05/29/07 Mystery

First time horse adventures, I'm Jeff Keane and I'll be right back. While a lot of firsts in life go by virtually unnoticed getting your first horse can be a memorable series of events, sometimes narrowly survived. For Becky it was a pony nicknamed Misery! As my mother and I pulled into the drive, I got a glimpse of all of the ponies. She was a vision of perfection, in my five-year-old eyes. A dapple-grey with a bright white mane and tail, she went by the name of Mystery and was just my size. Later, after many battles over what seemed to be nothing at all I started figured out how she got her name. Becky was she a brown sack horse? Never new what you had until you opened her up? That's one way to put it Jeff, after a short time, we were forced to lovingly change her name to Misery. A greenhorn herself, my stubborn pony and I experienced a lot of firsts together. Everything from baths to first time shows to overnight camping trips. She rarely let me know when I did something right but was very convincing when I was wrong. Misery I mean Mystery was definitely the first equine partner to test my patience, and in doing so she primed me for the many trying horses I have encountered since. Looking back I was lucky to survive, if only my family and I had known what we know now. Becky, it's easy to see from my cheap seat, Misery gave you an experience that let you appreciate all the good characteristics of all the horses you've ridden since that first pony, I'm Jeff Keane.