“Pretty is as pretty does.”
We’ve trained several driving horses, but we’ve never had one exactly like we want. That is the color, looks, ability and disposition to pull a vehicle whenever we desired without any hassle.
It didn’t seem like that much expectation, but upon searching thousands of horses, none that we know of yet match our specific criteria.
Big Zane, the striking part-Morgan, mostly-Percheron, that was supposed to be the one, came from Illinois. When we saw the gray, our first complaint was that he looked like a draft animal not a stock horse as we envisioned.
It wouldn’t matter, we contended, if he had the other two necessities. Upon hooking, hopes deteriorated as the new horse nickered, pawed and reared, while the seller declared, “It’s just a cool morning. That doesn’t go with him.”
Using naivety as our excuse, we accepted that and let color, conformation and eternal optimism surpass the large size, poor disposition and common sense.
A new toy for an old cowboy is what any horse is, and we anxiously drove him everyday. Despite, being somewhat excitable, Big Zane would walk, park gait and stand on command.
It was exciting when public début arrived for horse and surrey, but things soon went sour.
Nobody was hurt, and we made it through the parade, but Big Zane was a sweating, prancing, nervous wreck, us included.
All forgiving, three more times we tried under similar circumstances with identical, if not worse, results.
It just wasn’t worth the heartache, let alone risk, no matter how gorgeous appearing.
All of that investment in finances, coordination, travel and maneuvering to ill avail; what was a dumb cowboy to do?
Light was shining down from above as we contacted the seller, who agreed to trade us a different driver.
Mae is old, bay, sway-backed, roman-nosed and about as far from pretty as anyone could imagine.
But, she’s nice to handle, walks and trots casually pulling the carriage, stops and stands for hours on end and does everything we expect of her except look like we want her to.
Yet, she’s really beautiful in her own particular way
Reminds us of Ecclesiastes 3:11: “He has made everything beautiful in its time.” Thus, Zechariah 10:3: “The Lord will make all like His beautiful and majestic horse.”