ELDORADO

I had a cousin who lived on a farm four miles from us across the highway and by the river.Sometimes she would ride her horse to our farm and we would go horseback riding. Her horse was a beautiful Palomino.It had white legs,white mane and tail and was a very high stepper.She called it Eldorado.Doris was a good rider and taught her horse tricks.She would ask him how old he was and he would paw the ground.Eldorado would also shake his head,turn around in a circle and stop on a dime.Doris would stand up on his back on bare feet while the horse cantered around in a circle.She fell off once and broke her collar bone.

Eldorado would often lead the parade on the First of July.Doris would spend time washing and brushing and combing his mane and tail till the horse shone.The western saddle was finely carved and the silver on the stirrups and bridle sparkled.Doris made a striking figure sitting tall and slim in the saddle dressed in her cow-girl outfit her curly black hair sticking out from under her stetson and her riding boots gleaming.Eldorado knew he was on show and high stepped and pranced in the front of the parade.

Eldorado lived a life of ease on the farm for many years.He was always out if the front field grazing in the tall grass or standing contentedly in the shade under the tree.He lived for 31 years.That seems to be a long time ago now but I always think of him when I go to Fall Fairs and see pretty Palomino horses.