berner

When a teenage boy, a friend rang up for help in starting his mom's car that had a dead battery. He lived on a property that used to be a farm, and still had several barns and sheds, one shed which his mom used as a garage and which sat at the bottom of a slight hill. There was also a retired plow horse known as Old Nick, and an old Ford tractor from the 40s. His plan was to use the tractor to drag the car up the hill so we could then push it down to get it started. That plan came to a halt when we found the tractor had a dead battery also. What to do, what to do. Well there in a nearby pasture stood old Nick. I had never harnessed a horse in my life but had seen it done many times as a few farmers still used horses in working their fields. We got old Nick from the pasture and found the harness in the barn, a bit moldy but serviceable. The horse collar was easy to "install" but the traces we waited until standing next to the tractor. Throughout this operation Old Nick stood there, head low, rheumy eyes and sway back. As we figured out the traces, Nick began to perk up. In minutes Old Nick was gone in his place was this large and powerful animal with clear eyes, head held high and back straight. It was much like watching Clark Kent step into a phone booth and a moment later out steps the man of steel. And Nick he knew exactly what to do. As the last leather strap was attached, he leaned into the harness and in no time that tractor was at the top of the hill.

Well we got the tractor running and in turn the car but our best accomplishment that day was to rekindle memories in Nick of when he was a young powerful working horse.