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(9,995 posts)Frasier Balzov
(3,428 posts)Kids and horses bonding so beautifully!
SheltieLover
(58,925 posts)rockbluff botanist
(308 posts)I love the photo of the six deLeyer children on the back of the amazing Snowman. What a wonderful true story.
Nittersing
(6,743 posts)From wiki:
Snowman was originally a plow horse on a farm in Pennsylvania Dutch country. But in February 1956, he was headed for the slaughterhouse at 8 years of age. However, that same day 28-year-old Harry deLeyer left his home in Long Island, New York, to attend the horse auction in New Holland, Pennsylvania, looking for cheap horses for his jumping school. He arrived late, and the only remaining horses were those loaded into trucks bound for the dogfood factory. When deLeyer spotted the gray horse, he had it brought down and bought him for $80.I needed a quiet horse for the beginners, he recalled. "I remember seeing his eyes and thinking 'this one seems nice and quiet', Ill give him a chance". He first used Snowman as a lesson horse for children. DeLeyer recognized talent in the horse after he sold him to a neighbor and the horse jumped high fences to return home. DeLeyer then began training Snowman as a show jumper.
edit to add: Snowman lived to 26.