I've wanted to be around horses for as long as I can remember. Never owned one, haven't ridden that much, but what I did was pretty good. I stayed one winter with a friend near Havillah, WA - they leased 40 acres and a house in the midst of cattle ranch. He had 5 horses, we did maybe 10 rides on days when driving was too hazardous or just as a cheaper way to get around. One ride of about 12 miles saved a 35 mile drive. He's a big guy, his horse, which I rode once, was 3/4 thoroughbred and 1/4 Belgian. Big, smooth horse.

Long story short, owning horses rarely pays, it's sort of an expensive luxury for most people. My mother just married an Oregon rancher - timber and beef - south of Eugene and I mentioned I'd known a guy with two Clydesdale mules that he used for skidding logs. He opined that logging is awfully hard on land, and he's made a small fortune doing just that. He's a sweet guy, I'm really glad my mom hooked up with him. He knew my dad and she worked with his wife at her bookstore. They've known each other for 35 years.

Might be some adventure ahead on that score. Probably a long shot but who knows, it is more and more of a thing.

Once on a very lightly traveled road - late 80s - near Chesaw, WA, about 5 miles from Canada, I saw a nifty old barn and got out to look at it. Had to wind my way through a barbed wire fence. I got a good looksee then as I'm walking back, suddenly there are about 10 Belgians all around me. Perhaps hoping for an apple, who knows, wish I'd had some but they did let me pet them. Very docile and magnificent critters. Found out later they were the Clydesdale mule guy's herd. It would be work I'm sure but I want to do it.

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Te futueo et caballum tuum

1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K