Goodbye Django 

By James Lockhart

Trevor Brazile once said he sells his rodeo horses when they start getting some age and slowing down. He said he doesn’t like watching them get old. On one hand I feel the same way. I sold Gus, the horse I won a bunch on in college, when he was 18 years old. At the time I thought the money he brought was important. I didn’t want to hold onto him much longer and his value depreciate to nothing. 

I have regretted selling Gus ever since the man led him away. 

This week I sold another great horse, Django. He was well past twenty, had a big knee and had slowed down quite a bit from his glory days. Shad Mayfield sold us Django. She rode him at the NFR in 2019. 

Django was so good for my kids. My daughter almost made the CRRA finals on him in the breakaway. My son won just about everything there was to win around here on Django. 

We bought a new horse the other day and I needed the money from selling Django. I also needed the space in my barn. There are only four stalls in my barn, I sure wasn’t turning the new horse out in the pasture. 

The new horse is just six years old. She is small, but she can run and stop and work the rope pretty good. She has yet to reach her peak. Shes been hauled a little, but there’s some minor things she needs fine tuning on. 

I felt really guilty selling Django. He would unite himself if you didn’t tie the lead rope in a bunch of knots. He could also open his stall door at home. He didn’t have a mean bone in his body, but he would sure run, buck and play when we turned him out in the roping arena. The little boy that will be riding him is seven years old. He also has two brothers that are younger. I gave them all the instructions on how to care for him and keep him working good.  

As we were pulling out of the parking lot I silently said goodbye to Django and thanked him for all the great memories.  I’ve been blessed over the years. I’ve owned some exceptional horses, and Django was one of the best. 

James Lockhart lives near the Kiamichi mountains in southeast Oklahoma. He writes cowboy stories and fools with cows and horses.