Interview with Edna Fix - Part Two

I remember when Dad bought a horse named Roy…he was a red-looking horse, but he was so mean! He jerked the boards plum off the barn and took off. Paul was outside playing & tried to get him, but when Paul got up close to the building, Roy would rear up…he was just plain mean. He was real pretty to look at, but he just wasn’t a good horse to have around.

Back to happier memories I remember Bill & Kate – Dad had a gate…the horses could eat all the way up to the gate, but not on the other side. By that time Marion & Eddie were driving. They hated to get out of the car all the time, so they’d go through that gate & just leave it open. Well those horses could be on the back side of the farm, but somehow they knew as soon as that gate was left open. They would go to the neighbor’s farm…McEvers was their name.. cuz they had an orchard. When Joe & I got home from school it was our job to go get em. We had to lead them back through the woods, and sometimes it was dark by the time we’d get back home.

Question – Did you Dad buy the horses for riding and driving?

Edna: Nope, He bought em just as work horses

Question: Did he train them to pull?

Edna – No. Whoever he bought em from had already trained them. As I said before, Joe could ride Bill and he used to talk about how fun it was. Well Mom’s nephew lived up in NY. They decided they wanted to come to the country, pitch a tent in the yard and live like the olden days.

They had 3 daughters & they wanted to ride Bill like Joe did. Mom said “He’s a work horse” They were stubborn though, so they tried to get on him & he tried to bite ‘em It was like he didn’t want…he’d let Joe ride him – but he was not gonna give pony rides. He decided “THAT is not my job!”

Question: Did you have a favorite?

Edna: It was probably Bill. Kate was beautiful! But …maybe it’s bred into them that they’re supposed to work and they just don’t want to be personable…I don’t know. You know – you couldn’t feed them an apple or brush them down…not like your horses.

Question: Any idea how big they were?

Edna – I only know that George was smaller than Kate, and when I would stand beside Bill he was maybe 10” or so taller than I was (Edna is about 5’ 2”)

Question:Did your mom like the horses?

Edna: I don’t know. She never did fool with em…she had so many kids she was trying to keep up with them.