Old Ned

A true life story related by Jack R. Kapp  (3rd person narrative) 

Jack grew up on a farm. When he was a lad his father, two uncles and grandpa lived on adjacent farms in the South Ogden area. Jack learned a lot of lessons from these great men, but he also learned some profound lessons from the animals of the farm. 

Back in those days all of the farm work was done by horses (1930’s-40’s). Jack’s grandpa owned a team of horses and everyone used them to run their farms. One of his grandpa’s horses was named “Ned”. He was a wonderful horse. Let me tell you a little about him: 

Ned was a very hard worker and consequently he was required to do all the single horse work. Dump rake, cultivator, etc. He was always given the tough assignments when they came around– generally being put in a position of pulling in the most difficult position of the team. 

Jack often wondered in his youthful mind why Ned was so foolish, so obedient and willing which often resulted in Ned being required to so much more than the other horses. 

Ned was always anxious to please his masters. He would come to the gate immediately when called, even by the youngest of the cousins. He stood quietly, un-tethered while the harness was put on him. While waiting for the “get-up” command, he would always stand at the ready – anxious to go with just a simple voice command – he never needed a whip or a slap of the reins to get him going. 

Ned was very gentle and trustworthy in nature. He was hitched to the mow bar side of the hay mower because he wouldn’t bolt due to the distraction of the mow bar when it hit a pheasant or something. Anyone could ride him. You didn’t even need a bridle. You just grabbed a handful of his shaggy mane and pulled to the side that you wanted him to go. No one really cared when their kids were out riding old Ned, because they knew they were in good hands and everyone trusted him with their precious children. In short, he was about everything you would want in a farm horse. 

One of the things Ned was used for was to pull the hay derrick cable. Jack’s grandpa had a huge closed-in barn in which the hay for the entire winter was stored. As each crop of hay matured it was harvested and loaded onto a wagon and pulled to the back of this barn to be hoisted up into the hay loft of the barn through the use of a series of pulleys and cables and a big Jackson Fork. After each wagon load of hay was brought in and positioned behind the barn, old Ned would be unhitched from his station on the hay wagon and brought around to the front of the barn to pull the cable that would lift the great scoops of hay off the wagon and up into the barn. 

Often it was Jack’s assignment to ride Ned as he pulled the derrick cable. You couldn’t see the front of the barn from the back, so everything was done by voice commands. When the Jackson fork was set in the hay, the men would holler: “take it away”. That was Jack’s clue to nudge old Ned into action. He would go forward and the cable would tighten and Jack felt that he really had to urge Ned to pull harder because the hay was very heavy. When the fork reached the proper position in the barn, the men would holler: “dump it” — the hay fell in the barn, and the cable would go slack and Jack would hear the command: “bring it back”. Jack would then stop Ned, turn him around and ride him back to the barn ready for the next fork load. It usually took about five fork loads to empty the hay wagon. 

Jack was really proud of himself for being able to control that big horse like he did. But a funny thing happened one day. They had just hoisted five loads of hay on the last load of the day. Ned was tired and so was Jack and both must have thought the work was all done for the day. Jack slid off Ned’s back and left him standing there while he went over to the watering trough to wash his face and get a drink. Jack had just arrived at the trough when to his horror he heard the call from the back of the barn: “take it away”---- there was one more load to go. Jack was horrified. He was a long way from Ned and even if he got there he had no way to get up on Ned’s back without help. 

Jack turned around just in time see old Ned start forward all on his own. The cable tightened and he dug in those hoofs strained at the tugs to get the hay load free of the wagon. He pulled until he heard “dump it”, and he stopped. When the call came: “bring it back” he turned around and walked back to the barn. Jack watched the whole thing in absolute amazement. 

Afterwards, Jack finally figured out that Ned did this because he had been doing it all his life, and he had a desire please his masters. All he needed was a faint call from his master who was out of sight behind the barn. And the fact that he was tired and didn’t have a rider to direct him didn’t matter to him; he knew exactly what to do. 

That really made an impression on Jack’s young mind. Later in life as Jack recalled this event, he made a decision that he wanted to be like that magnificent old horse. He didn’t want anyone to have to urge or drive him into action. He just wanted to have served so long and so well that when he heard the faint call from a familiar voice from the back of the barn (or from heaven): “take it away”, He would know exactly what to do. 

SEQUEL: There is a sequel to this story that is worth telling and kind of adds even more meaning and substance. 

When Jack was about 12 years old his dad, uncles and grandpa all moved to farms up in Eastern Oregon. They had much larger farms and had purchased modern tractors and implements that only a tractor could pull (late 1940’s). Horses weren’t needed much if at all anymore but Jack’s grandpa insisted on taking Ned up to Oregon with him where he was just kind of put-out to pasture and fed and pampered. The old harness hung unused in the tack room of the barn. 

One day early in the spring when the ground was really wet in a particular area on the farm, one of Jack’s uncle’s tractor became stuck in the mud. All the men tried to free the tractor but they couldn’t and it was late at night and they decided to leave it and get it out in the morning with other the help of other tractors. The problem was that it rained all that night and a larger area of the field became even more saturated with water. They didn’t dare risk driving another tractor close enough to pull the stuck tractor out. It was a critical situation because there was a lot of work to be done in a short time on the farm and all the tractors were desperately needed to do the work. 

What could they do? Finally one of the men asked aloud if maybe old Ned might be able to pull the tractor out. Horses don’t have the trouble in mud that a tractor has. Well they all knew that he was pretty old and hadn’t worked for a few years, — could he still pull hard at such an advanced age. They even wondered if the old harness is still in tact. But, there weren’t many other options and they decided to give it a try. 

They went to the barn got the old harness. It was dried out and stiff but it seemed to be all there. Of course, as always, old Ned came immediately when called and stood quietly as the old stiff harness was put on him just as he had always done He had lost a little weight and a great deal muscle tone and was not the horse he was when younger, but he still had the same old willing disposition and he seemed to know exactly what was expected of him. They led him to the field and tied his single tree harness to the tractor with a chain. 

Just a quiet “get up Ned” and he instinctively started to move forward. Everyone watched as the chain tightened and the old muscles began to strain. The strength of youth wasn’t there, but the old resolve and willingness was still in tact and he strained at the tugs with all his might, just as he had done all his life. Ned knew how to pull!! 

Many standing there were concerned that he might hurt himself with such an effort, but gradually the tractor started to move. Slowly at first then faster and finally with the help of this old warrior it was pulled out to dryer ground. There were cheers for sure, but what was remembered by Jack the most was that each man in the group instinctively went up and gave old Ned a pat and said words of appreciation to him. Jack saw the genuine love and respect Ned had earned through his years of service, in their actions. As for Jack, he had tears in his eyes. 

Ned was never asked to pull again, but it was so significant to Jack to know that one of the heroes of his youth had one more great pull left in him. 

Later in Jack’s life when he was serving as a Bishop, he remembered this magnificent animal and as a sign of respect began to mentally to assign “Old Ned” awards to many special people for their untiring and unrelenting service to the Lord. Many of Jack’s friends have received an Old Ned award and don’t even know it. It is truly a reward to be coveted! 

I guess that in my simple mind, I think that someday when I see again see Jack (my father) who has passed on. I would be in good stead if I had conducted my life here in such a way that he might present me an “Old Ned” award.