There is a scene in the movie “Of Mice and Men” that has always sort of stuck with me. The old gentleman, Candy, tells George, “I should have shot that dog myself.” He was referring to the men in the bunk house complained of his old dog stinking and should be put out of its misery. So, he let them shoot his dog. He regretted it instantly. He told George, “I shouldn’t have let them shoot my dog.”
Several years ago I sold a horse I had raised from a colt. He was eighteen years old when I sold him. That horse put me through college on rodeo scholarships and mount money. Mount money is I got paid for letting other ropers ride my horse. If they won something, I got 25% of their winnings. Most of the time if I went to a rodeo I got paid, no matter if I won or not. My horse was so good he would make me money if I let other good ropers ride him. I owe a lot to that horse.
When he got older he started having soundness issues, as all athletes do toward the end of their careers. Every athlete I know has ended their career because of being hurt, horses are no different. My good horse started having issues in his hocks. Hocks are basically knees. His right hock started to have arthritis in it. I had to give him medicine so he wouldn’t hurt when I competed on him.
Several people tried to buy him over the years. One guy in particular offered a lot of money for him. At that time I had a young family and no job, so I sold him, and I’ve regretted it ever since.
I tried to buy him back a few years after I sold him, but the man who owned him then wanted more than I I had got for him when I sold him. He ended up being sold to some one in Arkansas. I never could find out who it was.
That was in 2005. I’ve wondered for almost twenty years who ended up with my horse. I raised him for a colt and sold him when he was eighteen years old. I’ve felt guilty about it ever since. I wish I had known then what I know now. That amount of money didn’t change my life that much. I miss my horse. He should have died on my place, he earned it. I was young and I made a mistake, don’t ever sell your good horse.
As I’ve gotten older I’ve seen other cowboys who have held on to their good horses. Money isn’t everything, don’t sell your horse. I’ve seen those videos of horses being slaughtered in Mexico and I have worried for years what happened to my horse.
That horse put me through college and helped me buy food when I was flat broke. He earned his spot at my house. He should have died here. I shouldn’t have died someplace else. I shouldn’t have let someone else shoot my “dog,” I know what Candy meant in the movie. I’ve felt guilty ever since I made that deal and that guy lead him away.
Don’t sell your good horse, there are some things in life more important than money.
James Lockhart lives near the Kiamichi mountains in southeast Oklahoma. He writes cowboy stories and fools with cows and horses. image0.jpegI miss my horse
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