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Allie Hits Double DigitsApril 18, 2006 Allie turned 10 today. Prime of life in horse years. The hard thing to believe is that we've been together for 6 1/2 of those years. Not only is this a long-term relationship, it means I really was nutty enough to buy a 3 1/2-year-old when I was 48 and getting really serious about horses again for the first time in 30 years. Nutty like a fruitcake? More like a squirrel's winter stash. The great horseman Alois Podhajsky, long-time head of the Spanish Riding School, called his autobiography My Horses, My Teachers. Podhajsky had many horses, which probably explains why he was so wise. I only have one horse, which probably explains why I'm not especially wise, but I am a helluva lot smarter than I was when she arrived. The best thing about buying a 3 1/2-year-old was that I knew I was over my head, or at least up to my eyeballs, and I needed help. With an older, more finished horse, I might have been content to bang around on the trails; with Allie I've managed to learn a few things. Allie's name in the American Morgan Horse Registry is Hartland All for the Best. Her call name was Allie when I met her, and it's still Allie, but I can't leave names well enough alone. At her first barn on the Vineyard, there was a chestnut Morab named Ali, not to mention a Hanoverian named Ollie and a barn rat named Allie, so people took to calling my Allie "Alibay," as opposed to AliChestnut. I called her "Allie B.," which over the years has mutated into Allie Beeze, Beezle, and Beezlebub. Her mane is thick, and when it's pulled short it stands up before it flops over. This led to Allie Punk, Punkster, and Punksatawney -- Allie Petunia is probably related, but I'm not sure how. When she's mildly annoying she's Allie Twit or just Twitsky. Kid and Pony are also common. Lately I've been calling Rhodry and the barn cats Pony as well. Don't know what that's about. Rhodry's been remarkably tolerant of his bigger, younger sister, even though she's always trying to grab a bite of his tail, and even though he thinks I'm nuts for hanging around with these big guys. Most of the world probably shares his opinion, but what the hell. Happy birthday, Allie. I'm glad you're my pony!
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