For some unknown reason, last night I was dreaming about playing with Johnny West dolls, in particularly Jake West (the boy figure with dark hair on the right). I actually had some of these when I was little- Jamie, Jane (tall blonde mannish-looking woman) the girl in front with pigtails (I never knew her name- something with a 'J' - Jenna? Julie? Joan? Looked it up- it's Josie) the German Shepard Dog, the horses. I still have one of the horses and the German Shepard (I think-) not sure what happened to the action figures, but I vaguely remember 'improving' some of the horses with paint and either giving them to Aaron or trying to sell them at a yard sale. I'm thinking the paint peeled off and they ended up discreetly in the trash. Maybe, maybe not. The horses were the Palominos- I had 'Thunderbolt' and 'Pancho'- Thunderbolt is the big horse- I had at least 2 of those, Pancho was the pony- one of those, plus 'Dancer'- same scale articulated bay horse that actually was part of a Barbie doll set. The figures came with odd soft rubber clothes/ accessories- skirts, canteens, chaps, hats, bandannas etc.- I didn't like the clothes much (thought it was so *wrong* to wear the skirt over the jeans) but I loved the canteen, the rifles and especially the saddles and tack for the horses. I loved that the bodies of the people were articulated and could actually ride a horse properly- it always annoyed me that Barbies legs would stick straight out (even those with bendable knees) and her arms never could do anything but windmill. I remember wishing that somehow the Barbie look (the skin/ hair/ nude body) could be combined with the bendy parts, and real clothes, and that would of been a total dream doll for horse-happy me.
The horses were hard plastic with stiff legs- they made one whose head moved, one with moving legs, one on wheels with a wagon, and different colors- but I only had the stiff Palomino types. They were good because they could stand up, but I loved the moving Bay Dancer horse the best. Of course, I had my own names for all of them, and they were my favorites until I was introduced to Bryer horses- much more realistic and Oh! the variety of breeds and colors. Truthfully, I mostly ignored the dolls and played with the horses.
The horse I still have is not one of my originals, but one I spotted and bought for a dollar at auction. I had to have it, and was instantly obsessed with the idea of painting it- but I haven't and I won't. He hangs around the rose room in all his horsey splendor, somewhat out of place with my apothecaries, curiosity cabinets and books- but still an important part of my history.
I have always loved horses, real or imagined. Books about them, stories, the smell of the stable and the meadow. My cousins had horses- lots of horses and ponies in big barns- they were quality horses, used for showing and riding in competitions. If I was lucky, I could ride one when I visited- but I was to intimidated to ask and I think they thought I was scared of them. Not scared, in awe. I would of been content to spend all of my visits just sitting in the barn~ I went through a 'National Velvet' phase of cutting out small pictures of horses and tack from magazines and pretending they were mine- I even remember crying when a favorite 'broke his leg' (it tore off) and I had to 'put him down' (actually buried him in the back yard. He was a chestnut thoroughbred hunter, and I apologize for not remembering his name). I also drew them constantly- that is how I really learned to draw things, is that I would have this great imaginary horse stories in my mind and try to visualize them on paper...even way back when we lived at Headacher I did this-
Later, of course, I was able to take riding lessons and be around the real thing. Eventually I had my own horse and the care of others- and I always went riding when I could. On the beaches in California, in the mountains around Boone. Selling my horse broke part of my heart off- I haven't been on one since then- it's been about 20 years. (imagine! so very long not to do something I love). We can't afford one now, haven't the space and I haven't the time- but someday, someday again I will ride and know the smell of the stables.
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