Tails to be Told . . .A treasure chest of memories . READERS Tell us stories!

We want you to look back, reflect, recollect, and share your photos and memories with us. This is not a contest - it is your moment to share with our readers anything from days gone by. The older the story (and photo), the more fascinating. Could be from 20 years ago, 50 years, or a story your grandfather shared with you.

Rawhide 1964

I expect I was born with a love of horses, but they were very sparse in our small west coast mill town growing up. There were no riding opportunities, until my friend Carol moved to the neighbourhood. Then there were occasional heavenly and terrifying trail rides at a not so nearby riding stable, thanks to the fact that Carol’s mom could drive and was willing to do so. And then in the summer of 1964 Carol arrived in our driveway with a horse! He was an old chestnut gelding, blind in one eye, named Rawhide and he was hers for the summer.

The photo is of that evening in 1964, my 12-yearold self sitting up on Rawhide, bareback, for the first time. We loved him to bits and I now fully appreciate what a sweet old good-tempered horse he really was! We learned to ride him bareback with a halter, there was no other gear, doubled all over the neighbourhood, hand-grazed him on roadsides, struggled with a picket line, snuck him into the neighbour’s orchard. It was a summer of real horse heaven for two 12 year olds! And then, Carol’s family moved away, and somehow I found other horses to ride periodically into my grown-up life. Finally when I was nearly 50, I could have a horse of my own. A few well-loved horses have come and gone in the many years since then, but having horses is still just like being that kid again!

- Kerry Marcus, Gabriola Island BC

Send Saddle Up one or two photos and your memoirs (up to 250 words maximum please). Memoirs will be printed as space allows each month. Please include your phone number and location for our files and verification if needed. We would like to print your name (or initials) and location with your submission. You are welcome to send one or more in the months ahead as well. This will be a regular monthly feature... So start looking through those photo albums and share your stories with us. Photos will only be returned if you provide a self-addressed stamped envelope. See page 4 for contact information.