Stardust

At some point nearly every little boy and girl hopes and dreams for a horse or pony. I know I did. From the time I can first remember, I dreamed of having my own horse. But it wasn’t to be. Although my parents knew I wanted a horse I don’t think they realized just how much I wanted one. And being a child who had been taught to appreciate what I had, and not wish to hard for what I couldn’t have, and knowing my parents really couldn’t afford a horse, I never pushed for one. I waited, and dreamed, and waited. I knew that someday I would have my horse.

After high school, I left home, got a job, and realized that a horse would have to wait a bit longer. I certainly couldn’t afford one. While waiting, I read books about horses, and went to horse shows, and rodeos, and watched them on TV, while I admired the big beautiful horses I saw in fields on farms. But I had very little actual experience with them.

As time passed I married and had a son. The thought of having a horse was pushed even farther back into a small corner of my brain and buried there.

My husband, Lee, and I wanted our son, Dustin, to grow up to do what he wanted. Not what we wanted him to do, so we tried not to influence his likes on anything. We introduced him to everything we could. All kinds of music, sports, books, city life and the big outdoors of camping and hiking, hunting and fishing. Mechanics, cooking, and computers. Some things I didn’t even like – like the cooking and medicine. And maybe I did go over board on the pets. We have cats and dogs because we love them, so of course Dustin got a good introduction to them. But other then the basic – this is a horse, so that you know what one looks like – I never encouraged him on the subject. His dad isn’t as crazy about horses as I am, and I didn’t want him to be as disappointed as I had been about wanting a horse.

So it was quite a surprise when he told me he had excepted a part time job helping with some horses. I was glad he liked horses but didn’t want him to be upset at not being able to have one. I wondered if it was just a boy’s liking of horses, or had genetics given him a love for the equine animals.

As I had expected it wasn’t long before he wanted to get one. By this time he had graduated from high school and had a full time job, but was still living at home. We had no place to keep one. Lee and I hated to tell him no.

Of course it didn’t do any good. Dustin had the initiative that I hadn’t had. He bought a yearling colt and rented a stall for him at a nearby boarding stable. It was something I had never considered doing. I had never had the money for it. I think I was as thrilled as Dustin.

GoldDust, a palomino quarter horse was, and still is a great horse. I petted Goldie and admired him from a distance, but wouldn’t let myself get close to him. I was afraid to let myself get to close to him. He is Dustin’s horse. I wanted my son to have what I had never had.

Now it was Dustin’s turn to encourage me to get my own horse. He knew I had always wanted one. He kept an eye on newspaper ads, made phone calls, and went with me to look at horses. He pushed, prodded, and urged. I started looking. I couldn’t help it. His attitude was infectious. I looked for a good gentle animal that was already well trained. For a verity of reasons I didn’t find one that I liked, or could afford.

One day I saw an ad in the paper and went to look at a white horse. I didn’t like her, but in another pen a yearling caught my eye. I didn’t want a young horse that I would have to wait for it to grow up and then train it, as Dustin was doing with Goldie. I had been waiting long enough.

But on the way home, I remembered how two deep, dark, brown eyes had stared at me. How her sturdy little body was ready to run if I came near her, but yet, she was filled with curiosity. She was untamed, and just a gangling baby, but I sensed that she had a lot of potential. I was unable to stop myself. I called back and the next day I finally had my own horse. Even if she was still just a baby horse.

I was so happy, thrilled, and excited all at the same time. I wanted to shout with joy, and then I would find tears in my eyes. Tears of delight. It was March 7, 1998 and I had waited for forty-seven years, but I had a horse.

She is a red sorrel with a white star right between her eyes. I named her Star. I had known it would be her name from the first time I had seen her. Since Dustin’s horse was GoldDust we added the ‘Dust’ to ‘Star’ and had StarDust. She was wild, although not one of the true BLM wild horses, she had never know a human hand except to be branded.

At first she wouldn’t let us touch her, and would only eat hay, but our patience, and her intelligence and curiosity won out. In a couple of days she was allowing Dustin and I to pet her, and brush her. She began adding apples, carrots, and grain to her diet. She learned to lead on a lead rope, have her hooves cleaned, and – eventually - to let me brush her tail.

Now I have waited another year and Star is a two-year-old. She is friendly with everyone. She has filled out and gown a lot, although she may always be on the small side. She has learned a lot and still seems full of curiosity. She now excepts a saddle and bridle, and, with the help of a friend, will soon be trained to ride.

She has also changed color some. We have no idea what her blood lines could be, but were sure there was some appaloosa as she has striped hooves. After she lost her winter coat there was a smattering of white spots over her silky red hide, and now she has a smaller, second white spot on her face.

Dustin, with his horse, Goldie, have moved off to another town, so Dustin can go to college. Of course he is majoring in animal sciences. He is doing what I would have wanted to do, if anyone had informed me that you could go to college to learn about horses.

I still have to keep Star at a boarding stable. I have found one that is really nice. Not only do they take good care of my horse, when I can’t, but I have made some new friends there. Friends that are really concerned with their horses and caring for them. Friends who don’t think it is silly to be horse crazy.

Although I don’t make it to see her everyday, I spend as much time with Star as I can. Soon I will be riding her. If nothing else, I can just be with her. It is one of the best ways I have ever found of relieving stress. I can be all tense and upset and in just a few minutes with her I find myself calming down.

Of course there are times when she is a pest, and very trying. She can act just like any teenager in her own horsey-way. Refusing to do what I tell her, and wanting to play. Working with her I have learned to have more patience, and the ability to stay calm when I need to. Not only with her, but with problems at work, my other pets, and my family.

Lots of people have told me it was foolish, crazy, or just plain stupid for me to get a young horse to tame and train at my age of forty-seven. But taming and training Star has given me the encouragement to do new, exiting and wonderful things in my life. Whatever it may be, I love that little horse. Star has given me a fulfillment and achievement in my life like nothing else ever has. Star and Dustin have given me the motivation to experience and try new things. My thanks to my son and a little red horse