AtoZ Letter D~Dad and Sixteen Hands Dan

"Golden horses - that's what they call the palominos. And palominos have quite a history. You know, the history of my own palomino began right here at this ranch.  If I hadn't-a gone through that gate a few years back, I'd never have gotten my pal, Trigger."  Roy Rodgers, My Pal Trigger (1946).


My Dad could have just as well spoken those words and been Roy Rodgers' double.  He and Roy had a lot in common beginning with their love of Palomino's. 

Their origin can be traced back to the Crusades and were often the choice of steed for many royal leaders.  Queen Isabella of Spain was so captivated by the Palomino's golden beauty, she wanted them to live on, breed and spread throughout the New World. 

From Mexico to Texas and throughout the Southwest the Palomino was the Native American Indian's choice of a mount for hunting and traveling quickly.
 
Annie Oakley I was not.  About the only trick riding I did was keeping my seat while riding bareback.
Dad's first rule if one wanted to ride or give rides, was 'Get On and Off on Your Own'.  So, here's **Sixteen Hands Big Dan and 'All Legs Barefoot Sue' whose longest reach could not get a handful of Dan's White Palomino Mane.  Even if I could have, Dad nor anyone else would give me a boost. 

My cousin from Iowa...the one wearing Dad's black Stetson...tried, but threw me over Dan's back. Getting off was easier...we just slid off his golden tail behind.  Oh!!! That counts as a Trick...I was Annie Oakley.

**How To Measure Horse Height...

the Cowboy Way

 

The 'Hands' measuring method is very old, but easy to understand.  People long ago did not have measuring tapes as we do today.  They used what was 'handy'...their hands. 

 

At various times in history and in different locales a "hand" was defined as the width of a person's hand and widely accepted to mean 'Four Inches'.  Though the origins are ancient, a hand is still the unit of measurement for horses today.

 Here's how it's done: Using a straight pole or level measuring tape, measure from the ground to the high point known as withers...red line on Dan measured 64 inches. 

 

Well, pardners, that's about it for Dad, Dan and Annie Sue Oakley, but there is a bit more about Roy and Trigger.  Remember I told you in the beginning that Dad and Roy shared a love of Palominos?  It wasn't just them, it was everyone of us who rode Big Dan and watched Roy and Trigger on our black and white TV's back in the 1950's.  Roy once said,  "Cowboys weren't allowed to kiss girls in pictures, so one time I gave Dale a little peck on the forehead and we got a ton of letters to leave that mush stuff out.  So I had to kiss Trigger instead."