DB
Destiny Moniet - The Perfect Ride
On
November 12, 2003
we lost the mare Rabanna Moon at 25 years old. For several years
she had been the constant companion to my senior stallion DB
Destiny Moniet, known here on the ranch as Tim. A trip to the vet
for one necessitated the need for both to go as they would not
willingly be separated. She would fret and cry, as if she had lost
a foal. He would bugle and challenge, looking for his missing
lady. For all of our sakes, I caved in and kept them together. She
produced her last foal, DA Blue Moon in February of that year with
Tim looking over the stall door to welcome their precious
replacement. They lived as a family unit until weaning time. How
was Tim to cope with a separation this permanent?
On the 13th I had friends come to my house to
take me riding and try to nudge me out of the depression and grief
I was swimming in. Tim was grieving as well, and so I opted to
take both of us away from the house for awhile. It had been a
while since I had ridden him. At 22 years old he was mostly
retired and younger horses had taken over his duties. Today, we
needed the time together. I told my friends it would be an easy
toodle down the road as a concession to his age and mood.
As we started down the road he walked with a hesitant, old
man gait. Not entirely steady, and not much drive. Occasionally he
would stumble. Again I grieved. Would this be the last ride we
would share? The girls I rode with slowed their horses to
accommodate his slower pace. Due respect was given to his age and
dignity. As we traveled and talked, his movement improved.
Eventually we came to
the wash. This is a dry, winding, narrow, sandy bottomed
stream bed for spring run off. Once spring has passed it is a
favorite place for horseback riders to take their horses for a
canter. As a young horse Tim had run the wash on many occasions. I
paused at the entrance, planning to let my friends go while Tim
and I walked back. Tim stopped, head raised and ears pricked.
Looking up the wash and recognizing the area, remembering the
speed and the run. I turned slightly in the saddle to ask my
friends if they wanted to go run the wash. The old stallion
beneath me quivered. At the word go, the years dropped away
and you would swear someone had fired off a starter pistol. He
launched himself into a run. Not a canter, nothing so civilized as
collection, but a joyous, flat out, reach and bunch run. And I was
with him, a perfect partnership of human and horse. We flung
ourselves around corners, madly, gaily, joyfully. This was a ride
of perfect trust and harmony. We flew, leaving our riding
companions behind trying frantically to catch up. High speed, and
high risk as well. What if we stumbled? No, there was no
hesitation, no doubts and no holding back. For two miles we flew,
leaving behind age and grief as we embraced our partnership and
memories of previous runs, previous races. As the wash ended, we
came back up to the road and waited, impatiently pawing the
ground, for our companions to catch up. Tim danced home, bugling a
challenge to the younger stallions as we returned to the yard.
Tim
ended up with a new lady to live with and sired several more
foals. Over the next three years, I continued to take Tim out for
trail rides. We never again pushed the envelope as we did on that
glorious day but it will live in my memory as the perfect ride.
Our final ride came in July of 2006. No one was allowed in front
of him he was the declared leader. He would walk beside another
horse, as long as he was a nose ahead. We took friends out for a
full moon trail ride and he danced home in the lead. Less than a
month later he would be gone, leaving a hole in my heart, and a
beautiful legacy in my pastures. He sired 63 foals. His progeny included
36
mares and 24 stallions. 29 qualified as Sheykh Obeyd, 37 as Al
Khamsa, 19 as General List and 8 were Half-Arabians. He left his
mark.
Sheila
Harmon

Sheila
Harmon
6974 Pearl Road - P.O. Box 1180 - Eagle, Idaho 83616
(208) 866-1024 hm - (208) 863-8474 cell - 800-327-6540
E-Mail to: Sheila@DestinyArabians.com
Web Page: www.destinyarabians.com
