Monty's Story
Paterson's Pride Monty
Early days for Paterson's Pride
Monty & offspring Paterson's Pride Nugget.
Nugget got bigger every day.
Goulburn Parade with Monty and Mark
My Mate Monty
Well what can I say about my mate Monty. She came with the first shipment from Newhaven station, a bit sad and in poor condition, despite the best efforts of the people that were looking after them, as it had been the worst drought in a long time. We first saw her in November 2001 when we met the truck at Steve’s place. She was the first off the truck; a little black brown with a blaze & a rear sock, a bit of an oddball with a head to big for her body and one white eye; not a pretty horse at all, but there was something there that gave her character. Steve thought that she was about 15 months old. Although they were still wild we walked around them slowly, and they walked around us never showing any malice toward us.
When I told (Christine), the owners of the agistment property I was getting a wild horse with only basic handling, they were dubious to say the least!
I think they were expecting some half crazy creature that would tear through fences and bolt from people in fear. When we took delivery of her in April 2002; after she was weaned onto good grass and had some basic handling; Christine was there to see her come off the truck. Typically, Monty walked off the truck, calmly surveyed the area, and followed me into the yard. Christine then asked us were we sure that this horse was wild! It seemed to quiet to her. I asked Chris if she was expecting a crazy horse, to which she admitted that she had been.
After a week Monty would be waiting at the gate for me to come with her feed and a brush and lots of attention. A month flew by and we could rug, pick up all her feet and get her to face up to us. She was willing to try and we found her to be very trusting and not nervous of anything that we did to her. After moving her to a bigger paddock we started lunging and long reining her, so that she could learn some basic commands, in preparation for breaking her in; in say six months time, with the intention of giving her 12 months off to continue growing. This was soon changed because even though we were giving her plenty of food; but she was not gaining any condition, just getting a fat belly.
Steve came down for a visit and asked if she was bagging up. We dismissed this idea, Monty was too young to be in foal, at least that’s what we thought! Another friend came for a visit and confirmed that she was in foal.
We moved her to a smaller paddock by the house; and as it turned out, with not much time to spare. Two weeks later, on the morning of our wedding anniversary, I received a phone call saying that Monty was acting strange. I raced up there to find her calmly grazing at the bottom of the paddock. I called to her and as she turned toward me the foal was revealed. He was camel coloured and in your face from day one.
I phoned Steve to tell him the news and he was there within the hour to have a look. Steve commented that the foal was a solid little nugget, and so Nugget became his name. Monty was an excellent mother, and even though we had only had her a few months ourselves, was more than happy to show her baby to anybody. The owners of the agistment property commented on how quiet and relaxed Monty was, even when total strangers approached her to pat the foal.
It is now nearly three years since then, and Nugget has grown to be bigger than his mum.
Monty.
Monty and I have gone on to do many things together including the local agricultural shows, Anzac day and Remembrance day parades, promotional parades and the Reserve Forces Day parade held in Sydney in July 2004, which was the biggest event we have tackled together so far. Being part of the one hundred and ten horses being ridden through the main streets of Sydney, everyone in either Australian Light Horse uniform or period costume it was a unique experience and something that I will never forget. Monty took everything in her stride, from city buses going past, to armoured tanks starting up and blowing out clouds of smoke, nothing worried her.
Monty is now rising five, and has now caught up with her big head; the ugly duckling has turned into a beautiful swan with a temperament of an angel. I can take her anywhere and know that I can trust her to carry me calmly and safely through anything that I ask her to. She is a one of a kind, once in a lifetime horse; and I am proud to call her my mate.
Mark Hanson.