Cherokee

Dawn Knabe, now Dawn Nottingham, leads a pony named "Cherokee" for her little sister, Alison (riding in the back) and their friend/neighbor, Sarah Hess, in Sarah's backyard at 408 North Sycamore, in the Spring of 1983. The pony belonged to Vince & Irma Forrester of Forestburg, and we borrowed him a few summers, keeping him first in Ferd Luttmer's backyard, and then later we closed off the alley and kept him there, so he couldn't eat Ferd's fruit trees. After we moved to 521 North Oak, we kept Cherokee at the farm. One day he escaped, and panic ensued (on my part)! I called all the neighbors, all the local sale barns, the newspapers to run ads...the hardest call was to the owners. I can't remember now just exactly how he was found--Did someone call me??--but the pony had traveled about 4 or 5 miles to the west, and was by a barn on the Dangelmayr's property. I was soooo happy to find him! Sadly, the pony got into a feed bin and ate himself to death, but that happened at his own home, and not while he was under my care, so at least I didn't have THAT, too, on my conscience! He was a good pony. So very gentle that 1 & 1/2-year old Sarah rode him around the yard bareback and without a bridle, halter or rope on him of any kind. See pictures below (or visit the Archives: top, left: Feb. 2008) to see my nephew Tommy on this same pony some 4 years earlier.