The fastest

Now that you know Princess Buttercup, my Quarab lease horse for 7 years, I want to tell a little story.

I always joked she had the spook of an Arab and the catness of a QH, but a calm, sensitive nature that made her best friends with everyone who rode her.

I only fell off her once, and it was my fault, because I'd had so much fun trespassing with her. We'd slowly sneak through fences and proceed one hoof at a time toward some private property simply because there were KEEP OUT signs trying to dissuade us. She felt my excitement and would be as silent as a deer under me.

Anytime we did that, she'd yearn to do it again, especially on Taylor Mountain, a once-wild place where we rode amidst a herd of elk, and one day,  between a baby bear and its mother. Now I think the place is overrun by Portlandia people. (Did you know, elk are can be the size of horses? I was freaking out, but they were totally unintimidated.)

She had acquired from me such a taste for sneaking around on little deer trails, she'd often choose to divert our course onto one for fun's sake. This horse truly loves the trails.

She also hated if I wasn't "with her" in every way possible. Although cell phones rarely worked up there at the 1100 foot hill, I would answer my phone sometimes and practice speaking German with J in Germany. And every single time she'd walk directly off the trail, to show me how she felt about that. "If you're not with me, I'm not following the trail." OK then.

One day we were trotting along the gravel road, making good time, and she saw a little deer trail to the side and without warning, she took it - a 90 degree turn faster than I could think, and I went toppling over her shoulder. I maintained a death grip on the reins and she didn't get away, but I was pretty surprised by her love of exploring that came into play at random.

OK I have to tell you about the fastest.

When I was 10 in Oklahoma I rode a pony as fast as it could go. I haven't done much of that in my adult life, but I'll never forget Oklahoma.

On this day Princess's owner (on Mac) and I, and Brandi on Cody were out on Taylor Mtn conditioning. We came to this lovely ascent, a gravelled road going straight up to the peak of the mountain. It's irresistible. We all started cantering and unfortunately for B, she and Mac fell behind due to lack of space on the road. That left me on Princess and Brandi on Cody neck and neck.

Cody is an adorable bay gaited Morgan/something or other. He felt his oats and started to race us. I don't race, but he was so sincere. I breathed out and let Princess go a little faster.

Then we were galloping full out, poor B catching our gravel. (sorry!!)

Cody was in a mood. He wanted to be first. I felt below me. Princess was push-button for the most part. She waited for me to say so. I said "OK a little, a little more.."

And we lurched forward like Seabiscuit. Cody was intrigued and stepped on the gas. He matched us  neck and neck again.

I felt my horse say Please? and I said OK a little and I gave with my hand. She rocketed forward, sending Cody flying too to match us.

Cody was on fire, and so, so happy. Brandi was right there with him, enjoying.

I felt my horse say Please? again. I thought, Oh my.... OK. I gave a little. She stretched out and pushed. She was flying. Cody fell behind but then quickly met us again, it was the race of my life.

I felt Princess ask again. I knew we were already going top speed.

I let her go.

She took fly like she'd been cantering before, her hooves connecting with the earth, and the earth coming to her aid. She rocketed forward so fast I was crying.

She was Secretariat. Cody was falling back, away, so sad that his game was not won.

I honestly couldn't believe it. I'd never experienced anything like that. Controllable power, mannerly requests to fly as fast as her hooves could carry us.

I will never forget it.