Charlee was at this event with a pair of driving
ponies, CLYDE and DALE, giving rides to all the kids and promoting PPL
as usual. She didn't know either that a very special little boy was
about to jump on her cart and steal her heart.
I was giving rides to lots of kids with my
driving pair, CLYDE and DALE, and Tyler didn't hesitate to leap onto
the wagon seat beside me (with a little help from his Granddad) when it
was his turn. His Mom and Dad told me right away that Tyler was deaf so
I was aware that "talking" wasn't an option. We made one round past an
old log cabin and I could tell that Tyler just loved the ponies and the
ride.
On our second trip around, I handed Tyler
one of the lines because I could sense that those little hands were
just itchin' to "help"! Everything I did with CLYDE's line, Tyler
immediately imitated with DALE's—and then he would flash me the most
adorable grin you ever saw. He sure was reluctant to climb back down
off that wagon! But when he did, he went right to the ponies' heads and
hugged and petted them and I could tell how excited he was. I spoke to
his parents for bit and invited them to stop by my farm before they
went home as I lived just up the road from the harvest event.
The Merriners stopped by my farm later that
day, and Tyler ran from one pony to another, petting and hugging each
one and grinning from ear to ear. I gave his parents the new booklet we
had just written for families about requirements for
keeping a pony and basic pony care and the Merriners explained to
me that Tyler was scheduled for a cochlear implant the next month, that
he would be out of deaf school for quite a while, and that they were
looking for something that would keep his mind occupied and his
attitude "up" through the upcoming surgery and recovery.
Tyler is "all boy" and I knew that a young
pony wouldn't make a good match with him. He needed a pony of special
patience and understanding, especially as he had no previous hands on
experience with them. I quickly ran through the ponies who might be
placed with a child in my head and even considered placing a weanling
with with this family right away because I just knew this wonderful
family was special and I wanted to bring them some PERSONAL PONIES
MAGIC at this difficult moment. But watching Tyler, I knew he needed a
more tolerant and experienced pony to ensure his safety.
And as I considered
the
situation, I realized that even though CLYDE and DALE had a special job
to do as PPL promotion ponies pulling the wagon for many events, they
were also the perfect ponies for Tyler. They had had experience and
exposure to so many things that Tyler's racing up to them, his
enthusiastic hugs and the unexpected (and energetic) patting of rumps
didn't faze them a bit. And most of all, anyone with eyes could see the
MAGIC happening between Tyler and the ponies, especially with CLYDE.
His relationship with CLYDE is one of those mysterious things we humans
can never quite understand—like love at first sight or something that
was just meant to be, because from the second that they laid eyes on
each other, Tyler and CLYDE have been a pair. Tyler liked DALE, but
anyone could see that CLYDE fell in love with Tyler just as much as
Tyler fell in love with CLYDE (all the more amazing because CLYDE is
known for being a tad on the stubborn side with my volunteer kids, and
yet with Tyler, from the first moment, Clyde all but said "OK, Buddie!
Whatever ya want, I'm YOUR pony!").
When it was time to leave, Tyler signed "I
love you" to me. Then and there I knew that my two "boys" HAD to live
with this wonderful little boy.
UPDATE on Tyler - January 2001
Within a few weeks, Charlee delivered CLYDE and
DALE right to Tyler's front door. Shortly after, Tyler had his surgery
and CLYDE and DALE have helped keep his spirits up during his recovery.
Charlee stays in weekly contact with the
Merriners who report that CLYDE and DALE have, indeed, brought a bit of
MAGIC into all of their lives. The entire family is in love with the
ponies, and Tyler insists on taking them for long walks each day, even
when it rains (and sometimes the whole family huddles in their shelter
together just to keep them company!). Tyler's Mom, Sonja, also reports
that people who haven't visited for quite a while NOW come just to see
the ponies and even Granddad is hopping up and down like a kid asking
if any other ponies need a temporary home...because HE wants one! And
through it all, Tyler is proud as can be that CLYDE and DALE are "his"
ponies.
Charlee says that as much as she misses her
little team, she can't help but smile when she thinks about a very
special little boy, bright eyed and happy, taking such good care of his
special ponies. She also reports that the Merriners are now looking for
an affordable wagon so they can not only love these ponies and take
rides, but also so that they can share them and the MAGIC of PERSONAL
PONIES with their entire community!
Tyler's story begins
with a bit
of serendipity...a fortunate meeting with Charlee Messick, Virginia
State Director and one of our most active volunteers, at an apple
harvest event just last fall at a farm near Winchester, Virginia.
Tyler's parents, the Merriners, had brought Tyler out for a Sunday
outing, knowing that he would enjoy the hayrides, farm animals, corn
mazes and apples—but never in their wildest dreams did they imagine
that they were going to meet Charlee and soon be part of our PERSONAL
PONIES famiy.