Ride Grandpa, Ride

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My grandpa grew up riding horses.  That was one of his favorite things to do.

A couple years ago he went on the hunt for the perfect horse.  Everyone helped him track down a horse, when he finally wound up with this Appaloosa that he named Chico.

As my grandpa got older it was harder for him to ride and we all knew that but we knew this horse would make his day.  You would go down to his house and he would say,

~If it wasn’t so cold I’d ride Chico today
~If it wasn’t so hot I’d ride Chico today
~I’m going to ride Chico tomorrow if the weather permits
~If I had shoes on Chico I’d ride him
~The next time your dad has the horse shoer out I’m going to have him put shoes on Chico

…. you name it, he’d say it.

My grandpa has always made it known that he wanted to be cremated.  I’ve known that since I was a little kid.  That is a freaky thought as a little kid, I’ll tell ya, but I’ve always known that.  Well as we started making funeral arrangements we came up with a brilliant idea, Grandpa needed to ride Chico.

With the help of the funeral home, we took a pill bottle of my grandpa’s ashes out of the urn and took them home with us.  To some of you, this may sound morbid… and it’s maybe a little weird, but I’ve heard of people doing things like this with their loved one’s ashes.  Putting them to sea, putting them on top of a mountain, you name it, I’m sure it’s been done.

Well Grandpa, you are finally getting your dream, Ride like the wind!

Tuesday was the funeral.  We all gathered at their house Tuesday evening around chore time and placed my grandfather on Chico.

Here Chico is wondering where dinner is

This pic is a little blurry (sorry!) but Papoose, Chico and Pacco couldn’t figure out why UJ was teasing them with feed.

This is Pacco.  He is my grandpa’s Jassonkey (or so I called him).  My grandpa said he wanted a jack@$$ but we weren’t sure if this was that or a donkey… so I called him a Jassonkey 🙂  Grandpa named him Pacco.

Finally UJ was feeding them a little so they’d calm down.  With UJ, my 2 aunts, my aunt’s boyfriend, UJ’s girlfriend, my dad, PC and me outside (we were waiting on my grandma to get out there) the horses were a little uneasy.  They couldn’t figure out what was going on.

AJ took the honors of helping Grandpa onto Chico’s back.

Chico wasn’t completely cooperating.

Then UJ gave them their feed.

and pet Chico.

Grandma and my dad watching.

Then grandma chased Chico with a stick so he’d run like the wind.

Pacco came to see what we were up to.

And finally Chico came back wondering if we had more feed.

I’m not going to lie, that was a very hard and difficult thing to do, but it was oddly reassuring that my grandpa got to ride his beloved horse Chico.

Nicole

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0 thoughts on “Ride Grandpa, Ride

  1. I think that is lovely. My grandpa was a tobacco chewer and he died with a lip full. My dad made sure that they didn't take it out at the funeral home. Honoring the dead with things they love is a beautiful thing I think! God be with you all during this time!

  2. Maybe someday when I need the help up here on the Alberta prairie I'll ask the Lord if your granpa could be one of the ones that gets to come. Sounds like he would be a good man to ride with.

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