Riding with Ridge

I was feeling much better and we had sent our helper home again. The fall apples were ripening and I wanted to can a lot of apple pie filling. There were still way more apples than we needed for ourselves. We offered my parents that they could have how ever many they wanted. Mom suggested that we could spend a day together making pie filling.

I looked forward to spending a day visiting and working with Mom once again. LV hitched our horse, Ridge to the buggy for me and lifted a lot of five gallon pails and bushel boxes of apples in. Lifted the reins I clucked to Ridge and we headed down the driveway.

Once we got out on the road I tried urging him to run but he seemed to think the idea was a joke and walked slowly up the road. I was frustrated that I couldn't get him to listen to me but apparently he thought I was to small to be much of a threat and he could go what ever speed he wanted to.

Once I got to my parents Daddy came to take care of Ridge and unload the apples. I went to the house and we spent all day peeling and cooking apples. By the time came for me to go home I had two five gallon pails full of pie filling. Daddy lifted them into the buggy for me and handed me the reins. Waving good-bye to everyone I told Ridge to go, expecting to have another leisurely ride home.

He started up the road in a brisk trot. I had the storm front and the doors open enjoying the beautiful crisp fall air. Turning down our road Ridge seemed to know he was nearing home and picked up speed. I tried slowing him down to no avail. We kept going faster and faster, my bonnet flap snapped and blew in the wind that was stinging my eyes.

As we neared our driveway I pulled back on the reins as hard as I could trying to get him slowed down.  He turned up our driveway. the buggy tipped over on two wheels and then plopped back down on all four, swaying crazily. Ridge slowed down to a walk up our long winding driveway.  My heart still pounding wildly as I sat limply.

LV came to meet me glad to see that I was still okay after having heard us coming down the road he had been sure we would crash. That was the last time I drove Ridge by myself. He had one master, LV, and would listen only to him.