When I was almost nine years old, we moved from Hawaii back to the states. I saw a horse for the first time and I really wanted one. THEN I saw a CLYDESDALE!!! AND my heart skipped a beat. They were absolutely the MOST beautiful, incredible animals I had ever seen in my life!
My parents weren't the kind to buy their child a "pony," so a horse, of any kind, was completely out of the question. "What would you do with one?" they would ask. "I would ride it...or hitch it to my wagon" I would reply. "That's silly...you are out of your mind. You don't even have a wagon, and won't want to take care of one." Oh, BUT I really wanted one. We had friends who had horses when we lived in Sandia Crest, outside of Albuquerque. I was allowed to ride them once in a while, as well as clean the stalls. My mother felt that if I HAD to clean the stalls, I wouldn't want one so badly...but it didn't phase my 10 year old heart. I wanted one. I was even able to ride one of horses at the local (10 miles away) "riding" ranch.
Time passed and we moved to San Diego. I didn't get to ride a horse again until I was in high school. I had a friend who had a horse. She boarded it close to the high school and we would ride every now and again. I loved it.
Then I got married, and before settling in Vegas, we lived in Texas for a year...no horse. As the years came and went, opportunities to ride were few and far between; then we bought some property, and I thought...NOW I will get a horse!!!! I was excited...even though my spouse was NOT excited and didn't really want anything to do with a horse.
Everywhere I've lived, when the "Clydesdale's" visited, I went to see them.
Sometimes I took the kids, other times I went alone. BUT I LOVED them. I wanted one. AND when I moved to St. Jo, Missouri, I took a trip to St. Louis with Jessica and Bobby. I made a point to see the Clydesdale's. We went to the brewery and we were able to see them, BUT while we were there, the guide told us about Grant's Farm...a little bit south of St. Louis. He told us that was where they bred the Clydesdale's. OH MY GOSH, I was SO excited...and off we went. AND there they were in ALL of their glory!!!! There were several foals. I was in heaven. I watched them run and play in the fields. The strong desire still hadn't left me. I was a child again and I wanted one.
Bobby went to St. Louis this weekend, to watch three baseball games...he called me Friday and said, "If you are here by 3PM, you can pet a Clydesdale!" It was almost 1PM here in Vegas...wouldn't be able to make it. Thanks anyway Bobby!
I don't know that I will ever have a horse in this life, let alone a Clydesdale. BUT I know I have a "bucket list" of animals...and someday there is a possibility of having them.
