| This beautiful gypsy horse died at England's Appleby Fair 2007 in a horrible and senseless accident. Despite being terrified out of its wits, this young horse was forced into the river Eden, where it subsequently drowned. Here is a video of an incident, posted by a gypsy person: DO NOT WATCH IF YOU ARE NOT PREPARED TO CRY AND BECOME SICK TO YOUR STOMACH If I could talk to this horse, I would say this - the world is a sadder place without you. I will carry an image of you in my heart forever. I apologize to you for the human who let you down in the worst possible way. I love you and will never forget you. Rest in peace, my friend. Below is a beautiful and poem written by Sue Milliard, who lives in the UK. The poem tells the story of a similar drowning 10 years ago. APPLEBY FAIR Pied and skewbalds, roans and greys, horses bay or brown or dun, four white legs, a star or blaze; they drowse on verges in the sun. Flicking tails at teasing flies, the knee deep grass long eaten bare, tether chains and patient eyes, beside the road to Appleby Fair. Traffic stares, in passing by old vardoes with new canvas tops, shirts and towels draped to dry on shafts parked up on wooden props; but gypsies camp in metal homes where four-wheel-drives replace the mare; caravans here flash with chrome, beside the road to Appleby Fair. Dark-haired girls with sidelong eyes will sell you shiny brass as gold. Canny women offer lies in fortunes patched from what you've told; peddlers drag out coloured clothes and wheedle you to buy their ware. Rough-haired lurchers pant and doze, beside the road to Appleby Fair. Lads swim horses, play like fools; fat cob or swiftest equine prince, they must dare the Eden's pools to wash and scrub and soap and rinse. Trotting bareback up the hill, with dung-dust rising in the air, mind yer backs, giddout the way! along the road to Appleby Fair. Brass and nickel buckles clink on harness dumped astride a fence. Tattooed men sit out and drink till alcohol has drowned their sense. Road-horse bets are won and lost; we'll dodge police, I'll race you there! Caution to the wind is tossed, along the road to Appleby Fair. Racing in a lightweight frame to flash the horses at their best; opposites in crowded lanes can slam the shafts in neck or breast. Crashing steel on tarmac roads, horse-eyes are wild and nostrils flare at whipcrack speeds with yelling loads, along the road to Appleby Fair. After racing, cool her down, so swim her in the Eden deep. The metal sulky pulls her down to where the coldest currents creep. No plunge for freedom breaks the straps, no heaving struggle brings her air. The mare drowns in the sinking trap; no road home from Appleby Fair. (c) Sue Millard 2007 A volume of Sue's poetry available here: http://www.lulu.com/content/929456 |
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| Bandera Gypsy Ranch |
| TRIBUTE TO AN UNKNOWN GYPSY HORSE |
