By Beverly Hollingsworth
For many horsemen there is one horse that is a once in a lifetime horse. For me, that horse was a bright eyed 15.2 h Quarter Horse named Bid Poco Deck. We were first introduced in the fall 1980 when “Pokey,” just 6 months old, and his brother Bull arrived at the barn from a sale. He would hide in the herd, watching and making sure he was not caught and separated from his brother. It would take most of the winter to win him over.
I was riding another horse for a friend, but took time to give the reluctant colt a carrot or two. Soon the colt would wander up to play with me I came for another horse in the pasture. The spring of 1982 was time to break the young horses and “Bid,” as he was known then, was a force to be reckoned with. In the first attempts he was not only successful in ditching his rider, but the rider also broke his arm. Bid was serious!
I was young and dumb at the time and did not think for a moment that he would harm me, so I gave it a try. With two men, one on each side, holding him on lead ropes, I stepped into the stirrups. I guess he remembered the carrots, or maybe it was the kind words I whispered in his ear. He barely pricked an ear! I very gingerly sat up in the saddle and waited to see what he would do. He just turned his head and looked at me! Surprised, I gave him a gentle squeeze and he walked forward. We just walked around the paddock without a mishap. That started a bond that would last for 31 years.
In October 1982 I got a call from a friend asking me to come to her barn. With her insistence I drove over, and like a scene from The Horse Whisperer, I walked into her dark, spare barn. I asked what was in here and she said, “Just cluck.” In the dark corner stall I heard a familiar nicker; it was Pokey! As I gazed into the dark stall she turned on the single light bulb to show a small frail colt with a big white star on his head. It was my little friend who was so full of himself just a few months earlier. But now I could see every bone in his body and he could hardly pick up his head he was so weak.
I was shocked! I was told that the lady who had bought him did not know how to take care of horses. In addition, she owed $375 in barn fees and was looking for a home for him. That was a no brainer! He was mine that afternoon.
I had to get the veterinarian to give him the needed shots, etc. My wonderful veterinarian came out, but just shook his head and asked if I wanted to have him put down; there was nothing we could do for him. I said no and wanted everything done! He predicted that he would not last more than a few days. I said, “Not as long as I am around!” For the next few weeks, I fed him a hand full of grain and all the hay he could eat, hoping he would not colic. We went on hand walks for most of the winter, until he could longe without falling over at the trot. My 2-year-old daughter became his jockey and he began to thrive.
By spring he had gained weight and his strength. I began to ride him and he let me know he was still full of it. I landed a few times in the soft mud, and he would look at me as if to say, “What are you doing down there?” We soon started going on short trail rides with friends and he started not dumping me with each ride. I miss him most on those sunny fall days when we would have day long rides with friends through Chickasaw State Park.
To bring out the best in this horse, I knew I would have to read everything about training that I could. I was an EMT at the time, so I would spend hours watching the professional riders on the hunter/ jumper circuits. At times, I worked with Suzy Young, a local trainer. With the little knowledge I had and sporadic work with a trainer, Pokey and I learned together.
He was willing, patient, and would give most anything a try. He learned to be patient with my two young children, and was very tolerant when one would try to climb his leg or climb the side of the stall to get on his back while he ate his dinner. For the next few years, the children and I spent many hours riding and playing with him.
Pokey taught all of us how to ride English and western. So I began consider showing the AQHA circuit, which would allow all of us to show. Pokey went to the show ring with wide eyes and, after a bit of coxing, a willing heart. We concerned the English classes and the kids rode western. It was a family affair. Pokey did not seem to mind the change of rider and tack throughout the day, and some years finished Champion for the region.
The day came when my husband got the great idea to put Pokey in the backyard, which was a fun idea at the time. We converted our one car garage to a “barrage.” The storage room became a tack room, and the one stall was converted to a one horse stall. It was perfect until hard times hit and he lost his job. We could not afford to keep Pokey.
I called our good friends Harold and Foxy Walker. It was another no brainer! I sold Pokey to them and another chapter in his life began. Pokey was now 12 years old and very dependable. Harold and Foxy were delighted! They had a great horse to bring their budding fox hunters along.
Harold was an avid foxhunter, so Pokey proved to be not only a great ride in the hunt, but also a great stand-by horse when someone needed a ride. Pokey also learned to play polo and cut cattle. He would do most everything asked of him! At about age 20, he learned to drive and added another skill to his resume.
Once again he proved to be a great mount, teaching another generation to ride. The Walkers’ granddaughters took trips around the pasture with him, as he patiently walked so his charges were safe and he loved the attention. Harold and Foxy carefully watched his diet and health, giving lots of love. As the years went on he became content to rule his pasture with his mare at his side.
For many horsemen there is one horse that is a once in a lifetime horse. For me, that horse was a bright eyed 15.2 h Quarter Horse named Bid Poco Deck. We were first introduced in the fall 1980 when “Pokey,” just 6 months old, and his brother Bull arrived at the barn from a sale. He would hide in the herd, watching and making sure he was not caught and separated from his brother. It would take most of the winter to win him over.
I was riding another horse for a friend, but took time to give the reluctant colt a carrot or two. Soon the colt would wander up to play with me I came for another horse in the pasture. The spring of 1982 was time to break the young horses and “Bid,” as he was known then, was a force to be reckoned with. In the first attempts he was not only successful in ditching his rider, but the rider also broke his arm. Bid was serious!
I was young and dumb at the time and did not think for a moment that he would harm me, so I gave it a try. With two men, one on each side, holding him on lead ropes, I stepped into the stirrups. I guess he remembered the carrots, or maybe it was the kind words I whispered in his ear. He barely pricked an ear! I very gingerly sat up in the saddle and waited to see what he would do. He just turned his head and looked at me! Surprised, I gave him a gentle squeeze and he walked forward. We just walked around the paddock without a mishap. That started a bond that would last for 31 years.
In October 1982 I got a call from a friend asking me to come to her barn. With her insistence I drove over, and like a scene from The Horse Whisperer, I walked into her dark, spare barn. I asked what was in here and she said, “Just cluck.” In the dark corner stall I heard a familiar nicker; it was Pokey! As I gazed into the dark stall she turned on the single light bulb to show a small frail colt with a big white star on his head. It was my little friend who was so full of himself just a few months earlier. But now I could see every bone in his body and he could hardly pick up his head he was so weak.
I was shocked! I was told that the lady who had bought him did not know how to take care of horses. In addition, she owed $375 in barn fees and was looking for a home for him. That was a no brainer! He was mine that afternoon.
I had to get the veterinarian to give him the needed shots, etc. My wonderful veterinarian came out, but just shook his head and asked if I wanted to have him put down; there was nothing we could do for him. I said no and wanted everything done! He predicted that he would not last more than a few days. I said, “Not as long as I am around!” For the next few weeks, I fed him a hand full of grain and all the hay he could eat, hoping he would not colic. We went on hand walks for most of the winter, until he could longe without falling over at the trot. My 2-year-old daughter became his jockey and he began to thrive.
By spring he had gained weight and his strength. I began to ride him and he let me know he was still full of it. I landed a few times in the soft mud, and he would look at me as if to say, “What are you doing down there?” We soon started going on short trail rides with friends and he started not dumping me with each ride. I miss him most on those sunny fall days when we would have day long rides with friends through Chickasaw State Park.
To bring out the best in this horse, I knew I would have to read everything about training that I could. I was an EMT at the time, so I would spend hours watching the professional riders on the hunter/ jumper circuits. At times, I worked with Suzy Young, a local trainer. With the little knowledge I had and sporadic work with a trainer, Pokey and I learned together.
He was willing, patient, and would give most anything a try. He learned to be patient with my two young children, and was very tolerant when one would try to climb his leg or climb the side of the stall to get on his back while he ate his dinner. For the next few years, the children and I spent many hours riding and playing with him.
Pokey taught all of us how to ride English and western. So I began consider showing the AQHA circuit, which would allow all of us to show. Pokey went to the show ring with wide eyes and, after a bit of coxing, a willing heart. We concerned the English classes and the kids rode western. It was a family affair. Pokey did not seem to mind the change of rider and tack throughout the day, and some years finished Champion for the region.
The day came when my husband got the great idea to put Pokey in the backyard, which was a fun idea at the time. We converted our one car garage to a “barrage.” The storage room became a tack room, and the one stall was converted to a one horse stall. It was perfect until hard times hit and he lost his job. We could not afford to keep Pokey.
I called our good friends Harold and Foxy Walker. It was another no brainer! I sold Pokey to them and another chapter in his life began. Pokey was now 12 years old and very dependable. Harold and Foxy were delighted! They had a great horse to bring their budding fox hunters along.
Harold was an avid foxhunter, so Pokey proved to be not only a great ride in the hunt, but also a great stand-by horse when someone needed a ride. Pokey also learned to play polo and cut cattle. He would do most everything asked of him! At about age 20, he learned to drive and added another skill to his resume.
Once again he proved to be a great mount, teaching another generation to ride. The Walkers’ granddaughters took trips around the pasture with him, as he patiently walked so his charges were safe and he loved the attention. Harold and Foxy carefully watched his diet and health, giving lots of love. As the years went on he became content to rule his pasture with his mare at his side.
