First Love

Picture: Rancho Santa Fe California RuthAnne 5 years-old with pony Vicky

At  seven years old my best friend was a Shetland pony named Vicky. She was as tall as I was, at that time I had no idea what hands were other than the two I had. She was red, a shiny sorrel with flaxen mane and tail, and she had a little star on her forehead. Vicky and I were buddies from the moment mom and dad gave her to me. She was led off the trailer and all it took was one look. I was hooked and she seemed to like me as well.

Vicky and I had so many incredible adventures together. We lived way-out side of town and our California farm backed up to Black Mountain. This made it easy for me to just take off and ride for miles and miles without worrying about cars or people. The area was like a scene of an old Wild West movie. I rode Vicky every day. I rode her after school, after church, on my days off, just everyday!

Sometimes Vicky and I would follow my brother to the base of Black Mountain. He would always lose us before we left the farm, he was riding a motorcycle and I was just determined to catch up with him riding Vicky. He was with his friends and I was with mine. Only minutes into the ride and I was transformed into a different person, a different time and a different life. On this ride I was one of the first girl sheriffs in the early 1900’s, and I was chasing bank robbers. I tracked their steps and watched for clues, and in this case I followed the distant roar sounds of my brother’s motorcycle. I went into some wooded areas and always found things left by campers. That day I found a wallet and personal belongings, I didn’t think they were camping for the day it looked as if they had taken up residency. So I took off and cantered up the hill and across two open fields until I found the motor cross track that my brother was riding on. When he made a lap I waved him down. He stopped reluctantly. I told him about the wallet and the things left in the woods. He stopped his friends on their next lap around, and there was no disputing and off they went to the woods. Vicky was never bothered by the loud noise the motorcycles made. But this time I was bothered, because I wanted to be with them when they saw the wallet and all of my discoveries.

I turned Vicky and headed home. We walked, trotted and cantered back to the barn transforming into new characters, singing songs and playing more games. When we got back to the farm I saw my brother talking excitedly to our mother. He had told mom all about the things we saw. My dad and mom went to go check things out. It was private property and they knew things sounded strange.

Vicky and I went back to the barn and I brushed her and groomed her and put her to bed. Taking her to her corral was fun too. I would take her halter or her bridle off and we would race to her corral. I was so lucky she didn’t take off I would have had to chase her down. I never had to worry about that with Vicky she just played along with me. My parents called the police and turned in the trespassers. The wallet had been stolen. Another case solved by the young girl-sheriff. I had so many adventures with Vicky from the mountains in California to the rolling hills of Kentucky. What a treasured gift, what a treasured friend. I hope everyone has had a friend like VICKY.