The Lean Horse

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DESCRIPTION

A happy story tucked in the memory of an author who grew up in a cove in the Appalachian Mountains has now found its way into a children's book. Amy takes you back to when her family lived off the land, and had to make do without the amenities of the world outside their environment. “My sister, brother, and I created our own toys out of what we had,” she says. “We didn’t know we were poor, so to us, what we created brought us only joy! Every time I think back to my ‘lean horse,’ it brings a smile to my face. I hope the story does the same for my readers!”
Here is how a creative mountain girl who wanted a horse created her own out of a stick.

EXCERPT

Amy had chores to do, and places to go . . . and had to have a way to get there fast! What was she to do? She had no money, and was too little to climb up on Old Maude. So, one evening, after listening to the Lone Ranger on the battery- operated radio, she made up her mind! “I am going to have a horse like ‘Silver,’ the Lone Ranger’s horse,” she said, as dreams filled her head . . . .
The next day, she searched the whole cove, looking for the right stick. She wanted one with the bark that would look the most like “Silver.” “Ah ha!” she said when she found a limb lying underneath a silver maple tree.
She studied the stick. In her mind she could see the head of a real horse with its mane flying all about its head.
With the stick in her hand, she ran to the canhouse. There she found a piece of her daddy’s tanned rabbit skin for the reigns, and an old mophead for a mane . . . tying both on as tightly as she could to the stick. Then the creative girl mounted the lean horse, pulled back on the reigns and yelled, “Hi Ho Silver! Away!” and took off, her hair flying all about her head!