Wednesday, November 23, 2011

THUNDERCLOUD"

In the seventies, our family were the befuddled recipients of a feisty black pony with prolific mane and tail, and one large splash of white on her left side (hence the name "Thundercloud"); a white star adorned her forehead and one patch of mane was white.


Thunder in the 1970's

She was an audacious statement of equine good health and ability and stirred her new owner's dreams of being conveyed in this new way by this new friend.  Oldest daughter was attentive to Thundercloud, whom we called Thunder for short, and soon the new acquaintance grew into something more exclusive.


It Was Love and It Was Real

Soon it was safe to plop Baby Sis up and ride off.  What she lacked in pedigree, Thunder made up for in intelligence.


Thunder Loved Pleasing Her Children

When Homer the neighbors' big palomino horse escaped his confines, he always headed straight for Thunder, who would jump her fence and show him to our garage where the sweet grain was stored.  Traditionally this occurred in the wee small hours when hunger seems to trouble everything.  The giveaway was "clip-clops" in our driveway in the dead of night.  It was my responsibility always to correct this situation.  Soon our neighbor Gordon would appear in excited pursuit all apologetic and ready to reclaim his bad boy Homer.  It got to be so routine that we hardly recognized each other not wearing pajamas.  


Homer's Favorite Playmate After an Outing

What a great gift she was to the children and how we all cried when she died in 1989.  Up until she came to us, the family beast of burden was only cooperative sometimes.


Taken Before Husband's Back Gave Out
  



4 comments:

  1. Great post! Brings back some memories of my first horse Timbuckstoo who was a former racehorse and qualified for the Washington International Horse Show the year I got him. He was older but thought he was still a 2 year old. I cried and cried when he died. That horse was better than any man.

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  2. OK, I adored that pony, as is captured in the photos here.

    She was my best amigo, we understood each other well.

    When she died, I was a married adult and had known that pony since I was in grade school. I cried like a baby when you told me she'd been put to sleep.

    I still miss her. She was ornery but she was Thunder.

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  3. Beautiful post. Everyone should have a pony like that!

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  4. Hello I am pooping over from Janice's blog to say hAPpY BIRtHdaY!!! and many, many, more...

    Wishing a wonderful Christmas to you and yours...

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