In 2001, I decided I was going to take a huge step and finally live out
a childhood dream of owning a horse. I had not even been on a horse in years,
so I did not even know what I wanted. When I called on the ad for a 15 year-old
gelding, I had such wonderful dreams of what he would look like. When I saw
him the first time, he was covered in mud, skinny and scarred, not my picture
of my future horse. My husband forced my hand and made me buy him, telling
me that he was the horse for me. Little did I know, my husband was
right.
When I got him to his first
stable, I realized he still was no beauty but soon found out his beauty came
from the inside. Bonz was amazing! He taught me how to ride, how to care
for horses, how to go up and down hills, run...okay I never ran, but canter
events in playdays.
We had an understanding. He would take care of me and I would make sure his
old wounds would heal and he would never miss another meal. When times got
bad, he was always there for me. He kept my sanity through teenage kids and
my husband and son serving in Iraq...just once around the pasture.
I made him a promise I
could keep when I told him I was going to buy him his own pasture where no
horse would ever be mean to him again. After all, he was really a big chicken
and was scared of mean horses. We bought a little run-down place and started
working on it to make it a place for our horses. I think he knew that because
he acted like this place was his and seemed to relax the day he moved
in.
He showed his heart even
more when horse fever hit and we bought a sweet little mare and then a colt
and filly. He fell in love with that mare and took care of the babies. When
our mare had her babies, he acted as though he was the proud and loving father.
He protected them all and would stand guard as they slept, even though I
could tell his older bones were tired. He was our "babysitter" to horses
and humans alike. Anybody could ride him and he always made them look
good.
Sadly, Mister Bonz decided
that he had greener pastures that were calling him and there was one baby
that did not spend much time on this earth that needed him more than we did.
He passed with our help and until the moment he laid down for the last time,
still stood proud and beautiful. Yes, I can honestly say that I had never
seen him as beautiful as I had this winter. I think he was the happiest
that I have ever seen him while he was in "his" pasture with "his" herd.
He leaves behind his pasture mate and best friend, Leeper, three almost grown
kids, Harley, Ranger and Lil and "his" son, Gus.
Take care of sweet penny, Mister Bonz, and know that you touched this old
woman's heart more than you know...just once around the pasture.
Bonz 
