First Place:© 1998 Debbie Veldhuis, Phoenix, Arizona
"Mini Dreams"
I enter the barn and soft whinny fills my ears
and suddenly a tiny head over a stall door appears.
Alert bright eyes search mine
Asking.. "Could it be play time"?
Is it time to jump and run?
Time to pull my cart and have some fun?
A hoof is stamped to make it clear
"Come on mom I want out of here!
A leaf of hay floats in the air
settling gently on her mane hair.
With gentle touch I brush it away
Slip on the halter and we're on our way.
Out to the pasture we trot side by side
I turn her loose marveling at her dainty stride.
I settle down onto a nearby stump
and watch a butterfly land gently on her rump.
A snort and a buck and a toss of her tail
Soon has that orange butterfly dis-railed.
I could watch for hours, her gentle beauty
But I've a stall to clean and I know my duty.
So with groan and I sigh
I head to the barn with a wave good bye.
I turn to blow my beauty a kiss
When suddenly I'm surrounded by mist!
I wake with a start
with a sharp pain to my heart
For its only a dream that I have all the time
Waiting for the day when a mini will be mine.
Good things come in small packages so they say
Second Place: © 1998 Linda Hodges Rodriguez, Dupre, Kentucky
"Life With a Miniature Horse"
You whinnied shrilly to your playmates as I led you away
Seeming so tiny and helpless when I bought you that day
I taught you to come when called and to lead
You learned so quickly as I saw to your needs
Soon becoming a beloved member of our family
With your character and style it was quite easy
Always the center of attention wherever we go
The darling of schools, nursing homes, parades, and shows
You stand steadily to be stroked by Grandma's trembling, loving hand
But prance and dance in the parades to the sound of the band
You were patiently there through it all
When my spirit soared high or plummeted in a fall
When the time came for my Grandmother to die
You shared in my grief as in your stall I cried
Alone, your mane soaked with tears,I said my good-bye
She had finally shed her frail body, now her spirit could fly!
I'm uncertain of just when the roles were reversed
When the caretaker became the taken care of, I'm just not sure
A friend is someone to cherish with a heart of pure gold
A friend listens patiently and keeps your secrets untold
I have found respite in the sweet pungent smell of your hide
I've known solace when I look into your all knowing eyes
You were there whickering softly each time I came near
Always ready to hear my joy, sorrow, or fears
If I had it to do all over again I'd choose the same course
And share my life, love, and family with a Miniature Horse!!
Third Place: © 1998 Sharon Stevens, New Plymouth, New Zealand
"Little Beauty"
Just another trip with the horsefloat moving one of our miniature horses. I catch our little weanling filly "Little Beauty" in the paddock and bring her into the shed to be measured first. Wow! she is maturing much smaller than we expected! very exciting.
Little Beauty loads so beautifully onto the float for her first time. Sheís normally a spunky little girl - my little spitfire I call her, but she thinks the float is a pretty neat place to be.
We drive off - my husband Colin driving, my two boys and myself in the car. We're excitedly talking about her size, about what a neat horse she is.
Then suddenly the car and float lurch wickedly - Colin struggles to keep the car in control - what is this nightmare? Colin looks into the rearvision mirror ñ the float is up on one wheel, I scream, the kids panic. What the.....?..!!!!!
I get out of the car and run back to the float. I look inside, there's nothing, just this great big huge emptiness - so, so empty. Then a sickening realisation comes over me. I look down the road, and there is Little Beauty just lying on the road. I run, I scream.
I pick her head up and drag her off the road. My years of rescue squad training (albeit for humans) take over and I start trying to revive her. Her heart restarts, so strongly. Little Beauty sits up, she coughs, she splutters. Oh, the exhileration, the excitement I feel. She's alive, she's alive. I'm crying with relief.
Then I realise I need help to continue on with heart massage and to keep her upright, while Colin gets the car and float safely off the road. I wave frantically to passing cars, over ten of them. Help me, help me. No one stops, they drive slowly past and look and look, I scream at them, but no one stops. Why? It may only be a horse to you, but to me
Then I see the blood oozing from Little Beauty's mouth, and the awful reality hits me - she's too badly injured, and it's only luck I restarted the heart. I lie sobbing over her. She dies in my arms. Oh my Little Beauty, I love you.
I cry my heart out as Little Beauty is buried in a special place on our farm. This is the first time my children have experienced death and have seen their mum so distraught. I realise though just how lucky we have been. Without the skilful driving of my husband, it could have been my whole family killed, it could have been one of my sons that died in my arms.
I force myself to look at the horsefloat to see just what did happen. The side door had obviously come open, and the horse, still tied up, had fallen out. The bolt had been secured in place on the side door when we left, obviously the car hitting a pothole had caused the bolt to jump up and out of place. Then as we went around a big corner, the horse obviously put her weight against the door, and ..... Only a miniature horse could probably fall out this way, what a cruel, cruel death.
Later Colin welds a permanent safety chain onto the door, so that it now has two catches. Please anyone travelling a miniature horse in a float please do the same, we thought our own catch would never come undone too, we thought it was safe.
The grief subsides, the visitors and flowers pour in. What wonderful people, thank you so much for your comfort and tears. Those people that I screamed at for help as Little Beauty lay on the side of the road, I don't know how you could just drive past someone in such obvious distress, but if ever I see you lying injured on the side of the road, I'll always help.
And the worse part of this story, it's true.
Please See Contest Winners (Art, Writing, Photo)
Judge: Dr. Glenn Karlin
Contest Prize Donors
Silky Equine Design AMHA Vermilyea Farm AMHA Web Site Sponsors Paintbrush Miniatures Horsepower Graphics Valerie Graves Estate Horse Supply
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