1966-Voice Of The Tennessee Walking Horse 1966 May Voice RS | Page 46

MERRY BOY ...
HIS LIFE IN MISSISSIPPI
by SHARON TERRY
"We sold him with about fourteen mares to Mr
Merry Boy was foaled in 1925 and bred by A. M.
GEORGE WILLIAMS from Jackson, Tennessee, and
DEMENT of Wartrace, Tennessee. Roan Allen F-38
I think he was just as crazy about Merry Boy as
was his sire and Merry Legs F-4 was his dam. At
we
were.
approximately ten years of age Merry Boy was sold
"I never went to see Merry Boy. In some way I
to J. L. McMICHAEL, also of Wartrace.
just couldn’t, and it was a sad day for us when we
Merry Boy’s life in Mississippi began in his nine­
let him go.
teenth year when he was purchased from Mr. Mc-
"As time goes on I haven’t kept up with his grand­
Michael by Mrs. WILLIAM McBRIDE YANDELL of
children as I should, but whenever I go to a show I
Vance, Mississippi. Mrs. Yandell was interested in a
have a great feeling of pride. When we see his des­
good stud and chose Merry Boy to use in her breed­
cendants come in the ring, Mr. Yandell and I can
ing program. The day she bought him she was con­
cerned about transporting Merry
Boy to Mississippi because of his
age and the fact that he had never
been hauled. Mrs. Yandell describes
this trip and tells a little about
Merry Boy in a letter to me, which
I quote:
"AUBURN GREY rode down in
the truck with him, and we got in
about eleven at night.
"Merry Boy was as calm as if he
rode in a truck every day. Speak­
ing of riding, Mr. McMichael told
us that anyone could get on Merry
Boy, ride him just so far, then he
would throw them off and comeback
to the bam. He was never trained
for a show but he had a natural
walking gait. I don’t think I ever
saw him trot.
"He was a joy to us the nine or
ten years we owned him. Gentle as
OUTSTANDING CROP OF COLTS — This old photograph shows a lineup
he could be, a child could go in his
of Merry Boy yearling colts. The date is not known. Perhaps Merry Go
stall or lot. I don’t believe he had
a mean bone in his body. We tried
Boy is the little fellow on the left.
to make him stay out of the stall
as much as possible and had a good
small pasture for him. He never really liked to be
nearly always tell them.
out of the stall and if the flies were bad in the sum­
"The great old horse is dead, but his name will
mer, he would run up and down the fence until some­
always be heard from those who love the Walking
one came to spray him or put him up.
Horse.’’
He was a black roan, blaze, both black stockings,
I visited Mrs. Yandell in April and she told me
and spot on each knee. Small ears and big eyes were
more
about Merry Boy and her interest in Walking
well set in his head.
Horses. I was more than touched as she recalled
"I’ve climbed on his back many times but because
visions of Merry Boy and other horses she owned,
of his founder I never tried to ride him. Perhaps he
such as Rise and Shine. Her undying love for Merry
would have sent me sailing, too.
Boy was ever-present in her eyes as well as her
”If I could have gotten a reliable person to look
voice. When Mrs. Yandell showed me a color portrait
after him and get his colts broken he would never
of Merry Boy’s head which she has in her hallway,
have been sold. But we couldn’t, so it seemed best
I could clearly see the wisdom, trust, and love tha
to sell cut everything, which we did. Also, we were
she mentioned.
getting into the grandbaby business and were not
as young as we once were.
(Continued on page 50)
48
VOICE of the ■’
'/-.see Walking Horse