Ever since this A to z challenge started, Titch has been agitating for his turn. B for Beautiful? A for Adorable (hm)? Even H for Horse? But I had to explain, yet again, that not everything is about him.
Titch: How about my grandfather. Raise a - Raise a - Raise a something-or-other?
Me: For someone who loves name-dropping, and has only one name to drop, you really are hopeless. You can't even remember the one name!
Titch (sulking): Well, I am only a horse.
Me: You said it.
So today, R is for Raise a Native, undefeated winning racehorse, who lived from 1961 - 1988, sired 74 winners, and was much celebrated. He was American, and Titch was born in America (you can still detect a faint American twang when he whinnies). Titch is immensely proud of him (let's face it; he doesn't have a lot else to be proud of). Above is a photo of R a N and the grave where he is buried. Titch is mightily impressed with the grave.
Titch: can I be buried in a flower bed when I die?
Me (how can I put this tactfully?): No.
Titch: But I won races!
Me: You won ONE race. And would you care to tell me what happened in your last two races?
Ticth: Can't remember.
Me: Well, let me remind you. You were pulled up in one, and in the other, you unseated your rider.
Titch: Oh.
Me: Yes. Oh.
Titch: So no flower bed?
Me: Afraid not.
Titch: Carrots, then?
I think I could run to a couple of carrots on Titch's grave. When the time comes.
Please, please, pleeeease Frances, do something about the Horse Diaries, have them published, sell the film rights, and so on! I am surely not the only one who'd love to see them as a book.
ReplyDeleteWhy do horses always get so strange names? "Raise a Native"... hmmm... I am sure there is a story behind that name. And indeed, an impressive achievement, 74 winners and never defeated!
Titch is still youngish, isn't he, and I hope you won't have to think about how to adorn his grave for a long time to come.
Wow Frances, I just love hearing about Titch. What is the story behind him coming to you. Did you go to America to get him?
ReplyDeleteI'm with Librarian - I would LOVE to read Titch's diaries in a book :-)x
ReplyDeleteFrances I know this is off the thread, but need to let you know I just read Dead Ernest (thanks to Librarian for recommending it; I ordered it and The Birds, The Bees and Other Secrets for my Kindle)and enjoyed it greatly. Therefore for me today R is for REALLY like your book!
ReplyDeletePoor Titch! He really wants to guest post doesn't he? Bless his heart! I think he is just the coolest and hope he gets to post even if it is the Z day. He could say something like "Zebra.... I'm glad I'm not one" or some such thing. :)
ReplyDeleteNice to meet you both. Best regards to the two of you. Ruby aka Grammy
Librarian, if I thought it would sell, believe me, I'd give it a try. As for names, Raise a Native's sire was Native Dancer, and his dam was Raise you, hence his name.
ReplyDeleteJarmara he came over to England ages ago, to race. Like many riding thoroughbreds, he's just another failed racehorse (but don't tell him I said that!).
Thanks, Teresa. I will think about it...
Jill, thanks so much for taking the trouble to post this. I'm so glad you enjoyed the books. Next one out on Kindle in June - watch this space!
Thanks for the visit, Grammy. I'll pass on the message to Titch, and I'l think about Z!
I love the Horse Diaries, too, Frances, and I love Titch. I think carrots would be perfect to plant on his grave (when the time comes).
ReplyDeleteK
What a lovely horse grave. Poor Titch - I quite understand your wish to have something similar, with such a noble pedigree.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kay. (I haven't told him that graves for horses are an expensive luxury for the very rich. He need never know that.)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Rosemary. Actually, I think Titch is much more beautiful than his grandfather, but I haven't toldhim that, either. He's vain enough as it is.
So horse success is measure in flowers or carrots. What is the world coming to?
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