When I was nine years old my parents bought me a dapple grey Arabian gelding. His name was Talcum and he very quickly became the reason I got out of bed in the morning. We boarded him across town and I spent as much time there as I possibly could. I wanted nothing more than to be near that horse.
For the first couple of years I was able to get to the barn three of four times a week, but eventually, my parents had more important things to do than take me across town to spend time with Talcum. I tried to make the most out of every visit I had. I even offered to sleep in the barn if it would allow me to spend more time with him.
Now for the heartbreak of my story... I went to the barn one day to go for a ride. We were heading out across an open pasture and I noticed a truck with a horse trailer had pulled over and was watching us galloping across the field. After a few minutes the lady in the truck got out so we walked over to her. She asked me if this was Talcum and commented on how beautiful he was.
Then, she proceeded to ask me if I would bring him back to the barn because they didn't have much time. I couldn't imagin' what their lack of time had to do with me. I looked back at the barn and there was my mother and a few other people we knew, and dumb me I still didn't know what was going on.
We were almost back to the barn and it dawned on me that my mother must have sold him and wasn't going to tell me. Needless to say, we did a quick turn around and rode as fast and as hard as that horse could go. I wasn't about to let anyone take the love of my life away. We managed to hide out for about a half a day until they finally caught up to us.
I cried all the way back to the barn. I couldn't understand what I had done to deserve this kind of punishment. Talcum put up his own fight, they thought they would have to tranquilize him to get him in the trailer. There is no worse feeling in the world than watch your first true love go down the rode, without you.
I'm 31 now and I have a new horse. She's a Tennesse Walker and her name is Grace. She has helped me to get over the heartache that I have harboured all these years. I will never forget that incredible gelding or ever completely get over loosing him, but she helps.
A lot.
Cindy
Bardstown, Kentucky
