Meet Fred

This is Fred. The Horse.

Fred is Great.

He's a Wonderful Babysitter.

He is a Great Teacher.

In his hayday he could rope calves. Rope steers. Run a straight line while his rider flung herself off his back and ran to a goat and tied him down. He could run the barrels and knew the pole pattern. He gathered pairs out of the hills. He drug calves to the branding fire. Sorted cows. Gathered bulls. Chased yearlings. Been on a wagon train or two. Took part in a parade or two. Safe to say, Fred has Been There, Done That. But I don't think he got the t-shirt.

I inherited Fred from dad's herd four years ago, the spring when I was pregnant. I was not going to quit riding and dad knew that. So he sent me Fred and Dingy. Remember Dingy? It was dad's way of knowing I would be ok to keep riding with these two horses. It's been four years, and I still have both of them.

Fred was the horse that we put the rookies on. The horse that visiting college friends rode. He was the horse Big D had to ride for quite sometime before we were married. We got a kick out of it. We made Big D ride Fred partly because he was being tested and partly because it was so damn funny!! OH - did I mention Fred is one rough ridin' son-of-a-gun! Arena riding he is great. Out in the pasture he has ya begging to turn around.

These days Fred has a pretty easy life. My niece Timber has ridden Fred some since she starting riding. Last summer when T started riding, it was on good ol' Fred. A slow trot is about as fast as he goes, and he doesn't get too excited about anything. Perfect! I hope ol' Fast Fat Freddy is around a few more years to teach a few more kids how to ride.