Blodgett - Pierce Family --- Family Stories
Memoirs of life growing up on a farm in Chautauqua County
by Barbara (Blodgett) Vannier
Under the Apple Tree
When I was a child I didn't have anything to do with the animals on the farm, but
both of my brothers, who were younger than I, fed the animals, learned to milk a cow
and even rode the horses bareback.
Unbeknownst to anyone, I had a desire to ride a horse bareback too. For weeks I had
watched to see just how it was done and when everything seemed right I made my move.
The boys were playing down by the creek, Prince and King were both in their stalls
and Mother and Dad were both busy.
The first thing to do was to put the halter on. I chose Prince because he was calmer
than King, who was much too high-spirited for an amateur like me. I stood in the manger,
but even so it was a stretch for a small-sized ten year old girl to reach over the head
of Prince to put on that halter, all the time keeping the bit in his mouth.
That accomplished, I led him out to where I had seen a wagon parked near the barn.
From the wagon I could get on his back.
The minute I was on his back he started out at a trot toward an apple tree no matter
which way I tried to steer him. He knew he had a know-nothing on his back and he thought
the apple tree would scrape me off. However, when I leaned down flat against him , we
both made it under the apple tree. He was about to make a second try when the boys came
up from the creek. They could see what was happening when I shouted to them and Jim was
able to catch the reins and lead Prince back to the wagon, where I could get off.
That was both my first and last attempt at bareback riding.