11/10/06 Simply Simon

Simply Simon Some horses can get to be pretty accomplished actors. I'm Jeff Keane; I'll be right back to tell you about one. Simon was a horse we used on the ranch that was good to ride when you needed to cover a lot of country. I figured he would be just right for fall deer hunting. That hunting season I saw a buck I wanted a closer look at going over a nearby ridge. I asked Simon for acceleration and we went after the buck. We covered less than a quarter mile when the deer headed up another hill. Simon seem to run out of air and gas at the same time so I jumped off and waddled up the hill. The last look I got at the buck proved he wasn't what I wanted so I turned around to get Simon and keep hunting. That horse that couldn't take another step was streamlining across a flat and over a hill toward home. What an actor! He would have put Fury or Flicka to shame. I'd been unhorsed before because of falls or poor riding so I knew Simon would be at the next fence corner. I called him everything except Fury or Flicka on the walk to catch him. When I got to the fence he had tried to go on through and wire cut himself  so much for being as smart as Fury. I spent the next three weeks changing bandages. He healed fine and I turned him out to join the other horses. Simon flew up the hill behind the barn, turned around and came back down kicking and bucking. The goof ball pulled a muscle and could hardly walk  I just opened the gate and put him back in the corral for another two weeks of recuperation. I think he liked to watch me carry hay. I'm Jeff Keane.