July 28, 2007
Banjo's Fancy Miss
6-6-1987 to 7-27-2007A Loss That Hit Home
Local Horse Taught Generations of Riders
At every stable there is one horse that leads the herd. Usually an older mare, she knows the routines and shows every other horse and human the 'way it's done.' At the chickenvideo.com owner's stables, that horse was Banjo's Fancy Miss, an aged paint pony mare.
"She was the bedrock of my beginner's riding program for over a decade, teaching young people how to ride. Dependable, steady, unflappable no matter what and trained so well that she made even inexperienced riders confident," said Allison MacLeod.
"When I got her she was already well trained in cutting and reining. I barrel raced with her for a couple of years and then we started competing in hunter over low fences."
"Fancy and even I went through classes to learn how to do law enforcement work. She loved to gallop, but she was also the pony I'd hop on when I just wanted to relax." Allison spoke wistfully, "No matter what I asked of her, she gave a hundred and ten percent. She was my best horse and will be sorely missed."
According to Allison, Fancy's end was sudden. "She was fine for the early evening feeding, but when we went out to check on her a couple hours later she looked like she had colic really bad."
A local veterinarian came out to the ranch, treated the pony with intravenous fluids and painkillers, standard veterinary treatment for colic. Despite the best efforts of Allison and the vet, the valiant old pony did not get better. She had to be put down the next morning.
"Fancy was always in a hurry. We used to joke that when you rode her, you had to be ready because she was the only horse on the ranch that made gate opening a speed event." Allison wiped away a tear and continued; " I guess that was true when she decided to leave us, too. But Fancy always took care of her riders, carefully going slow when someone who was inexperienced was on her back."
Every day is a gift.
