This is my Grandfather Horse. He had a birthday this week–you don’t want to know how old his is. He had some rough, debilitating years recently but he’s doing holding his own today.
I was mucking in the wind with my hood up and I heard hooves coming up fast from behind. He was bucking and playing with my young mare. I had to laugh–he could kill me yet. Then I took this photo; he’s dirty and hairy and very lame. His back is swayed, he has a nasty sheath condition, and perpetually teary eyes. He’s been retired for 12 years now. Old horses are like old dogs, if you have loved them well, they are always young in your heart, so it’s easy to look past their stinky, crippled surface.
Seeing him in this instant is like time travel. He was something in the day. No big thing in the horse world at large, he just mattered to me. He carried me over some rough ground and now I have a debt to pay. My memoir is his legacy. Not that he cares. Doing faith healings is an everyday thing for him.
Sometimes passion takes you places that common sense would fear to tread.
The first year on Spirit, my Grandfather Horse, I got bucked off five times. I got a concussion once and broke an elbow another time. People told me to get rid of him–right to my face. We were not an easy fit, but we couldn’t quit each other either. Horse people understand that getting carried away by passion is a ride worth taking. And writing and riding have so much in common that I have a hard time telling them apart these days.
Week 15 since submitting my manuscript and more silence from publishers. Think the dark side of the moon silence. At the same time, my mailbox is exploding with inspiration and opportunity. I mean blinding bright light of the sun opportunity in plain sight. I love this exact moment working with horses; that moment when they are given time enough to volunteer, time to think and choose. It’s the precious beginning of partnership. Or at least, that’s my goal in this weird publishing barn.
Passion is a necessity in my world. How else does anything make sense? So I look at this photo and see my young gelding and his current decrepit self simultaneously. He is forever beautiful to my eye. Maybe it’s his passion that gives him this moment of transcendence. Maybe passion is the place where dreams and reality live happily ever after.
And a little worse for wear myself, I’m part horse-crazy girl and part old gray mare, but all my parts are passionate about getting this book out. The other word for that is undeniable.
Publishers, Beware.
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Posted in annablake.com
Happy Birthday Spirit!! He looks very young indeed :). You two are lucky to have each other. I look forward to when the publishing world opens their eyes to something that NEEDS to be shared with the world….
Indeed. The luckiest thing ever.
“My memoir is his legacy.”
I hate waiting, but that brought tears to my eyes. I’m not even sure if I can explain why. Perhaps it’s because I didn’t realize how much Tia gave me until she was gone, or maybe it’s because I’m still embarrassed that I was overly self-conscious and didn’t take nearly enough pictures of her crusty, stinky, old sway-backed self until it was too late. I’d like to read your book while Spirit is alive. Again, I’m not sure why that matters so much, but it does. I’m pretty sure I don’t need to remind you the clock is ticking. Tia’s old age crept up on me and caught me unaware, so used to the splendor and glory of her youth that I didn’t see the years slipping by. I’m thoroughly convinced that waiting for a publisher to pick up your book is a ride worth taking. Meanwhile, I’m perfectly content reading and seeing more of the Grandfather Horse right here.
I watch each tick of the clock and I am on that time line you mention. He won’t be here forever.
You seem to put words to the thoughts of my soul! Just beautiful. I came into this horse thing a bit late, but am trying to inhale as much as I can of it now in order to make up for my late start. I have been forever changed by the kind eyes of my horse, and will love gazing into them even when they are perpetually teary from age. There is nothing like a horse!!!?
Never to late to come, youth isn’t always an advantage. Thanks for reading.
Why wait? Consider self publishing. You can build up some reviews on Amazon, show some success, and then a publisher will pick it up. I’ve had several friends that did this. Email me if you’d like more details. In this age of technology, there’s really no need to wait for the publisher to take the first step.
You are right, all it takes is money. There are a range of self-pubs, some better than others, some downright crooks. I have been researching it. Just thought I’d start the traditional way. Thanks for your comment, the waiting time is over.
Impervious impetus
Well said.