More Bright Bay Memories

It's strange how the mind will offer up more memories, when you start scrolling back through time. After Brown Derby, sold to who knows where, the next bright bay to take care of me had the ugly old name of Musket. He was a snorty, trembly, weedy TB/StdB?/brumby cross, with no white on him at all. Musket was a very safe jumper, packing me around, always in the ribbons at the schooling shows. The "big-time" shows were usually out of our league, but First/Worst (golly, what do I "name" him? I don't like thinking about him) decreed that we were ready for a class "A" show, c/w traveling to another city, and motels, and everything!! I (almost 12 years old) was over the moon with excitement. Our little band of riders did uniformly badly, looking like the rough-riders we were. But, in the last big class, the Jumper Stake, I was clean coming down to the last fence. As Musket and I took off, I let out a victory "Whoop!" and Musket dragged his hind end through the fence. Oh, so close, and yet so far. A learning experience, with a dash of humble pie thrown in. Never cheer your jumps before they're cleared, people:)
Musket was a scaredy little guy, as I said. He'd always have to snort & blow low, and cower up to you, caution/flight ready in every muscle. You know, how they face you, head straight to you, eyes wide, and blowing "hoooo, are yooouuuu?" Musket's ultimate departure involved First/Worst, drunk, taking him for a gallop up a paved road, and foundering him. Musket spent a few weeks in a mud stall, as I recall, and he did end up with a place for me to go visit him, once. I still have pictures of him, ancient crumbly things. I think if I scanned them, they'd powderize. LOL! There are many more, like Boomer King, QH, brilliant little guy, but I'm skipping ahead a few years. Need to rewind, and re-sort:)
A memory is a funny thing.

Ohhh, bright bays.