*A nice story for you horse enthusiasts passed along by my cousin Lancey.*
Our Christmas Surprise
"Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans." This statement,
credited to musical superstar, John Lennon, proved true for us when our
family's
traditional holiday season was turned topsy-turvy by a series of unexpected
events. It was four days before Christmas. Dusk was falling and so was a
HEAVY snow. It just kept coming down...the sticky, wet kind that causes tree
branches to break and power lines to snap. We were watching out the front
window of our cabin when three power poles along our driveway leaned, then
fell, like a domino effect. As we scrambled to light candles and find our
lanterns, we knew it would be at least the next morning, maybe longer,
before emergency crews would find their way to As daylight revealed an
eight-inch-deep blanket of snow covering the pasture, we were surprised and
amazed to see a beautiful tri-colored paint horse standing there in the
mist. He was nosing around looking for blades of grass; he was hungry!
Thankfully, we had some carrots on hand, so I grabbed a few, put on my
rubber boots, and trudged out in the snow towards him. With my hand
outstretched, I slowly walked closer and closer, trying not to spook him.
The smell of a wet horse instantly brought back cherished childhood
memories. He devoured the carrots, but tossed his head when I tried to touch
him. I wished he would understand I was there to help. At that moment I
decided to name him "St. Nick".
As we began assessing the storm damage, our neighbor and his daughter showed
up on their four-wheeler to check on us. They were surprised to see our new
visitor, who was still standing in the same spot in the field. We were
hopeful they might recognize Nick so he could be reunited with his owner. No
such luck. Now we wondered how far he had traveled and how long he'd been
roaming free. I spent a portion of that day coaxing Nick around our pond,
over the levy and into the barn area closer to our cabin. My plan was to
offer him a bite of apple, and then another, so he would follow me. It
worked! This process took over an hour but we finally reached the stall
sheltered by the barn roof, and closed the corral gate behind him. Our
neighbors returned home and came back with a couple bales of hay.enough for
a few days. Nick seemed to enjoy all the attention. Now we could really
spoil him!
On Day Three with sporadic cell phone service we called friends in the area
to tell them we had found a horse. Could they help us get the word out?
Signs were posted at the General Store and on the local mailboxes. We were
sure someone must be worried sick about him; still no word. We were becoming
attached to Nick. We began discussing our options. Was there any way we
could keep him if we never found his owner?
Christmas Day came and went; still no power. We were forced to cancel plans
with our family in town, 45 minutes away due to a gloomy weather forecast -
more heavy snow, and the likelihood the roads would be impassable for our
return trip. We were feeling sorry for ourselves. There would be no festive
dinner with all the trimmings (we heated pork and beans on our Coleman
stove), no glimmering lights on the tree with gifts all around, no warm hugs
and lively conversation with our son and daughter and their families. I
spent countless hours with St. Nick in the barn that day, brushing his soft
coat, telling him over and over that we were looking for his owner. He
seemed aloof most of the time, tossing his head. He wouldn't allow me to
stroke his nose and ears. But, nonetheless, caring for him lifted our
spirits. The horse who found his way to our ranch brightened an otherwise
bleak and lonely holiday.
Our power was finally restored the day after Christmas. Now we had computer
access and full telephone service. We called the Shasta County Animal
Shelter.
Bazinga! Good news! A horse matching Nick's description had been reported
missing on November 20th. Yes! He'd been lost for over a month. Needless to
say his owner, Chuck Bays, was shocked and delighted to hear from us. He
described Nick perfectly, a tri-colored paint with new shoes on his front
hooves ONLY (a detail that we hadn't noticed). Chuck's shoeing project was
half-completed because high winds and a falling tree branch had spooked
Nick, causing him to bolt from the corral and run free. How in the world did
Nick find his way through heavy brush, several barbed-wire fences, across
raging Little Cow Creek, and end up on our property five miles from his
home? We'll never know.
The rest of the story: It was a sunny morning five days after Christmas when
Chuck was finally able to dig his horse trailer out of the snow and head to
our ranch. For us saying goodbye to Nick was bittersweet. He began to stomp
and snort when he saw Chuck exit his truck in our driveway. There was no
doubt Nick recognized his long-lost friend. He was calm and docile when
Chuck approached him with the halter, rubbed his head and ears, then led him
to the trailer. Chuck told us Nick was his best cutting horse. Although he
had personally trained him and had used him to work his cattle for over 12
years, he'd never given him a name. Much to our delight, he agreed to call
him "Nick" from that day forward.
We haven't seen St. Nick again, but we think of him each holiday season and
every time a heavy snow falls. He taught us that sometimes the most
memorable moments in life are the ones we didn't plan.
May your holidays be filled with pleasant surprises!
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