Posts Tagged ‘Sunny’

Sunny - Before the snows came.

The snow in Gettysburg has kept me away from the stable where I board my horse.  Sunny, a bright-eyed Appaloosa, was inside all this time, a prisoner in his stall – unable to run or play with his best friend, Teddy, a sleek Arabian, in the 40 – 50 inches of snow covering the outdoor ring and paddocks.  I knew he would be well cared for at my stable, but felt serious guilt anyway for “neglecting him.

He must be missing me terribly, I thought – lonely, morose, moping about like a lost soul.  So today I finally made my way out there, expecting that Sunny might be a bit peeved at my neglect, expecting him to be somewhat hyper after his long confinement, but also thinking how happy he’d be to see me.

Imagine my chagrin, when I found Sunny well-groomed, hooves clean as a whistle, well-fed, warm as toast in the heated barn in his clean stall, and not particularly caring whether I was there or not. Now Sunny is a fairly new horse to me.  He has only been mine for six months or so.  We’re still getting to know one another, but yet I expected him to be waiting to see me with open affection.  This was not to be.

After I stroked him a while, and whispered softly in his ear, he did begin to nudge and niggle at my sleeve. Ah ha, he did miss me.  That is what I was thinking until it dawned on me he simply wanted a treat.  Yes, there I was, a mere “pez dispenser,” on hand for Sunny’s pleasure, and a slave to his hungry eyes.  I was, as you might imagine, very satisfied with the wonderful care he was receiving, but at the same time frustrated that I was not more needed by this great animal I have learned to love…ah well.

I know that Sunny and I are a new match, and I know that there’ll come a time when our relationship will go beyond my being the big human who grooms him, gets on his back, makes him work, then gives him a treat for his trouble.  But, alas, I fear my attachment for Sunny is moving much faster than his for me … other than those pez’s … which are in reality an apple or a carrot.  Right now I’m satisfied that he knows I’m in charge, which makes it safer when I ride him, but the rest will take more time.

In the hope of speeding that bond along, I groomed him, threw my western saddle gently on his back, and rode him for the first time in many days in the indoor arena.  I did some ground work to settle him down. This is a sweet horse – spirited, but sweet.  He was hyper from being cooped up a while, but nonetheless responsive, and was being a joy to ride – to a point. He was fine until I tried a little jog – opps!

I was told by the amazed on-lookers that it was a joy to watch.  With huge smiles they saw Sunny bunny-hopping across the arena, with me fast in the saddle, but hopping up and down with him just like an old western movie … and a bad one at that.  He settled down, and I thanked him for the invigorating ride with a pat on his neck and a few whispered words.  He snorted a patient approval of my staying on his back, as if to say, “OK, you passed.”  We continued to work the arena, and it was a great ride, if not a close and personal bonding experience.

I’ll keep at it, and I’ll try not to worry about him at the stable pining away without me.  Mostly, I’ll continue to reach out for that bonding I know will come in time, at his own speed, when I can graduate from Pez Dispenser to senior partner and faithful friend.

Sunny, before his winter coat

Today, I went to our stables, the wonderful Saw Horse Farm, run by Wendy Dutterer, in Hunterstown, Pennsylvania, to ride my horse, Sunny.  He is taken excellent care of there, and has grown his own lush winter coat.  It was a great ride, but a searing cold day.  When I ride and see the horses on brisk days like this, I am reminded of the plight of the horses in the Crimean War.

Numerous horses were required by a mid-19th century army.  Not merely for the cavalry and horse artillery, but for all the senior officers of infantry regiments, and the many staff officers.  Some wealthier officers brought several horses.  All of these animals had to be transported by water from England to the Crimea in sailing or steam-driven ships.  This could take anywhere from weeks to months, depending on the speed of the ships.

Over 150 horses of the Cavalry Division were lost during deployment to the Crimea.  In one bad storm, it was necessary to shoot injured horses, who became wild and uncontrollable below decks.

Many horses were rendered unserviceable by the rigors of the voyage.  These losses had a near crippling effect on the cavalry.  Those that made it intact, had to face severe climate changes, and one of the worst winters recorded in Crimean history.

It had been planned that remounts would be purchased from various local horse traders, but like so many plans for this badly mismanaged war, this one fell apart quickly and drastically.  Captain Louis Nolan, the famous staff officer who brought the order to Lord Lucan prompting the ill-fated “Charge of the Light Brigade,” was even tasked to travel across Syria and overland to the staging area at Varna on the Black Sea, with the mission of purchasing remounts and transport horses along the way.  He was only modestly successful.  There were insufficient horses for sale anywhere enroute, at the staging area, or in the Crimea.  Those horses that were available were smaller, often weak, and frequently unserviceable for cavalry, artillery, or even transport requirements.

Not long after landing on the Crimean coast, the savage winter set in and took its toll.  The horses brought from England were hardly used to the unbearable Crimean temperatures or conditions – colic and death were everywhere among these unfortunate animals.

By far the most disastrous loss of horses, however, was a direct result of that unhappy charge by the Light Brigade into a gauntlet of Russian guns.  The charge, in about 25 minutes, cost the British army over 100 men killed, but perhaps the most telling catastrophe was the loss of horses.  Around 400 were killed and many more put out of service.  It was the loss of horses which left the Light Brigade unfit for further action as a unit.

Two horses of particular note were in the Light Brigade’s charge: the mount of Captain Nolan, the first casualty of the affair, and, Ronald, Lord Cardigan’s horse.  I will tell their tale tomorrow.

Officers, 39th Regiment, with a horse not unlike Sunny

Captain Halford, 5th Dragoon Guards

Captain Heneage, Coldstream Guards

Captain Wilkinson, 9th Regiment

Lieutenant Yates, 11th Hussars

Officers, 39th Regiment