Georgie’s Memories – Part 4: Horses

Horses in everyday life

When we lived at the Bruegenhempke Place (which was a farm owned by Grandpa Wellman – the house was a log house covered with white siding) Grandpa always drove over with the team hitched to a farm wagon or the spring wagon as it was called.  When there was a lot of snow in the winter, he would hook up the bob sled.  I remember one horse was called Prince and sometimes Grandpa would ride him.  He enjoyed riding horseback.  Farming was done with horses and everybody raised hay.

My Grandpa Link liked fast horses – had a team of ponies and always came to town in a buggy which he parked at Great-uncle Stace (Eustace) Link’s store on the west side of the building (now Link’s Funeral Home).  He played cards all afternoon at the Pool Hall on the west side of the square and when he started for home the ponies were ready for their feed and the barn.  I’ve heard my parents tell many times that when my dad was courting my mother he would drive Grandpa Link’s team.  When he unhitched them he would have to be ready to jump into the buggy as they were full of ginger and made a fast start.  At one time Grandpa Link raised Percheron horses.  We used to go out to the barn to look at what was the last one he owned.  It was huge and gray – sort of speckled.  Grandpa Wellman always tied his team near the back door of Steve Schroeder’s Store (now 103 and a tavern is in what used to be the store).

Horse racing

            The only time I have ever been to a horse race was a harness race at the West Point Fair (the last Fair).  Also saw my first rodeo at the West Point Fairgrounds.  When I started to school several boys rode horses to school.  Some lived quite a distance and I guess some could spare a horse.  Several kept their horses in a stable on the west side of the Ideal Feed Mill.

            My aunt, Mrs. George (Veronica “Verona”) Wellman was one of the few women I knew who knew how to harness a horse. She used to drive over with the buggy – I had great respect for her ability.

            My mother was born on a farm about 2 miles west of West Point (on the way to Franklin, Ia – now belongs to Albert Neuweg).  She said they used to race horses there before her time – born 1890.

            Runaway horses, though not common, happened once in while resulting in injury and sometimes death.  Everyone farmed with horses, so most farmers raised hay and pastured hilly land.  Farmers practiced diversified farming at that time.  Each farm was pretty self-sufficient as everyone had horses, cows, sheep, and chickens.  A thrifty farmer had a big vegetable garden, fruit trees, berries, and a wood lot. He raised corn, wheat, oats, hay, rotated crops, planted clover, and hauled manure to build up the soil.  He planted cedar and pine trees for a windbreak in winter, shade trees for coolness in the summer. 

Hedges and road

            There used to be a lot of hedge planted for fences.  This was later pulled out as it acted as a snow fence, keeping the roads impassable longer in the spring, and as it grew bigger it shaded the edges of the field.  Also, as roads were widened and rebuilt the hedges were pulled out.  My dad pulled out hedge and stumps to clear the right of way for the Coleman Road ( now Highway 16, west of Houghton, IA) with his steam engine.  This road was a gift from Albert Coleman, the first paved road in that area.  (Note: We have some interesting documents about this that will be in a future post.)