A Tale Of Woe
Equi-Ads National, February 2001

In November Kuchina Johnson introduced us towards the end of the article to the second animal she trained, the first being a goat called McGinty if you remember. This month she will tell us more about the little palomino which she wanted to call Amigo, meaning friend, which challenged her and helped her develop her amazing skills.

Amigo was actually called Gringo and, as dad often commented, he was nobody's friend at that moment. He trusted no-one not even other horses. He was gold in colour but very cold in nature and it took a long time to form a bond with him. Days, weeks, months, a year passed and then on a dark winter's morning he was actually pleased to see me. Gringo was his name and throwing me was his game - hence the broken leg! I rode in the cast without giving it a thought and it soon healed. A few weeks down the line we took a bad fall - that's when he rendered me unconscious. I don't remember much about that and my mum and dad don't talk about it - I think it hurt them more than it hurt me. We went on to make a pretty good team, though, even if I do say it myself. We gave displays of show jumping and even liberty style (i.e. without saddle, bridle or any form of restraint).

We travelled around the country giving these displays, one of which meant an over night in Penrith. Dad suggested that we stay with an acquaintance called George. It was some months later that I discovered the George he was talking about was none other than Mr. George Bowman, the Four in Hand Team Driving Champion! As I watched him work I noted how alike he and my father were in their approach to horses. Dad pointed out that he concentrated on one horse at a time while George was a magician dealing with a team of horses.

See you soon, Kuchina.