Where there's a will,
there's a way
by Julie Carter
Hardy was facing this predicament when good fortune smiled on him. A friend of his offered him an outstanding young mare, for a minimal price and offhandedly mentioned that the mare might possibly respond quicker to commands in Español.
No problem. Hardy was fluent in the language.
He was also told that she was a mite headstrong, but her speed, as in she could literally fly down the arena, would make up for that shortcoming. As a further incentive to buying this mare, he was advised that she wore a solid No. 2 shoe, which the current owner had an ample supply and would throw them in as part of the deal.
Hardy parted with his life savings of $600 and put himself horseback -- where the real things of the world took place. He test-drove the mare at his friend's arena. Following the precept that if you can't have the one you love, love the one you have, he decided she would be perfect.
He loaded his new prize and set off to a local arena for the Sunday roping where his friend Jeff was waiting impatiently. He had already entered them and was dreaming up how they would spend their winnings.
Hardy backed the mare into the heeling box, Jeff nodded and the steer came flying. Jeff's head loop was true and settled around the steer’s horns. He turned off to the left to set the steer in perfect position for Hardy’s heel loop.
The mare had been in that arena before and had zeroed her eyeballs on the stripping chute exit gate at the far end. She did, indeed, fly down the arena, totally ignoring the steer. By the time she got to other end , Hardy had hollered "Alto!" enough times to get her to stop in the corner.
Jeff, seeing what was happening, simply turned his horse and brought the steer back by his partner. Hardy reached out and heeled both feet on the steer. They got a fast time, all things considered.
Second round, Jeff backed in the heading box and began having a little trouble of his own. His horse began fighting the box, turned around and stopped when he was facing backward. This was precisely when the chute operator thought Jeff had nodded. He released the steer.
Fortunately, they had drawn the only steer that every other cowboy there had broken the barrier on. The steer came slowly creeping out of the chute, Jeff's horse got turned around and they got out clean.
Jeff roped him quick with a plan to outrun Hardy’s mare as she was headed to the stripping chute gate again. It worked. Jeff got in her way and Hardy was able to catch both heels again.
Suffice it to say, the trophy buckles, prize money, pretty girls falling at their feet and a festive evening wound up the day. Prudently saving part of his winnings, Hardy went straight to the tack store the next morning on a mission to buy a mare-stopper bit.
They had a good supply that he looked over, along with their price tags. Then he recalled that Grandpa had just what he needed at home. Hanging on the wall, Grandpa had an antique Mexican bit that he had found on the Matador Ranch.
The shanks almost drug the ground, but since this mare seemed to like all things Spanish, Hardy knew this was the key to making a perfect partnership. To a cowboy, there is nothing like making a good buy on an outstanding horse.
All was well with the world again.
Julie can be reached for comment at jcarternm@gmail.com
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