral.
Robert, the horse trader was a friendly man who also sold real estate. He said, "Poco is from the Haggard Ranch in Plano, Texas. The ranch was settled in 1836 by Mr. Haggard. He purchased twenty sections, about four miles by five miles of land, a few miles north of Dallas. The family business has been mostly horses and cattle for the past 150 years. They raised top Quarter horses and ranch bred Paints. They are founding fathers of the cattle and horse industry here in the United States. The family is well respected in Plano, Texas and all over the West."
Robert walked into the arena and Poco stopped prancing. The horse stood still while Robert put on the saddle and bridle, mounted the gelding and showed the horse work at a walk, trot, and he had the horse do figure eights, starts, and stops. Poco turned left and right changing his leads in the air. The horse seemed well trained and gentle.
I paid Robert who brought the fourteen and a half hand pony to my house. We put my saddle on Poco and Robert said, "Your saddle will fit him O.K. but you need to use extra padding. I had him sold to a young girl, but she gave him back because she said he was too short for her. But you need a short horse, so this horse is just right for you."
I have five acres so I used my own land to get used to riding Poco, and we took a short ride every day. The rest of the time Poco was free to run in the fields behind my home. Each day he seemed to be more difficult to catch. On the forth day while riding down a slope Poco tried to buck me off, but I held on until he stopped bucking. Then we went on our way riding around way out back where the other horses wandered, and we had a nice half hour ride. It was sunny and the horse did not sweat because he was not nervous and not over exercised.
After having Poco for two weeks, I rode him off my property to see how he would act being away from the other three horses. There is a 100 foot horse ring close to the side of my house. I have a new german shephard dog named Champion that stays in my yard. He loves to chase horses and nip at their heels. Poco did not like being close to the dog. When I finished riding off my place I dismounted and led the pony to a place where I saddle up and mount and where the dog does not interfere. I decided to mount Poco again but had difficulty throwing my right leg over the saddle. I slumped forward over the horses neck and held on trying to get my right foot in the stirrup. My position must have startled Poco because he started bucking. He was not bucking hard like they do in rodeos, but it was enough to throw me hard to the dirt. My right shoe fell off and I landed on the back of my head, on my tail bone, left hip and hard on my right heel.
X-rays showed I had crushed a lumbar vertebrae and fractured my right heel bone. The doctor was not concerned with the bump on the back of my head. I was forced to use a wheelchair for nine weeks and then to gradually start walking first with a walker then without a walker. After eleven weeks I am still limping. I contacted Robert who was kind enough to sell Poco to someone else. I have decided to continue riding Sweet Mama in spite of her old age. Soon we will both be too old for horseback riding. But, I should be able to go skindiving and go dancing with Barbara for a long time.