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Against All Odds - The Story of Bronze - Part 5
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"Fill a plastic bottle with stones, and shake it."
This, according to our neighbour, would make Bronze ‘Go’.
So, the next day I mounted Bronze – bottle in hand – and hoped desperately for results. I booted him into a walk, then tried to make him trot. When he wouldn’t, I raised the bottle and shook it. He flicked his ears back and walked slightly faster.
Next time, I tapped him on the shoulder with the bottle, and this time he trotted. For the rest of the ride, I found it much easier to get him moving with the help of the bottle.
Next time I rode Bronze, my little friend came along. I had told her about the bottle, and she was extremely excited to try it. So the pair of us climbed onto Bronze, and I shook the bottle. Nothing happened.
However, I refused to be discouraged, and I shook it again.
This time, something happened.
Bronze is slow by nature, and his reaction to the bottle was a thoroughly delayed one. Suddenly, Bronze realized that the bottle – with the stones shaking noisily inside it – was the most terrifying thing he had ever seen. At the second shake, the big horse exploded. He flung himself into the air – hooves flying in every direction – and bucked like a rodeo bronco.
He leaped off the ground with all four feet – arching his back – then landed and twisted – kicking out with his back legs, plunging forward, ducking and kicking.
My friend went flying to the left at the first buck – I to the right on the second. We both sat there, slightly stunned, and watched Bronze’s bronco-like antics (Always slow on the uptake, he had yet to realize that we were off his back).
When he finally noticed us, he ambled over to investigate. By this time, we were jumping up and down and shrieking in delight, saying "Let’s do that AGAIN!"
All I can say is, looking back now, I’m glad Bronze is such a patient – and, frankly, stupid – horse.
The pair of us were a little bit crazy, and we darted up the fence like a pair of monkeys – leaping onto Bronze’s back. We shuffled around until we were in the right place, then shook the bottle again. This time, the result was instantaneous. Bronze exploded into a fit of the biggest bucks I had ever felt, or have felt since. This time, my friend held on to me when she went flying, and we hit the ground together, in fits of giggles. Bronze, again, put on a show for us – throwing a few more impossibly huge bucks.
My friend and I repeated this perhaps once or twice more – obviously thinking ourselves indestructible. Thankfully, Bronze is a very slow learner, and didn’t develop any bad habits from my idiocy.
Still, despite the possible implications, this was one of my fondest memories of Bronze as a stallion. A few others include his antics whenever a mare approached – showing off with high flung tail, and rearing so high that he managed to get his front legs hooked over the top of the high paddock fence.
Also, peaceful evenings spent sleeping on the great creature. After a long day of riding, I enjoyed nothing more than lying backwards on Bronze’s bare back – my head resting on his pillow-like rump and my feet hooked over his withers – snoozing beneath the early stars while I waited for my mother to finish up whatever she was doing so we could go home.
Bronze was simply the embodiment of gentility. A true gentle giant, from muzzle to tail.
During his stay in his ‘stallion paddock’ – I could do only basic things with Bronze. I walked and trotted him, taught him to turn, and occasionally stepped him over poles – but I could hardly get him going in that small space – yet I dared not take him out, because – gentle as he was – he was always unmanageable whenever mares were around.
Still, one quiet night we took him out of his paddock – and with me riding him and my mother leading, we took a short walk up and down the road outside the plot.
He really seemed to enjoy it – so after that we decided that we should have Bronze gelded, because it just wasn’t fair keeping him in that paddock when he so enjoyed being outside. |
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All That Jazz
Love your articles! Bronze seems like such a fun horse, and he's gorgeous!
Love your articles! Bronze seems like such a fun horse, and he's gorgeous!
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Oct 6, 2011
• 5,817 views
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Endless Love
Don't horses only buck and rear when they are unhappy or scared? ... kinda sad
Don't horses only buck and rear when they are unhappy or scared? ... kinda sad
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Oct 6, 2011
• 5,895 views
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SkysTheLimit
Hey
My mum has a three year old thorobread and we use a bottle and stones to make he go crazy run around the paddock!
But I would never do it riding! LOL :)
Hey
My mum has a three year old thorobread and we use a bottle and stones to make he go crazy run around the paddock!
But I would never do it riding! LOL :)
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Oct 7, 2011
• 5,844 views
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Simplicity
I would have loved to do that!
I would have loved to do that!
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Oct 7, 2011
• 5,804 views
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Arialr
Wow! I love reading these
Wow! I love reading these
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Oct 7, 2011
• 6,092 views
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Stay Untamed
I love this! Bronze sounds a really cool horse!
I love this! Bronze sounds a really cool horse!
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Oct 7, 2011
• 5,849 views
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Oct 8, 2011
• 5,941 views
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Fantasy Farms
He is a really pretty horse! I can't wait till part 6!
He is a really pretty horse! I can't wait till part 6!
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Oct 9, 2011
• 6,319 views
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