Saying goodbye

Well this was first post was supposed to be an introduction of our dreams, purposes and experiences but instead it is about saying goodbye. Tonight I learned about the death of a dear friend that I have not seen in years. This friend taught me a lot about patience, a lot about determination and even more about love.

Let me start by saying as a youth, I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to work for a very optimistic man. When I went to work for John, he and his wife Janet, had already raised their family and had grand kids that I went to school with. I learned so much from John, more than I can begin to tell you. The most valuable thing I learned was how to be a winner. This I tried to apply to everything.

John was partners with a gentleman named Sam on an ugly palomino mare that produced the greatest horses I ever rode. Juniour Hudspeth once said you could breed anything to Flit Bar Beggar and get the prettiest colts you had ever seen. This statement was very true. That ugly mare was bred to him 4 times and had the prettiest sorrel babies a girl could have laid eyes on. The first 3 colts by this cross were very similar, easy to train, easy to get along with, just plain easy. Number 4 not so much.

Beggar Be Good was very full of himself. When John had sent Beggar off to be started, we were hauling and winning on the two older sisters who were naturals. I can remember one day riding him after he had came home and John yelling across the pen to whip him every time his ears came back! He was not an easy project. It did not take long before this horse was being patterned and exhibitioned.

We did everything with this horse. Roped on him, ran barrels, and just enjoyed him. I can remember loping him around with his nose on the ground because he was just that broke. But he was still a pain in my hind end. I took Beggar to a jackpot in Decatur one night, ready to win, when he changed his mind at the first barrel about being a barrel horse and dumped me right on top of it cracking several ribs. I got so mad at him that I hustled him back thru the pattern running nearly three tenths faster than anyone else. For the next several days, I did my best to try and run him past the first barrel and could not get him to do it. He taught me perseverance.

I would get so mad at Beggar because he never would be consistent. But it never made since he was just a baby. One check here, a barrel there, and falling in the cracks. I learned to look at the improvements on his part. Before long he was winning the 1D everywhere.

Then it was time for our paths to split. He took a girl to the amateur finals and won the high school finals. He learned to win......

Today I get to say goodbye to Beggar Be Good who brought me so much joy and taught me a lot about myself in the meantime. Rest in peace good friend.

Until tomorrow,
Sam