"Coco" "My Horse" 3-6 to11-98 Our time together was much too short. I remember the first time I laid eyes on him in my cousin's pasture. Mom said he was the ugliest horse she had ever seen, cause she was always use to plain brown horses. He was what I wanted, the coloring, the poise, the beauty and the perfect picture of what "My Horse" would be. I studied him every chance when passing until the day came. I was readythe call I made would be all it took."cousin are you interested in selling that paint horse you have"..well to who? To me.yea. "Well, you might not want this horse he's kinda spirited.he was for Betty Gwen, but she couldn't handle him and didn't like his ride. That's what I want, I need some spiritsome spunkhe said well you got itand I did. Tim had worked a great deal with Coco in trying to break him from some of the things that horses do when they are just left out to pasture and not reminded every once in a while how to be a "horse with a rider". He did a great job, I guess in using his forceful ways to make him do things but Coco was a Mustang he had his way of not letting himself surrender to force but I think he learned a lot during this time. But he needed more. See he use to belong to this woman who thought he was going to be this great show TN Walker, he was everything she was looking for the coloring, the poise, the beauty, the walk, but he liked one thing to be a great show horse, Coco didn't develop as she thought he would he was too short..imagine that, being too short.that is what short people think too sometimes. This was the first of many perfect matches that would develop between me and "My Horse". The first time I mounted Coco, after much adjustment to the stirrups. I remember so well, he started jerking and throwing his head, Tim watched on, I didn't fight the actions rather let him have his way until he realized I was a different rider.. Not too seasoned a rider, as a matter of fact I had not been on a horse since high school, years and years ago, on a friends horse a couple of times. I was not afraid but rather determined to learn this thing, and Coco was the one I wanted to learn on. Then I got his attention and showed him gently but firmly where I wanted him to go. We started off alone to the other farm where they had their other horses. As we left I felt him want to test me, I was patient and unconcerned as he pranced then almost immediately he fell into a most gracious gate I will never forget it, the love I felt beneath me. We rode for a ways out of sight of everyone. I wanted to see what he could do so I gently nudged him into a canter and then into a gallop, it was a truly magnificent time, until one of my stirrups came loose and just dangled in my left footing. I had heard never get off a new horse without anyone around so I just tightened my knees and encouraged Coco to walk slow. It worked till we got to the barn. I rode with my cousin and several others before he was to be mine but all the while I knew what we would be. Until I was sure Coco was for me.. He had everything I wanted, as we were together in the first days he did things that I learned he would do, always aware of his surroundings as I learned later were signs of a great horse. I was told by people that were avid horse people that I could do much more with Coco than Tim ever could because of the patience and gentleness of a woman's ways is what Coco missed most. I would be his lost love and he would be mine. Time made us best friends he made my life so much different. I found the most beautiful saddle, to show off my love. It was different than any one I have seen or will see again, the coloring was Aigner, almost. With lots of silver trimmings classy and showy for my new love and an Aztec design blanket that fit him so well. Coco was a tri color paint with the dark brown chestnut color and white being dominant and uniform. With a dark head and white star marking on his face and his ears tipped in black. His mane was of course hair, mostly black & white, long and flowing as his tail was in all white surrounding a black inner layer. He was truly magnificent the way he carried his head and tail when walking. Everyone noticed his poise and grace commenting to me several times of his beauty. I was the proud owner of this magnificent creature. He knew of my love for him, everyday I would go and feed up all the horses and also there were the apples I started bringing. They loved them, Coco would always seem jealous of the others, but I would share equally. He would aggravate Dixie and she would make the most horrific pawing and squeal to Coco but he didn't flinch cause it was only a love sound she made to let him know she was really the Big Dixie Girl. and I remember the day, introducing him to Pepe. He bit a really bad place on Pepe the first time we introduced them, I think he was protecting his love for Dixie. I fell for Pepe when I met her; she is a 4-yr. old mare and colored as close to Coco as I have ever seen. The next perfect match for us in parades and trail rides. The chestnut brown is not the same and Pepe has some spots on her back. But she was to be Coco's match to take Dixie's place cause she was getting old and tired of carrying the load all the time. Coco was old too but he didn't show his age (much like his master, ha, ha) everyone thought he was a young horse cause of the way he carried himself and his youthful glow. He was truly happy I think and so was I. I was a little heavy in the beginning and I was always conscious of the extra pounds he had to carry. I let that be one of the reasons I am who I am todayfor Coco. Slimmer and glowing more confident that my life changed for Coco. There was first the right tac for him the right clothes for me to wear and places and people that I was to meet and ride with were to become the best part of my life. I was always the one wanting to ride. Several weekends Dennis would have to pacify me by ridding cause it was what I wanted to do the most and I was getting comfortable and we were getting good and the freedom I will never forget. Coco taught me the best part of myself..Freedom truly being free. I remember there were times ridding that I was teased as to how much he was worth to me or how much would I take for him.I always stated a million bucks couldn't get himand that was true the only one that was to have him was the one that brought him to meGod. I miss him so..the rides, his sad eyes It hurts too bad now to even go to the barn to see the others to be alive and not ever getting to be free together again.I think that is why I can't seem to become me fully again.Maybe with time I can be..Maybe with Pepe, I have that chance to teach her to know that love or am I expecting her to become Coco for me.no I am not that goodshe will be just PePe.