It
was a beautiful day, and perfect for a ride on my big horse, ‘Beau Lyncho’. He
was huge, with great personality, and we both just needed to get away for
awhile. It was about 6 PM and we didn’t have too much time, so we had to make
the best of it, so we would walk down into the creek, to just enjoy the water.
We
had walked about 1/2 mile in the stream, and it was time to get out of the
water. There appeared to be only one place to climb up onto the bank. It
looked like we could climb up that bank easily, because there was not too steep,
so we started to climb.
My
big horse was my buddy. We shared many wonderful years together. We knew each
other so well. He felt my feelings, and knew when I needed peace and calm, or
when he had to make me laugh. He was good at that, and was often like a big
clown.
Today, I just wanted to enjoy the water with him, to listen to the birds, and
ripples of the water crossing the rocks in the stream.
We
were far away from houses. There were no people around, just woods, the
railroad bed, and the stream. It was so still, so quiet, and beautiful.
I
looked up, and saw a man walking down the deserted railroad tracks. He stopped
momentarily, to look at my horse, and simply said, “it’s a great day for a ride”
Then, he walked on.
I
waited in the stream for another 15-20 minutes, and saw it was beginning to get
dark. We needed to get out of a stream bed, and looked for what seemed to be a
safe place to climb out, by going up and over, what appeared to be a nice slope
of green. There were those thin green prickly vines, covering the ground, and I
figured we could go just go through them, to get up the bank. It was maybe 5
foot up, to dry ground.
I asked Lyncho to walk up the bank.
As we were near the top of this small bank, my
horse really surprised me. He just sat down! I laughed at him, thinking he was
playing. He knew how to play, and he did fun things on occasion.
This time, he
just didn't get back up! I climbed off, and I stumbled, tripping over
something. I regained my footing, to stand by my horse, who was just waiting
patiently. He wasn’t excited. He was just waiting for me to do something.
I discovered
that he had walked over something that was covered with wet sand, and there he
was, in a small gully, between whatever he walked over, and the bank.
My horse was stuck in a gully, just sitting
there. He looked comical. I thought he was just being funny.
I prodded him to
get up,-but he could not get up.
His back legs
were stuck in wet sand! The sand wasn’t that deep, so I saw no reason that he
couldn’t get up, so I prodded him again. ”Come on, get up”.
This time, he
tried harder to get to his feet, and he stumbled. His hind legs just pushed
deeper into the sand. Then, his upper body then fell sideways, between the
ridge, and the bank, actually laying there, in this rut! He could NOT get up.!
The humor left,
real quick. My horse was in real trouble.
There was no one
in sight. Only woods, stream, and the railroad bed, for 3 miles left, or
right! We were now, drastically alone
I again prodded My Lyncho, who tried again to get
up for me! This time, he actually flopped over that thing that I tripped over.
I tripped again, and then realized, that it was a dead tree.
Lyncho was
–really dead stuck there, now laying across that dead tree, with his back legs
stuck even deeper in the sand! I started to worry. I could feel my body
tensing up, but I had to relain calm for Lyncho. I got a stick, to bop him with
--to make him try to fight himself out of there. I could lift the flap of the
saddle, and undo the girth, to get the saddle off him, hoping this would make it
easier for him.
He gave me one more big try.-and my horse ended
upside down, laying between that dead tree, and the bank! His legs did come out
of the sand, but they stuck up, as he laid there on his back, still stuck.
I took the
bridle off him, and I started to panic. I began to shake. Lyncho was just
trusting me to help him, but what can I do?
I started digging the sand from under him out
with my hands. Thank God, the wet sand was movable. If I can move that sand,
maybe he could turn over to his side, but that tree was there. He still
wouldn’t be able to get up with that tree in the way.
It’s getting
dark. My horse just lays there, trusting me to free him.
We need help, but I just can not leave him! It
would be too dark to find him, if I did get help. I decided to stay with him,
and work all night, if I had to. I knew it wasn’t good that he was on his back
for such a long time. That just wasn’t good for him at all.
I would stay
with him until I could help free him, but I had to work fast. I worked
frantically. My arms started to tremble in fear! I could feel my breath
working hard, as I dug, and dug. I was so scared for him. I was sweating, and
gulping breaths, almost loosing control!
I felt like I
was about to loose my mind, like my mind was about to explode, and all my sanity
was about to leave me! I was on ‘THE EDGE OF TERROR’.
My muscles were
working so hard they were cramping, and I felt chills on my outer skin, as I
continued to just dig.
It
was so near DARK. I was loosing my strength. I couldn't do this alone, but I
had to. There was no one around!
I started to
PANIC, I was loosing it. I didn’t think I was going to get him out of there. I
was frantic. Through huge tears running down my face, grasping for strength,
with aching muscles and fingers, fighting for my breath, I let out a scream
--pleading! "Please, SOMEBODY HELP US!" I was afraid my body would just shut
down. I was going to loose my horse during the night. I couldn’t save him.
Then, from the bank just above us, I heard a
voice. "Is everything alright down there?" It was that man, that I saw walking
the tracks. When I first saw him, I saw him with 'WINGS'. He was tall, and
beautiful. He had wings, I thought! I broke down, and wept! Was he real?
Then, he walked
closer, seeing we were in real trouble.
I was so happy for help. I tried to tell him
what had happened, and to show him what we had to do to save my horse. He came
into the water with me, and helped to hand dig, to set my horse free.
We broke sticks, and used them as shovels or
hatchets, to break the soil, and we scooped the sand with our hands. HIT and
DIG! HIT and DIG!
We worked until
our bodies shook in pain! We uncovered that tree.
I could hardly
move, I was so physically and emotionally exhausted, but I had to. I
struggled to my feet, to go into the stream, to find a long tree branch, to use
as a pole for leverage. That man was still digging. I found a long strong
branch to pry that tree -away from my horse. We put something next to that
downed tree, and placed the long branch over it, and under that tree. We pushed
down on that long branch, and propped the end of the tree up.
IT BROKE! Thank
God! We pulled that dead tree away from my horse.
We
dug some more, until he was free enough to roll onto his side. All this time, he
was still patiently laying upside down! He finally rolled over, and away from
the hill, almost to his side, and rested there for a minute. I thought he was
giving up. He didn’t want to move, it was so traumatizing for him. I thought
he was near being in shock. I had to get him up.
I
couldn't let him rest there too long, so I yelled at him, and actually 'stung
him' with a stick, to make him get up! It hurt me more than him. I didn’t want
to hit him, but he had to get up! It was almost dark, and we could hardly see.
I
think Lyncho was near in-shock. He was on his back for almost two hours!
That’s not good! So I had to hit him, to get him up. I screamed at him, “Get
up Lyncho!” “Get up”.
He did try again, and he lounged forward, and he
fell down again, then he sat there like a dog, sitting on his butt. At least he
wasn’t on his back anymore. He had to acclimate himself to being upright again,
so I gave him a couple of minutes to rest.
I asked him
again to get up, and he struggled to try again to get his footing, then he got
to his feet, and just quietly stood there. He was going to be okay!
I broke, put my
hand to my mouth, and wept like a baby.
My body hurt so
bad! My arms, hands and arms were actually 'stinging', we had worked so
hard! My legs were trembling. I realized that I could not have done alone! I
don’t know how long, I could have stayed strong enough, to get him out of there
by myself! It took two of us, working as hard and as fast as we could, to get
him out of there. I thank God for this blessing. My horse was going to be
fine.
I wrapped the reins over his neck, and led him
slowly, as he staggered into the stream, where I splashed water against his body
to get the sand off of him. He just stood there, and didn't move. I knew he
was grateful! I know my horse, my big old thorobred ‘stud horse’ who had always
been just like a magnificent ‘big-kid’. I was so grateful.
I then remembered that man!
I looked back, to see that ‘beautiful’ man, who came to help us --our angel!
His name was Moneypenny, or Pennymaker, something like that, and he lives in
Lancaster County, PA, around Leola, I believe, and owns a gun or bait shop. I
have never found him, and would like to publicly, thank him, and one day,
privately, with a much deserved big bear hug.!.
GOD BLESS YOU
--our Angel! Without any doubt, I KNOW that my God just knew how much I could
take, and would not let me go through more than that, so he sent us you, right
at that ‘critical time’ when I was about to completely loose it. I have never
been that close to loosing my sanity.
He said to me,
“When I saw you earlier, and asked if we were having a nice day”, you said, “it
was a beautiful day!” I will never forget what you did for us!
When I looked at you, standing on that huge flat
rock, I could say nothing –just go to you, and put my arms around you to give
you a big hug. Of thanks. But I broke into tears, as I held on to you! I
will never forget, that you hugged me back! You held me, as I wept like a
baby! Thank you so much! That meant so much to me!
And what did you say to me? "Maybe now, you can
enjoy the rest of your day”.
---May God Bless you sir! He blessed me with
your presence, at that moment, when I first saw you with your wings!~~~~~~~
He
asked if we would be okay going back, and of course, I knew we would be fine
now. I thanked him, as My 'Lyncho' and I had to go back the way we got there,
through the water and the rocks in the stream.
My Lyncho, he walked behind me, he kept his nose
in my hand when I reached back to comfort him. He kept his nose there for along
time, as we walked. I would stop, and give him a hug, we talked our talk, and
then continued for what seemed a 2 hour walk back.
We were both exhausted! It was dark. Real
dark. Finally, after passing our path, and re-tracking to get there, we were on
the path back. We walked for a while, until I felt I wouldn’t be able to walk
any farther. I didn’t have the strength to climb up, and had to walk until I
found something to stand on. Then, he just stood, to let me mount, then he
carried me back to the barn. I didn’t even want to ask him to carry me, he had
been through so much, but I just couldn’t go any more. I had to find something
to help me climb up. I found a tree trunk, and again mounted.
I could feel it
in his steps. I saw it in his ears, as they perked, as he carried me now. I
knew, he felt privileged to carry me back to the barn, for a well deserved
nights rest, and his much deserved hay and grain.
They are called ‘Mile-A-Minute’ vines! NEVER
go through them!
I will never make that mistake again!
~~~~~~~~~~
That was my BIG horse, my man and buddy for 21 years! I often said if I ever
found a (real) man that would take care of me like Lyncho, who could make me
laugh, and just feel good about living, --just like My Lyncho, I would marry
again. Not until then. And, we too must be able to speak the
un-spoken language of love.
In his years, people would just
marvel at how he moved, --so graceful, and elegant! He was an awesome creature,
and a wonderful 'gift'. I had to put his dad (sire) down, due to a fractured
pelvis, an old injury that re-occurred. That broke my heart. I really mourned
'LYNCH'. We had bred him one time only to a particular mare I had, and when he
died, I forgot to check my mare, and couldn't even remember to check to see if
she had come into season or not. About 6 months later, I had the vet check
her. She was "IN FOAL". I wept again. Could it be?
I mourned so deeply, that as I
stayed in the stall, and laid next to his dead body, for a long time. My final
moments with LYNCH, after he was put down. I had a talk with him. I asked that
‘IF he could’ --come back to me, I would want one white star, and for him to be
almost 16'2", and to have one white foot. I also asked joked, --that he should
earn me $70,000.00 to buy a farm, --by his 7th birthday. That
story is a book --yet to be published. I was told that this story would
one day, reach around the world.
I could hardly believe that I
would ever have a foal from Lynch, I loved him so much.
I still had a hard time
believing, even when the mare's water broke, that it would be born alive. I
couldn't allow myself to care again. It hurts so bad, when you loose them. I
had been hurt too deeply, in the past, and couldn’t take much more…
The foal was being born, and I
thought, ‘and it's a chestnut like Lynch.’
I saw the big white star,
---‘just as I asked’.
It also came with ---‘one white
foot, I also asked for’.
It was beautiful!
It came out ---'whinning', as if to declare --‘I’m HERE! I made it’.
I thought that was cute, but knew he would die.
He dropped his little head. It just FLOPPED DOWN! I just knew
he was dead!
He PERKED back up,
---‘nickered’ a HELLO, and dropped his head again.
I was doing just
fine -looking at this ‘beautiful’ foal, until I wondered IF it was a filly, --or
a colt.
I lifted the back leg, and I
SAW, ---that it was a COLT!
THAT DID IT!
-----I burst into tears! I ALWAYS LOVED the colts!
The LIFE they carry! ---CONTINUANCE!
I was so grateful! I felt that Lynch had come back to me.
I have so many stories about
HIM, and now, the stories can continue, with his son.