The “Sir-Prize” of a Lifetime, by Stacy Stauffer

As a child, I loved all animals, especially horses. Having one seemed impossible, but then by great good fortune, a very special horse came into my life when I was 16 years old and he changed everything.

My mother had a friend in Woodside who owned a Palomino mare named Tango. One night she got out of her stall and snuck off with a neighbor’s coal black Arabian stallion, but the next morning she was back so no one was the wiser. Then, several months later, she surprised everyone by giving birth to a skinny little foal aptly named “Sir-Prize.” The very next day, my Mom and I drove up to meet him and we fell in love on the spot. I thought about him for 3 long years until I was able to buy him on my 19th birthday. As more things started to fall into place, I moved into a little cottage on a beautiful Woodside estate with my horse and 4H goat in tow.

Living the Good Life

Sir-Prize didn’t need to be boarded, he had free rein of the property, was able to walk right up to the house, loved to hang out with me, take walks like a dog, and just follow me around as I did my chores. We spent all of our time together and he became my constant companion.

If we were out walking, he would put his head on my shoulder and nibble my ear. If I was sitting down, he might come over and pull on my shirt. He licked me like a dog and would pick up his halter that was hanging on the barn door and throw it at me when he wanted to go for a ride.

He loved me and I loved him ─ we were very best friends.

Quite the Character

One of Sir-Prize’s most endearing qualities was his quirky personality. One time when my grandmother was visiting and we were sitting at a table next to an open window, he popped his head in and pulled off her wig. He then stood there flipping it around as she was saying, “OMG, my hair, my hair.” He could be very mischievous, and he loved to laugh about his own antics.

In another famous incident, Sir-Prize was staying with a friend and she called me because he was in her swimming pool and wouldn’t get out. I got in the car and drove over. He was having the best time, just splashing around and snickering. When I said, “Come on, you don’t belong in there,” he smiled at me like a guilty teenager and reluctantly climbed out of the pool.

Millie the Goat

Millie was a French alpine goat from my 4H days and the perfect complement to our little family. She was also quite the character ─ very sociable, wandering around and visiting neighbors, inviting herself to barbeques, making social calls – everybody knew and loved her.  One of her favorite things was galloping up and down the beach raiding people’s picnic lunches. She particularly loved potato chips, and I remember the day she ran down the beach with a stolen bag of Lays chips on her head. They were spilling out everywhere and none of us could get mad at her ─ it was just too hilarious.

Goodbye Dear Friend

We get so attached to our animals and that was certainly true for Sir-Prize and me. He started to have serious health issues at about 25 and I eventually had to let him go. His passing left a huge hole in my life, but I still have my trail key, my riding chaps, his bridle and saddle, which I like to revisit from time to time to remember our very special bond.

Almost every little girl wants a horse growing up. Where most of us end up with a bicycle instead, I was one of the lucky ones. Sir-Prize and I were so fortunate to have found each other, and we enjoyed every moment of our time together. I loved the way he looked at me, letting me know I was his person. I loved his sense of mischief and the way he smiled (yes, horses do smile). For all the years we spent together, he was my world and I was his.