On one hand you have the kind of horses that

run to their union steward every time you want

them to do something other than eat.

Then there are the Snapper type...

When Lydia got to the barn, Snapper was still damp.

He had been worked,

pulled the buggy down the road on a bright sunny day,

got hot and sweaty and was wiped down with Vetrolin.

Lydia wanted to ride him though.

So she asked Snapper if he would mind pretending

that he hadn't been worked so that she could get on and not feel guilty.

He checked to see how many carrots were available

in his bucket for afterwards.

Seeing that there were 4 pounds, all chopped into little pieces,

he agreed to do double work.

He didn't do too badly, either.

An hour later, he got to have the carrots.

Once more he was wiped down with Vetrolin.

He may be fat and blind and old, but he is willing.

He was telling the horse across the aisle,

"When you have to do double work, it means that you're popular."

June 18, 1999