ALEKA

Once we had Charley, we heard that his last foal before he was gelded was in the area. She had been bought by a couple who put her out in a field by herself without another horse for company. Someone brought her water in a bucket and sweet feed but basically she was ignored and alone. We would see the tip of her nose and one eye as she tried to look out into the world over a privacy fence. It was sad, but since she and Charley had been in line for the slaughterhouse, it was better than that.

Larry was finally able to contact the owner and ask if she was for sale. The owner named an absurd price for a young, totally untrained, not even halter broke horse. Larry wrote him a check before he could change his mind and took a friend to fetch her using a bucket of feed as a lure. It was pouring rain that evening which was just as well because the folks gathered to see her reunite with Charley were all teary. It was obvious to everyone that they knew each other although they had been apart half a year.

We don't know what she had been called but when we saw her coat shine in the sunlight, we thought Aurora was appropriate. She soon learned to walk on a lead and we had started lessons with a professional trainer when we stopped because we moved to Texas. When we get our round pen built, we will continue and some day may be brave enough to ride her. She is now four and has turned into a beautiful chestnut mare. No one points this out to Charley, but she is now taller than he is. They are still devoted to each other.

Aurora did not have as good luck with the electric fence as her dad did. She hadn't noticed the part where he slipped under it without touching it. She decided to duck under it as well. Only it hit her back and sent her running. She never forgave that white rope fencing and even now won't come near it since she knows it bites.

One of the things we have been able to do is raise her as a very calm and trusting mare. Nothing seems to bother or spook her. She was taught early on to walk across a tarp. When she passed with flying colors, the tarp was put away and forgotten. But she did not forget her lesson. When I was taking a different tarp down from its metal frame in preparation for an approaching hurricane, the tarp dropped to the ground and Aurora, watching from nearby, knew the drill. She daintily stepped across it and stood waiting for praise and her treat. Of course, I had to stop what I was doing and get her something.

The day I was most proud of her, though, was here in Texas. She and the others were having their evening meal when I went back into the house for something. When I came out, I saw that something looked odd about the run-in stalls but it did not immediately register as to what it was. Then I saw Aurora off in a corner of the pasture.

She was wearing the stall gate like a huge four foot square necklace. It hung down to her knees. I was sure she would bolt and end up injuring herself. I saw a broken leg for sure. Very quickly but quietly and calmly I walked across the field to her talking softly to her and trying to not alarm her at all. When I reached her, I petted her then reached up and slowly lifted the gate off her neck placing it on the ground. Then I petted and praised her some more before I lifted it and we walked together back to the stalls. She was not at all disturbed by what she had done or what could have happened. She knew someone would come and rescue her so she just waited patiently.

When we moved to Texas, though, we knew that we had to get her a young pal since she was driving our other three horses, all 12 years old, nuts with her antics. Thus we ended up with Locksley.

(The laying down photo was on a VERY cold winter's day; the one with Larry was when she was young and shorter than Larry)

Aurora
Aurora's story As written by the Neaves
Once we had Charley, we heard that his last foal before he was gelded was in the area. She had been bought by a couple who put her out in a field by herself without another horse for company. Someone brought her water in a bucket and sweet feed but basically she was ignored and alone. We would see the tip of her nose and one eye as she tried to look out into the world over a privacy fence. It was sad, but since she and Charley had been in line for the slaughterhouse, it was better than that. Larry was finally able to contact the owner and ask if she was for sale. The owner named an absurd price for a young, totally untrained, not even halter broke horse. Larry wrote him a check before he could change his mind and took a friend to fetch her using a bucket of feed as a lure. It was pouring rain that evening which was just as well because the folks gathered to see her reunite with Charley were all teary. It was obvious to everyone that they knew each other although they had been apart half a year. We don't know what she had been called but when we saw her coat shine in the sunlight, we thought Aurora was appropriate. She soon learned to walk on a lead and we had started lessons with a professional trainer when we stopped because we moved to Texas. When we get our round pen built, we will continue and some day may be brave enough to ride her. She is now four and has turned into a beautiful chestnut mare. No one points this out to Charley, but she is now taller than he is. They are still devoted to each other. Aurora did not have as good luck with the electric fence as her dad did. She hadn't noticed the part where he slipped under it without touching it. She decided to duck under it as well. Only it hit her back and sent her running. She never forgave that white rope fencing and even now won't come near it since she knows it bites. One of the things we have been able to do is raise her as a very calm and trusting mare. Nothing seems to bother or spook her. She was taught early on to walk across a tarp. When she passed with flying colors, the tarp was put away and forgotten. But she did not forget her lesson. When I was taking a different tarp down from its metal frame in preparation for an approaching hurricane, the tarp dropped to the ground and Aurora, watching from nearby, knew the drill. She daintily stepped across it and stood waiting for praise and her treat. Of course, I had to stop what I was doing and get her something. The day I was most proud of her, though, was here in Texas. She and the others were having their evening meal when I went back into the house for something. When I came out, I saw that something looked odd about the run-in stalls but it did not immediately register as to what it was. Then I saw Aurora off in a corner of the pasture. She was wearing the stall gate like a huge four foot square necklace. It hung down to her knees. I was sure she would bolt and end up injuring herself. I saw a broken leg for sure. Very quickly but quietly and calmly I walked across the field to her talking softly to her and trying to not alarm her at all. When I reached her, I petted her then reached up and slowly lifted the gate off her neck placing it on the ground. Then I petted and praised her some more before I lifted it and we walked together back to the stalls. She was not at all disturbed by what she had done or what could have happened. She knew someone would come and rescue her so she just waited patiently. When we moved to Texas, though, we knew that we had to get her a young pal since she was driving our other three horses, all 12 years old, nuts with her antics. Thus we ended up with Locksley. (The laying down photo was on a VERY cold winter's day; the one with Larry was when she was young and shorter than Larry)