Czar, My Beautiful Arabian, You Set My Heart Free

In response to April 2023 DEP Photography and weekly prompt 27/52: Anything Goes

This photo of Czar is when he was a foal. I learned he was for sale from a respiratory therapist. A burn patient on a ventilator has two professionals assigned to their care. Sarah was responsible for the patient’s breathing. I administered IV solutions, changed burn dressings, and monitored vital signs. The two of us repositioned him every two hours.

We spent eight hours together. I didn’t know her that well. She talked about a new foal that had been born. Sarah trained and bred Arabians, her first love. Her dream was to be a Veterinarian. “I can’t keep the little guy. He’s not the color I want.” She kept white Arabians only. He was a bay color.

I’ve wanted a horse since I was 10 years old. Our county school visited a ranch every Friday for trail rides. That was when I fell in love with them. I dreamed of owning one myself. I thought, “Is this my opportunity?” I asked, “How much will you sell him for?”

I knew nothing about the care of a horse. Sarah volunteered to teach me. The price was $300. I couldn’t pass it up. “Wait until my husband hears this.”

“You won’t be able to ride him until he’s two years old,” she said, “His bones have to grow to support a rider. He can stay in the barn where he was born. There is a pasture and other horses there also. Two older ladies own the property. The monthly rent is only $10.”

By the end of our shift, I said, “You’ve got yourself a deal.”

His registered name was Mariana Czaranus. I about choked on that. No, your name is going to be Czar. It was fortunate that the old barn was close. Since I worked the evening shift I could take care of him every morning.

What a learning curve I had ahead of me. I needed to buy special feed for a young horse. Then he required a grooming brush, a halter, a lead to lunge him, a hoof pick, and bag balm for injuries. I picked up Timothy hay for added nutrients. His stall was cleaned and fresh sawdust laid down.

I couldn’t ride so I lunged him in a small arena for exercise. Then led him down the rural road to get him used to all kinds of sounds. He loved apple and carrot treats. He got used to his hooves being lifted so I could clean them. He liked to be petted and talked to. My teenage daughter and son cared for him when I wasn’t available.

Czar continued to grow. As a gelding he had a sweet personality. He liked to nuzzle when we were together. I introduced the weight of a saddle one day while lunging. Stupid amateur, the cinch wasn’t tight enough. As he trotted in a circle the saddle shifted. I had a bucking horse on my hands. It took much coaxing to calm him so I could loosen and remove the object.

I had to regain his trust. I felt sorry for the boy. He had an amateur owner. Many lunging sessions later I tried the saddle again, properly cinched this time. He relaxed and accepted the weight in time. Next I bought a used racing cart and tack. First I got him used to the tack and walked behind. He learned to respond to pressure on the bit for changing directions.

The day I hitched him to the cart we were doing fine. I started down a small incline into a field. The crupper pinched his tail at that moment. He panicked and I had a runaway horse. I managed to steer him clear of trees but he wasn’t going to stop for a wire fence ahead. I pitched myself backward and somersaulted on the ground.

Poor Czar connected with a post and fell on his side. I ran to him and straddled his body to loosen the rigging and remove it. He wouldn’t respond to any tugging on the reins. He weighed too much for me to move him. There was no choice. I kicked him until he realized he had to stand.

On trembling legs he let me lead him to a post by the barn. He had an avulsed wound but no bleeding on his chest. I slapped bag balm over it and called Sarah. I soothed him with my voice and stroked his muzzle. Sarah’s truck pulled into the yard. She calmed us both down. Then gave him a shot, disinfected the area and stitched the wound closed.

She said, “Meet me here tomorrow. We’ll rig him up and drive down the road. He needs to know this won’t happen every time.”

“I can’t do this”

“Yes, you can. So can he. I’ll help you both. Trust me.”

We both survived the incident and enjoyed many jaunts together. Czar turned the two year mark. I needed to transfer him to a better boarding facility. I found one in the country. The owner, Joe, was happy to help me out. His brother-in-law sustained severe burns from a farm accident. He had great respect for burn nurses.

The barn that housed the horses had a huge arena. Joe gave evening classes there. Czar and I learned how to ride together. At one point I lost my balance and almost fell off. Czar stopped and let me regain my position. Joe had never seen anything like it.

We advanced to join a dressage class with other riders. With the strains of Tchaikovsky in the background, we performed an elaborate dance. There’s nothing like it. To ride four horses abreast in unison takes training. It is one of the fondest experiences I’ve had in life.

Czar was proficient in Western and English riding. I drove him on the road in a cart. It was a sad day when I had to sell him. But the memories I have of our time together will stay with me forever. The pictures I have sustain me. With loving patience and nurturing Czar and I enjoyed a great partnership.

This post is written in response to Vidya Sury’s prompt Anything Goes. Hope you’ve enjoyed going down memory lane with me.

Thank you to the DEP editors Dr. Gabriella Korosi, Dr. Preeti Singh, Vidya Sury, Collecting Smiles, and Annelise Lords for this publication to write in.

Please read this article by Pamela Oglesby on the many benefits of having pets in your life.

Dr. Preeti Singh reminds us of some important lessons in life to cultivate.