Friday, May 29, 2009

Bucking

My parents offered to give Kurt and me their boat. It’s a beautiful 27-foot Sports Craft called the Cookie Too, named after my mother. Not being able to go on the boat is one of the things that Kurt misses the most about New Jersey. Occasionally he would drive all the way back there, just to go fluke fishing with my father. Eight hours one way just to go fishing when we have a lake right down the block. It’s crazy. But sailing along the Hudson, cruising around the Statue of Liberty, reeling in fluke or bluefish or even sharks, is a little bit different than standing on a bank casting a line. Plus, I know that part of it is the special relationship that he has with Dad.

So they offered us the boat when they got too sick to keep up with it. Even though they could use the money by selling it, they would have liked it if Kurt had the Cookie Too. Kurt is dying to get a boat. We’re walking distance to the lake. We could hop in it and cruise across the lake and park it, go have some lunch or go shopping. We’d catch some fish. No sharks. But maybe some of those country fish like catfish or bass. Do people even eat bass? I don’t know, but it’d be fun. Even without the Statue of Liberty.

But we had to say no thank you. The boat is too big to pull back and forth on a trailer. It needs to be docked. And it doesn’t make sense for us to rent a slip, which is very expensive, and we really can’t afford, when we can keep one right here in our own backyard and just pull it down the block when we feel like going out and not have to pay a dime. It broke our hearts to turn it down. Not only because this was a free boat, but because it was the Cookie Too. Someday we’ll save enough money to buy something smaller.

In the meantime, I’ve been riding that buckskin out there, affectionately called “the Bad Boy.” He’s not really a bad boy but he’ll buck at the blink of an eye. His mode of operandi is to buck. Even if the situation doesn’t call for it. Even if it’s overkill. For example, the other day while eating grass in the barnyard, he farted and scared himself. So he bucked. He’s very flamboyant that way.
But at the risk of jinxing myself, and to his credit, he’s never bucked with me on him. Still. I know he’s got it in him. And so I wear a helmet. I don’t normally wear a helmet. I’m going to be honest here. It’s dorky. I look like a big egg head. Yeah, yeah, I tried those helmets with the cowboy hat attached. I looked like a big egg head with a cowboy hat attached.

Maybe that’s why that chick tried to run me over the other day. Because I was really ugly in that helmet and needed to be put out of my misery.

I wear a helmet when I’m on a new horse, or training a young one, or on one I don’t completely trust. Don’t bother telling me that an accident can happen on any horse, it can be the nicest Rusty in the barn and I’m stupid as well as ugly. I know. I have no defense.

Kelly’s a different story. Kelly is not allowed to ride without a helmet and even if she was, I don’t think she’d do it because I’ve got her brainwashed about it. At least give me credit for that. She’s been wearing a helmet since she was three-years-old and she thinks she looks quite happening in her brown suede Troxel. Even if she thought she looked like an egg-head, and even though I don’t normally wear one and it might occur to her to demand that I practice what I preach or else she doesn’t want to wear one either because it’s not fair, too bad—she’s still wearing one otherwise she doesn’t get on the horse. That’s the rule. She’s lucky I don’t make her wear body armor…

Anyway, poor Bullet. I’ve given him a bad reputation by badmouthing him all over the place about how he’s a bucker and I’ve got to wear a helmet when I am riding him when everyone knows I don’t normally wear a helmet so he must be really bad. And the poor horse hasn’t done anything wrong! He hasn’t even given me a dirty look! Of course he has that gate issue. But that’s why I’m taking him to Ducky, the trainer. Kurt calls him “the Duckster.” Now he’s got other people calling him that. My girlfriend the other day, on the phone: “So, did you bring the Bad Boy over to the Duckster?” I don’t know. Maybe he’ll like that name. It’s much cooler than Ducky. It sounds fast. And barrel racers want to be fast. Ducky is one of the fastest barrel racers around here. He’s like a monkey on a horse and wears a cowboy hat with a big feather in it but no helmet. I did take Bullet to him last week and he gave Bullet a good workout. He never once called him “the Bad Boy.” In fact, he was quite impressed with him and asked who trained him. I looked at Kurt. Kurt looked behind him. When he realized no one was there, he said, “Uh, I did?”

“You did a great job,” the Duckster told him.

I saw Kurt’s chest well up. In that instant, I thought he was actually going to start riding again, being so proud and inspired. But no. He’s still bucking for a boat. No pun intended.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Really a shame about having to turn down the boat but I understand your reasoning. Will they sell it to someone else then?

Love the fact that Bad Boy scares himself when he farts... our rottweiler that we lost to cancer last summer was that way too... He would jump up off his bed from a sound sleep when he broke wind and then would not get back on his bed until I put a fresh blanket on it for him... Oh how animals make me laugh.

Di
The Blue Ridge Gal

(You're a good mom to insist on the helmet for Kelly... Love her name since that's my daughter's name too)

Leonora said...

I love the markings on the Bad Boy, he's so pretty! We insist Audrey wear a helmet also. She's gone through two already, so the track record proves one is needed. Her horse, Vandella, spooks at the wind so you can imagine...
Sorry that you had to pass up the Cookie Too. The memories count for a lot and at least we can always hold on to those.

CountryDew said...

That is a heartbreaker about the boat, but sensible. Sometimes sensible is a pain in the @#$@#$, isn't it?

Helmets are good. Horses scare me; I am not a rider. Haven't been since I fell off a pony when I was very young. They're lovely to look at, though.

Beth said...

Kelly does indeed look very cool in her helmet. And good for you for making her wear it. I'll bet you look just as cool in your helmet. Bullet is a beautiful horse, even if he is a bucking bad boy.

I'm sorry about the boat---it's a beauty. But how wonderful that you got to cruise out by the Statue of Liberty! That's something not many people get to experience in their lifetime!

Clementine said...

Oh I wish you could figure out a way to keep that gorgeous boat! I loved reading about your fishing trips around the Statue of Liberty! When I flew to NYC this past January, I flew right over top of it and I cried.
Now as for the bad boy. I laughed out loud at how he farted and scared himself! Poor baby! That's hilarious!

Gilly said...

Shame about the boat! I'd love to pootle around in a boat, along some of our beautiful coastline. But we don't live near the sea. Or a lake. And like you say they have to be handled onto a trailer and looked after and.....

Now me on a horse is an absolute no no! But you all look as though you were born to it! Have a feeling helmets are compulsory in the UK, but I could be wrong!
But good for you on insisting on one. We all only have one brain!

magicbeanbuyer said...

That's too funny. It's a shame you can't take the boat. I love that boat. mmm...getting subs and other snacks in the morning from that deli and spending all day fishing looking for the "secret spot". Coming back to the doc and watching pop-pop filet the fish and throw the guts over the side of the boat. we'd all have fish scales all over us and be crispy sunburned. that was the best.

Sweetflutterbys3 said...

Fishing around the Statue of Liberty. Now that is cool!

Duckster!! I love the name. Reminds me of a character named Ducky (Dr. Mallard) on NCIS (really good show).

Beautiful horse. My daughters like to ride and I agree about the helmet. Do as I say, not as I do!

Jeff said...

Bad Boy sure is pretty! I've never ridden a horse. Good for you for insisting that Kelly wear a helmet. Now ..... what about you? You admitted that you have no excuses!

Tanya Breese said...

So sorry that you couldn't take the boat but totally understand!

Bad Boy is gorgeous! And yes, I agree with you, Duckster sounds much better than Ducky, manlier! I think he will be happy with his name change!

Greener Pastures--A City Girl Goes Country said...

Yes Di, my parents are trying to sell the boat. They have it on Craig's List right now on the Jersey Shore.

And yes, I have now decided that my helmet-less days are over. That's it. I'm done being stupid.

And here's something funny. I knew I was going to jinx myself. I just knew it. All this time I was riding the bad boy, he never bucked with me actually on him. And wouldn't you know it, the other day he bucked while I was loping him in the arena! I stayed on though. Knock wood.

Thanks for all your compliments about Bullet. Maybe Kurt will ride him now, lol.

nyredhead271 said...

That is a shame you couldn't take the Cookie Too. That is a beautiful boat and the bad boy is a beautiful horse. At least you have those gorgeous horses! But please, wear a helmet all the time Debi.

Gail said...

I have a couple that need some training. When can you get here?

Chris said...

I rode for many years and after a few falls, always rode with a hard hat. I thought it looked much cooler than a helmet and it matched my Aussie saddle. It saved my poor head a few times. Don't think I'd get on a horse without it now.

Good to have your boat memories; here's hoping you get to make new ones too.

Heather said...

love the pictures of the horses. the buckskin is beautiful. my hubby wants a buckskin, but we have our hands full as it is.

we just got our two of our 3-year olds broke, and it is taking me a bit to feel comfortable. i got bucked off last year by an incredibly big horse, and since i'm still a novice, i'm still very scared of what will happen on these newly broke horses. i cross my fingers...

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