A horse named Skunk a True Story

At 14 years old the boy began riding horses for the cowboy across the street. He lived in a rural area of South Dakota and had been riding his own pony, Lightning for several years.

Lightning, the pony, was quick to take advantage of an inexperienced rider. From rearing up, to running away with Brian on her back, to sticking her head in a hedge refusing to move, Lightning knew every trick. Once Brian figured out how to remedy a trick Lightning would introduce him to a new one.

The old cowboy had grown up using horses instead of cars and had seen his share of horses in the day. He wasn't the most honest person around but the young boy was naiive and when offered a job, accepted gladly. The deal the old man offered was $10 a day per head. Brian's mind raced when he thought of how many horses could be ridden in a day. What Brian did not realize was, to the grizzled cowboy "a ride" meant multiple hours until the horse was worn out.

Brian was not actually breaking the horses from scratch. The old man would purchase "spoiled horses" at auctions in the Black Hills area, at low expense. The horses had been good horses once, but young inexperienced riders had not corrected the bad habits and the horses were smart enough to take advantage. Many of the horses were ponies or smaller than average sized horses. It made sense to have a smaller person ride and re-train them. Once re-trained the horses could be sold at a profit.

Brian was a tough kid and resistant to injury. He was bucked off, drug off, knocked off by a low branch many times. He would always get up, dust himself off, catch the horse and continue riding.

One time he was riding a small black and white horse named skunk and had to cross a small section of road to get to the entrance of a canyon. The roads had been plowed and the snow was piled up on the roadside so there was just enough room to ride on the road.

He had been warming up Skunk for an hour or so and the horse seemed to have calmed down. On a whim, Brian stretched the left toe of his cowboy boot out and touched it to the high snow on his left side. "SCRATCH," said the hard snow. That was enough for Skunk to start Bucking hard.

Not only did he buck Brian off onto the pavement but the darned horse stepped right on Brian's groin. After doing this the horse bucked a circle around the young boy then trotted home. Meanwhile, Brian, in pain was holding his groin and laying on the snow-covered street.

To add insult to injury a lady in a big Cadillac pulled up and slowly eased around the boy then drove off into the distance without even asking "are you okay boy?"

Brian had to limp home and catch the horse to begin riding it.

The horse skunk would become Brian's nemesis in many ways. The horse would not allow itself to be caught from the arena area. The old cowboy said "It must have eaten LOCO weed at some point"

Later in life, Brian would learn that locoweed produces phytotoxin which makes livestock act differently. At 14 all he knew was that Skunk was crazy when one approached from the ground. Once on the horse, it was rarely much of a struggle.

To correct this the cowboy had the horse dragging a long rope that was tied to Skunk's halter. Brian could walk up and catch skunk with the rope while still being far enough away to keep Skunk from running.

This worked, but a cowboy fix like this, Brian would come to find out wasn't always the best.

One time Brian took Skunk on a ride through an open canyon. The ride typically lasted a few hours. There were gates along the way, that had to be opened to keep cattle in. At one gate Brian dismounted and opened the gate.

Skunk pulled hard against the reigns and ran off leaving Brian stranded. Fortunately for him, another rider that Brian knew happened along, was able to catch the onery Skunk and returned the horse to Brian, then the two riders parted ways.

It was a long ride. 3 miles from home the horse Skunk was tired and refused to move faster than a walk. This was more about conditioning than it was about obstinance.

The skies grew dark and everything became very still. Brian had seen this many times before. A tornado was beginning to form. He urged Skunk on but the Horse would only proceed at a slow walk. The two made it home in time and the tornado did not touch down right on top of them but it was a scary moment in Brian's life.

One time Skunk was tied to an upper fence rail. Brian was about to put a saddle on. He walked toward Skunk and the horse jerked back hard pulling the rail off the fence. With the innate agility that young people have Brian jumped backward, the rail drug across Brian's T-shirt ripping a small rectangle from the fabric and drawing blood from scratching across the skin.

The horse was dangerous but over time, progress was made and Brian actually looked forward to the time shared with Skunk.

It was close to the time the horse was deemed gentle enough to be sold for a profit.

Brian went into the pasture to collect Skunk up.
Before Brian could get close enough to get a hold on the rope Skunk ran.
The rope tangled loosely around Skunk's back legs.

Skunk ran down one long fence side then turned at the first corner.
Skunk ran down the second side getting more and more frightened by the tangled rope and picking up speed.
The horses head was pulled down toward his chest by the lead rope.

He ran down the short 3rd side faster then turned at the last corner.
Brian watched as Skunk did not turn for the white shed that jutted into fenceline on the last side.
Skunk ran into the Shed and Brian heard a terrible "WHAM".

Brian ran to the horse. Skunk laid on the ground beside the shed. Brian pulled on the lead rope to help Skunk get up.
Even at 14 Brian could tell Skunk had broken his neck when he ran into the barn.

Brian ran into the house and told the old cowboy "Skunk just ran into the shed and broke his neck!"

The old cowboy drawled "He is probably just resting" and walked to the door.
The cowboy walked to Skunk and pulled on the lead rope then said: "Yup he broke his neck".

Brian ran home and called his mother at work, something he rarely did unless there was an emergency.
When Brian heard his mom's voice on the other end of the phone He blurted through tears "I just killed Skunk!"

Photo Courtesy: bbc.com
True Story by: @naltedtedtirt

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