We really do think that our horses are wonderful. Sometimes our faith in our horse's goodwill appears in stories that have been passed to us from others, and that we keep alive in memory. Here is one such story, of Jake.
One day the wife of the ranch manager was riding with one of her friends. As they were crossing a road, Jake slipped and the woman lost her balance on his back. She was in danger of falling off, onto the pavement. In order to keep her on his back, Jake SAT DOWN on the road.
When the excitement ended and as Jake sat there, the woman asked the ranch manager's wife, "What should I do now?" The wife replied, "At this point, you might as well get off." The woman slid off and Jake stood back up. As far as I know, they continued on, enjoying their ride and the day.
I did not actually see this incident occur, it was related to me by the manager's wife in our early days here at the ranch. However, Jake has a calm, friendly presence that we all enjoy. I can easily imagine him making that sacrifice for the safety of his rider.
