My Story

As I was contemplating my retirement after 42 years in the trucking industry, I knew I would have to do something to support my retirement income. I really had no expertise in any other field besides trucking. Then I thought back to when my late wife, Bette, had her eight year old Appaloosa pony, Albie. I was a city boy and new nothing about horses. Feeding, grooming and mucking stalls became a new way of life for me. Bette purchased a half-Arab with papers at auction, named Stormy, Jr. He had been abused and had earned the dubious reputation of being a killer horse. Needless to say, I kept my distance as Bette worked with him tirelessly, finally succeeding in getting him to trust her. One day while I was holding him while Bette worked with him, Stormy, Jr. gave a snort and proceeded to rub his nose on my stomach. That was his way of saying he trusted me. 

It was about this time that we received inquires from two teenage girls, Beth and Karen, about riding Albie. The girls proved to be excellent riders. A decision was made to hit the 4H show circuit in the coming Spring. Beth and Karen would show Albie in Western  and English classes, including Hunter/Jumper. A third teenage girl, Darlene, lived down the street from us. Her folks owned a stable and she took Stormy, Jr. down there for the Winter and trained him. By Spring he was in excellent shape and well trained. Darlene showed Stormy, Jr. and Beth and Karen showed Albie. It was at these shows that I noticed a little girl about nine or ten, dressed to the nines in Western attire and riding a Buckskin horse all decked out in Western tack. She was one of the few contestants who had new attire, saddle and tack. Even our girls did not have much that was new. This information is what made me want to start Mohawk Distribution. I wanted to provide quality equine products at reasonable prices so that all riders could afford them

For those of you who are wondering how our two horses made out on the 4H circuit. Well, over a two year period, Darlene and Stormy won many ribbons. Albie, with Beth and Karen did just as well. Some of Albie’s greatest moments were as a Hunter/Jumper. He jumped with the big boys and much to the dismay of the riders of the larger horses, he often came out on top. If I had not witnessed  it with my own eyes, I may not have believed it myself.

One day Bette came home from work and yelled for me to come to the window. I looked out to see a large black and white Great Dane keeping Bette from getting out of her car. I grabbed a can of dog food and led the dog into the garage and closed the door behind him. Most Great Danes are so thin that you can see their ribs. This one appeared to be solid muscle. We later found out that he weighed 200 lbs. I was 6'1" and when the Great Dane stood up and rested his front paws on my shoulders, he was looking me straight in the eyes.We called the animal control officer in town and turned the dog over to him with the understanding that if someone did not claim him he was to call us back. We heard from him a few weeks later. We went down  and picked up the dog and brought him home. The first thing he did was walk aroud the whole perimeter of our property, but made no effort to leave. How he knew that is beyond me. We named him Abe because he arrived on Lincoln's birthday. We tried him as a house dog, but soon scratched that idea because he was so big and strong he could wipe the dishes off the kitchen table with one swish of his tail. I built him a house in a corner of the barn. I insulated it and lined the walls and floor with thick carpeting. I also threw in a bag of shavings. Abe loved being in the barn and playing outside with the horses. Bette bought him a football jersey to wear in the Winter. It had a big number 85 and L.A. Rams across the front. It was quite a site to see the horses and Abe playing together. Abe proclaimed himself Keeper of the Barnyard and would protect the horses and those humans who were his friends with his life. He was an amazing animal. We had him for many years.

Some years later, Bette and Beth went to look at a nineteen year old horse looking for a good home. His owner had suffered a stroke and could not ride anymore. They were gone quite a while before they pulled back into the driveway followed by a pickup truck pulling a horse trailer. After a careful inspection of our place, the horse's owner agreed without hesitation that this would be a goood home for his beloved horse. The new horse was big and white and part Quarter horse. His name was Kyber. All three horses got a long very well together. All three were geldings and they all lived to be 38-40 years of age.

As I said before, I was a city boy and knew nothing about horses. Whatever I did learn was from my wife, Bette. She always stressed the point of if you treat horses with love and respect, they will return the favor. She was right on.

I recently underwent surgery to remove my vocal cord and voice box due to Cancer. The Cancer has been eliminated. I am presently undergoing speech therapy, but am not up to speed yet as far as talking on the phone. I ask that if you do wish to contact me please do so via text or email. Thank you.