moosehead
Member
- Location
- South western Ontario
So, after my attempt at riding a bike which, to no one's surprise was a bit of a failure, I returned the bicycle, or what was left of it to the barn. The question now was what to do? My very first thought was to hide the bike...Or what was left of it..Under a bale of hay. But my conscience got the better of me and, at dinner that night, I told everyone what had happened.
No one seemed surprised. After a lengthy pause, Mr. Jenkins asked Mrs. Jenkins if Dougie could help her around the house. After yet another lengthy pause Mrs. Jenkins said she didn't think so but maybe he.....That was me......Could help Mr. Jenkins with the horses. This was met with a an even longer pause.....
"Dougie", said Mr. Jenkins, " Tell you what I'll do. I will let you wash the horses. How about that?"
"Are you sure?" said Mrs. Jenkins, " I mean, look what happened with the cows, not to mention the chickens..."
"Now, Momma We have to give Dougie something to do. What could possibly go wrong while washing the horses. Heck, even YOU have done that!"
Mrs. Jenkins let that pass......
So, it was decided that I would wash the horses in a few days.....The farm needed a break from me, apparently....AND, if I did a good job maybe I could ride old Betsy, Mrs. Jenkins favourite work horse.....
After a few disaster-free days which apparently surprised everyone, including me, it was time to wash the really large horses. These were huge! They all had names...Norm...Betsy...Matilda ..Angus...Blacky (he was brown)..Jenny...etc....
First horse on my schedule was Betsy. I had to stand on a ladder in order to shower her, soap her down and to wash off the soap. Betsy was so laid back and enjoyed the wash.
I successfully washed Blacky, Matilda and next up was Angus.....Up on my ladder I go and start to wash. Everything is going OK, Angus appeared to be happy until I dropped the brush which fell underneath Angus. Down I get, go under Angus to retrieve my brush and he decides, at this precise time, to pee....on me.
Do you know that the bladder of a horse must hold gallons of water? It just soaked me. I thought I was drowning. My life flashed before me...Short flash being only ten......
Of course I was startled, jumped up, hitting Angus in the stomach, startling him. Did you know one should tie up the horses before washing them? Oops.
Angus then bolted for the open door, followed, in turn, by Norm, Matilda, Blacky, Jenny and 4 other horses that I had not been introduced to. The only one who stayed was Betsy who looked at me with an expression of "Well, this is another fine mess you've gotten yourself into." I truly believe the animals talk to each other....
Anyway, out the door I go after the horses, heading for the open fields and I hear Mr. Jenkins yelling , "The Horses are on the loose!" I get a brilliant idea. Back into the stalls I go, grab my ladder, jump on Betsy and intend to chase down the runaway horses and save the day. I saw Roy Rogers do that in a movie. Not only did he save the day, he won the girl. Not that I cared about the girl , being only ten....
Betsy wouldn't move. Stood there. Me on her back yelling " Away, Betsy." Nothing.
"HYO Betsy!" Still nothing. "Please!" Nope. So, I did the next best thing. Slapped her on the butt. She took off like a bolt of lightning. Big horse..I am high off ground, she is galloping out the door and off we go...The other way.
Ever tried to stop a runaway horse..A large, runaway horse? Not me and I was on her back bouncing up and down like some drunken tennis ball..... I yelled, I pleaded, I prayed....She kept agoin' and, off in the distance I see a fence. We are heading for a fence...this is not a good thing I'm thinking..
I thought I was doomed. My life flashed before me..AGAIN....short flash....and that fence got closer and closer.
As we approached the fence, and in between my pleading in a loud sort of hysterical voice, I thought I'd give it one more try. I yelled the only thing I could think of...."WHOA HORSIE!" It worked. Betsy stopped...and I mean stopped. I went hell over tea kettle over her head at the speed of a bullet, flying into a hedge , bouncing off it onto the ground and, as luck would have it, into piles of cow dung. Again. I seemed to have a close relationship with cow dung. If it's there I seem to find it.....
After I collected my thoughts or what was left of them and cleared the ringing in my head, I picked myself up....Again.... bemoaned the mess I was covered in and tried to rationalize just what happened.
I trudged over to the fence, clambered over and there was Betsy waiting for me.....Bemused, I would imagine. So, I very slowly, followed by Betsy, walked back toward the farm. Betsy wouldn't get too close to me..I did smell rather badly.
By the time I got back, Mr. Jenkins had collected the horses and returned them to their stalls. Most of them unwashed........
It was soon thereafter my time on the farm was done. Time to go back to the big city and the regular routine of school. Surprisingly the Jenkins wrote my parents and told them that I was invited back for next summer. Gluttons for punishment. I did not return to the farm. Plans change, times change but I will always remember the Jenkins and the farm and my adventures.......
No one seemed surprised. After a lengthy pause, Mr. Jenkins asked Mrs. Jenkins if Dougie could help her around the house. After yet another lengthy pause Mrs. Jenkins said she didn't think so but maybe he.....That was me......Could help Mr. Jenkins with the horses. This was met with a an even longer pause.....
"Dougie", said Mr. Jenkins, " Tell you what I'll do. I will let you wash the horses. How about that?"
"Are you sure?" said Mrs. Jenkins, " I mean, look what happened with the cows, not to mention the chickens..."
"Now, Momma We have to give Dougie something to do. What could possibly go wrong while washing the horses. Heck, even YOU have done that!"
Mrs. Jenkins let that pass......
So, it was decided that I would wash the horses in a few days.....The farm needed a break from me, apparently....AND, if I did a good job maybe I could ride old Betsy, Mrs. Jenkins favourite work horse.....
After a few disaster-free days which apparently surprised everyone, including me, it was time to wash the really large horses. These were huge! They all had names...Norm...Betsy...Matilda ..Angus...Blacky (he was brown)..Jenny...etc....
First horse on my schedule was Betsy. I had to stand on a ladder in order to shower her, soap her down and to wash off the soap. Betsy was so laid back and enjoyed the wash.
I successfully washed Blacky, Matilda and next up was Angus.....Up on my ladder I go and start to wash. Everything is going OK, Angus appeared to be happy until I dropped the brush which fell underneath Angus. Down I get, go under Angus to retrieve my brush and he decides, at this precise time, to pee....on me.
Do you know that the bladder of a horse must hold gallons of water? It just soaked me. I thought I was drowning. My life flashed before me...Short flash being only ten......
Of course I was startled, jumped up, hitting Angus in the stomach, startling him. Did you know one should tie up the horses before washing them? Oops.
Angus then bolted for the open door, followed, in turn, by Norm, Matilda, Blacky, Jenny and 4 other horses that I had not been introduced to. The only one who stayed was Betsy who looked at me with an expression of "Well, this is another fine mess you've gotten yourself into." I truly believe the animals talk to each other....
Anyway, out the door I go after the horses, heading for the open fields and I hear Mr. Jenkins yelling , "The Horses are on the loose!" I get a brilliant idea. Back into the stalls I go, grab my ladder, jump on Betsy and intend to chase down the runaway horses and save the day. I saw Roy Rogers do that in a movie. Not only did he save the day, he won the girl. Not that I cared about the girl , being only ten....
Betsy wouldn't move. Stood there. Me on her back yelling " Away, Betsy." Nothing.
"HYO Betsy!" Still nothing. "Please!" Nope. So, I did the next best thing. Slapped her on the butt. She took off like a bolt of lightning. Big horse..I am high off ground, she is galloping out the door and off we go...The other way.
Ever tried to stop a runaway horse..A large, runaway horse? Not me and I was on her back bouncing up and down like some drunken tennis ball..... I yelled, I pleaded, I prayed....She kept agoin' and, off in the distance I see a fence. We are heading for a fence...this is not a good thing I'm thinking..
I thought I was doomed. My life flashed before me..AGAIN....short flash....and that fence got closer and closer.
As we approached the fence, and in between my pleading in a loud sort of hysterical voice, I thought I'd give it one more try. I yelled the only thing I could think of...."WHOA HORSIE!" It worked. Betsy stopped...and I mean stopped. I went hell over tea kettle over her head at the speed of a bullet, flying into a hedge , bouncing off it onto the ground and, as luck would have it, into piles of cow dung. Again. I seemed to have a close relationship with cow dung. If it's there I seem to find it.....
After I collected my thoughts or what was left of them and cleared the ringing in my head, I picked myself up....Again.... bemoaned the mess I was covered in and tried to rationalize just what happened.
I trudged over to the fence, clambered over and there was Betsy waiting for me.....Bemused, I would imagine. So, I very slowly, followed by Betsy, walked back toward the farm. Betsy wouldn't get too close to me..I did smell rather badly.
By the time I got back, Mr. Jenkins had collected the horses and returned them to their stalls. Most of them unwashed........
It was soon thereafter my time on the farm was done. Time to go back to the big city and the regular routine of school. Surprisingly the Jenkins wrote my parents and told them that I was invited back for next summer. Gluttons for punishment. I did not return to the farm. Plans change, times change but I will always remember the Jenkins and the farm and my adventures.......
