My Pony, Velvet, when I was a child in the 1970's

Velvet, Our Pony

Softness of heart, Velvet, her name;

of shaggy coat and gentle gaze.

Her short legs worked overtime

to stay in front of the pack
as the lead she liked to maintain.

One blue eye, one brown, always cautious.

Watchful babysitter, she, on many a rambunctious day.

Summer mornings, warm and promising, off we went

field eagerly crossed, sister and I securely upon her back.

Traversing up and down the quarry 

through tall cornfield and railroad tracks,

wading along river bank, and forest trail.

Aware of the way home, she always led us back.

Until the day our feet 

nearly dragged upon the ground. 

We knew our journeys had come to an end.  

With joy, I must admit, we welcomed a bigger horse,

one eager to explore and take us away, fast.

Behind the fence we heard her whinny,

her indignant cry of being, finally, left behind.

Never again did she join the pack, 

no leader she.  Resigned to wait 

until we returned, greeting us eagerly.

She cared for us when we were small

and watched us outgrow her.  We brushed and petted

and walked her by lead.  The big horse moved on 

when we finally grew up, but she was family, 

beloved and cherished, she remained.

by Margaret Bednar

* * * * *

The top is a photo of my sister and me with our pony, Velvet.  I am standing and my sister has our dog, Sugar, in her lap.  Looking at this picture it both seems so long ago AND like it was yesterday... how can that be?

Well, as I fight the lump in my throat, I can look back and say how lucky we were to grow up in an "innocent" time when we kids didn't worry about being out ALL day, wandering around the countryside, only coming home when we were either hungry or it was starting to get dark.  And our pony was usually with us!  My horse was beloved too.  But when we moved out of the house and got our own apartments, he was sold.  My mom refused to part with Velvet - she said a better caretaker of her children she could never have found!  

This is me in my "beloved" (not really) polyester green 4-H outfit.  Velvet was a great little pony, always well liked by the judges.  She brought home the blue ribbon for both of us this day.  She knew her leads and trotted along so slowly.  Tucked her head in nicely when asked to back up.  Horse shows were not my "thing", though.  My sister, to this day does raise horses and shows them professionally (give me trail riding any day!).

Maybe I would have felt differently if I had been given a better outfit...  :)