Excerpt from
"More Than the Sum of His Spots"

I came to horses later than most people. At thirty-two, I got talked into riding lessons with my fearless younger sister. Most lesson horses are barn-sour, and the nasty Appaloosa who clearly recognized a rube was no exception. He charged the arena, broke into a full gallop, and I managed to hang on, but the damage was done. Shortly after, I found myself in the position of accepting that I would be scared of horses for life, or facing up to the fear and working through it. That was when I met the ugly old Appy who would later become my horse, or more accurately, my horse teacher, allowing me to witness the world—and beyond--from his four-legged point of view.

The Appaloosa has a rich and tragic history. Its name comes from the Palouse River that runs through Nez Perce Indian territory. Some swear the breed came from Russia. More commonly accepted is the notion that the Spanish introduced these “Ghostwind” horses to America when they came to California to conquer, Christianize, and find gold. In 1804 Meriwether Lewis wrote in his journal, “Some of these horses are pied with large spots of white irregularity…” And then went on to admire their conformation and spirit. On October 5 th, 1877, the Calvary captured Chief Joseph, and whatever horses weren’t sold were exterminated. In 1937, the Appy caught the public eye, and the Appaloosa Horse Club was founded. Today the breed is held in high esteem, and their numbers exceed a million registered horses.

My nineteen-year-old Leopard Appaloosa came to me already named: Tonto. It was just about as politically incorrect as a name could be.

Though technically a “Few Spot Leopard Appaloosa,” one of six known patterns, he was not handsome. True Leopard Appys are covered entirely with dazzling spots, and sometimes referred to as the “Tiger Horse.” Tonto had missed out on spot day. He looked like he’d been splattered with mud here and there. His butt in particular sported spots the size of Oreo cookies. He was of an age when most other horses retire, or die. All the other horses in the stable had dishy Arab faces, elegant necks, or flowing tails that swept the ground. Tonto was Roman-nosed and outfitted with only the bare essentials. His mane and tail belonged on an eighty-year-old man.