Good and not so good news and Memories!

Once again, Friday brought a school snow day. Rather than all snow, we got plenty of ice and rain turning my downward walk to the barn into more like skating. I had to get my Yaktrak’s out to make two hundred foot walk. My Saturday visit to Larry’s was postponed to Sunday, Dec. 18th.
I arrived at Larry’s at the prescribed time of 10am. As I got out of my truck I nearly fell flat on my face since Larry had even more ice than I did at home. I did baby steps over to Larry’s truck and big red trailer that parked alongside the barn. I got to meet Carol who works with Larry. Carol told me “The big grey gelding is madly in love with your girl.” I responded with “I know and she has no respect since she has been known to kick in stall at him.” Larry and I walk to the barn talking.
Dawna Lisa let out one of her whines when she heard my voice. I guess that is one of the biggest things I miss about not having DL at home. She is always the first to whinny when I walk down to the barn in the morning. I now just have silence except for that lovely noise of a Cob smashing a grain bucket about <VBG>.
I told Larry that I guessed everything was OK about the entries for Nature Coast and Black Prong since I hadn’t heard back negatively. Words spoken too soon. Nature Coast is a go BUT we are on a waiting list for Black Prong. I guess Black Prong does usually do HC (DL will be Larry’s second go) BUT we are on the waiting list. I have my fingers crossed that Larry can work a small miracle and get DL in anyway. I also told him a Welsh friend, Jodi Lante, had offered to give DL a free equine massage after her arrival. I think Larry was interested in IF she gave human massages since all of us New Englanders have aching bones this time of year <VBG>.
I told Larry about my plans about flying down for both events and he is glad I am coming. Larry is going to get his farrier out before she leaves for Florida. I guess DL is leaving on Dec. 29th. Larry double checked all my paperwork and I wrote a couple of more check.
Larry told me about DL’s progress and then… “Claudia, I don’t just want to slap a Zilco on her for presentation. Upstairs in a box I have Kennebec Count’s harness that I had made for him in 1980 something. I think it will fit her. It is a lovely harness made by the Rice guy in Rowley, MA with a great wide gig pad. I am going to take it down for her. I can have one of the girls clean it up.”
I am not sure IF Larry saw how big my eyes got. I kind of mumbled “Well, Larry, if you decide to part with the harness, let me know.” I knew that by Larry saying this he had made a very special commitment to Dawna Lisa.
For those of you that don’t know, Kennebec Count was a VERY special horse for Larry. He was the first horse that Larry drove to great acclaim. Kennebec Count and his gelding son, Kennebec Russell won the American National Pairs Champions 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989: They went on to the World Driving Championships. To quote the Morgan website “In 1985 and again in 1987, Larry Poulin drove a pair of Morgans and set the international driving world on its collective ear by finishing first in dressage and sixth overall their first time out.” Pictures of Kennebec Count can be seen at http://www.morganphotoarchive.com/page375.htm and http://www.diamondimage.com/morgans/kennebeccount/index.html
Just at this moment (when you don’t know what more to say), Dawna Lisa gave me a nicker and I walked over and gave her a big pat. I told her to behave herself. She licked my cold hands. I knew she didn’t hear me in the least since she will always be herself for the good or bad of it.
I must admit driving home in the truck, I kind of had a lump in my throat thinking about Larry’s kind offer of using Count’s harness. I am sure digging that box out with Count’s harness will bring back plenty of memories for Larry. I just hope that Dawna Lisa can live up to maybe a tiny bit of those memories. I am sure if it all works out, I might get more than a little nostalgic when I see the harness on her at Nature Coast.
I KNOW I made the right decision to send Dawna Lisa with Larry to Florida.