"Unguarded"

        As a kid, I had three horses.  The first one was Blueberry, I got her when I was three.  She died when I was six, she was twenty seven and died a natural death.  Samson, who I still have today, sprained his tendon and caused me to buy the third horse of my youth five years ago, when I was eighteen.  The horse's name was Miss the Train, and it was he who I could never forget.

       Train was a large thoroughbred gelding and I loved him from the start.  He was quick and gentle, sweet and almost kind.  And man, could he jump.  He soared over the logs and small streams whenever we went out on the trail.  I bet he could have won the Grand Prix at Devon, but its too late now.

       When I was nineteen, I got some money from riding and bought a small ranch outside Lewes, Delaware.  I moved Samson and Miss the Train, also purchasing a couple of promising youngsters.  Everything seemed to be going my way.

       Then everything changed.  I was riding Samson along a galloping lane and I was about to open him into a canter when a flash of metal caught my eye.  There was a Cattle Guard not ten yards away.  I hauked back on the reins and Samson, being very obedient, stopped on a dime.  I dismounted and looked down into its wide ranged scope.  Samson and I had almost gotten seriously hurt!  I sold that part of the property so I would have no reason to go there.

       Ten months after Samson and I discovered the cattle guard, I had a show to go to with my Mother and Samson.  I got James, my neighbor, to exercise my horses.  James was galloping one day on Train.  He knew nothing of the cattle guard, at least I'm guessing.  Maybe he jumped Train in there purposely, maybe he closed his eyes in the smoothness of her gait.  Whatever the case, Train fell in and had no hope instantly.  James must've tried to get out, but instead he must have gotten caught under her hooves and....We love you Train...we always will

                   by Alice Kenney, with support and love from Don