In January of 2001, I traveled
with friends of mine to an auction in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Each of us was going
for a specific purpose - mine being to find a really good mare to begin my
venture into the breeding end of the industry. We walked the barns and viewed
the horses and not one particularly captured my attention, but there were
some very nice horses there.
We sat through a few hours,
went to dinner and then came back. As my friends went to the back, I wandered
into the sale ring and in comes this mare - had just arrived - red in color
- massive body and "that LOOK". I ran for my friends and told them to come
see this mare. Well they came and after a couple of more turns in the pen,
I knew I had to have her. The bidding became furious (as far as I was concerned)
but she came home with me.
From the moment I touched
her, until the day she died in my arms, we shared a bond. She was a magnificent
animal...her first encounter with me was with flaring nostrils, wide opened
eyes and a questioning nature. She was like an untamed beauty...powerful,
graceful, determined and the first horse I had fallen in love with at first
sight. She was a handful in the beginning, but as our bond grew, she would
follow me in the pasture and begged to be scratched. She was high maintenance
- foundering and then developing a never-ending hoof problem. But through
all her trials and special needs she was always patient because she knew
I was there to help her and she understood. She was beautiful and her spirit
lifted mine whenever I watched her - and watch her I did. She gave me 3 babies
and hours of entertainment as she mothered those babies.
I have owned a lot of
horses...and all are a part of me...but not since my gelding Reb have I loved
a horse like what I felt for Mattie. Mattie had a question mark on her face
which pretty much was her nature whenever she looked at me - always asking
what was I doing, where was I going, was she going, and what was this
small thing following her?? She was a clown at times and a force to be reckoned
with in the pasture with the other mares. On the day she died, she looked
at me with those big eyes and a question once again, What have I
done??".
There is that missing moment
every day as I look for her or remember her...and long to stroke her one
more time. She was truly one of the special ones.
Susan Norvell