01/11/06 Wasp

Wasp Some horses were just meant to be all around ranch horses. I'm Jeff Keane; I'll be right back with the story. Wasp was probably the wrong name for the colt that came from Dot, our kids horse mare. Although he was black like a wasp he sure didn't have any of the nasty attitude that is associated with that particular flying insect when it gets the least bit upset. I don't think I ever saw Wasp get upset or mad, if he didn't like something, he never fought or threw a fit. His statement of displeasure was more of passive resistance. Wasp went along with an easy disposition and accepted what life brought; his early training started when he was a long yearling  one of my cousins held him around the neck with his arms and the other cousin climbed on bareback. Wasp had of look of all right if that's what you want and just walked off. The next year he was sent to my uncle for a little more formal training. The colt turned out to be a really good ranch horse that could travel easy, was good to rope on in the pasture or rope and pull calves to the branding fire and he was durable. He never needed to wear shoes in our rocky, hilly country and was always ready to go. Wasp did any job asked of him form roping sick cattle to doctor them to filling in as a packhorse when a quiet horse was needed. He was calm in tough situations and good to ride on bad trails. Everybody liked to ride him and because of his quiet nature he became known affectionally as "Ole Was." Well naturally I took "Ole Was" to the roping arena when I started team roping and that will be tomorrow's story.