Present-Past-Future
By: Judy Meredith SSMA Director/Inspector
The years 2003 and 2004 have been unusual for me and I
have reflected on my life quite a bit. In August of 2003, I
was in a horrific truck accident. I broke both legs, my
hip, my right arm, some ribs and the C2 vertebrae in my
neck. Then I developed a lung condition called A.R.D.S.
causing my doctors to put me into a coma for 3 1/2
months. I finally got out of the hospital in March of 2004.
I am still on oxygen 24 hours a day and still fighting to
walk, but I'm getting my strength back with rehab. The
drunk driver who hit me is spending 8 years in prison. I
was forced to retire after 29 years of teaching but much
good has come from the whole experience. I relearned the
importance of family and friends from an incredible
amount of good will and prayers.
My history with Spanish mustangs dates back to around
1970, when Leanna and Buddy Rideout found a mare
wandering around" in Houston. They took her in, named
her Gypsy, and tried to find out what breed of horse she
might be. Someone suggested she might be a mustang
and that they contact Gilbert H. Jones. They began
corresponding with Gilbert and when they moved back
to Marshall, they began to visit him at Medicine Springs.
They took me along several times and I even remember a
delicious meal that Bertha Jones cooked for us on her
wood burning stove. Gilbert built Bertha a nice house
but he never did connect the electricity, plumbing or
running water.
Gilbert told me a story about how Bertha would always
leave a kerosene lamp burning in the window when he
was out after dark.
Bertha Jones was diagnosed with cancer and was so ill
that Gilbert could not attend my first Spanish Mustang
Registry meeting held in Mississippi.
I had joined SMR and even helped answer inquiries
about mustangs for the SMR. At that Mississippi SMR
meeting I met Bob Brislawn. A group of us were walking
across the road to look at some pastured mustangs when
Bob looked about and commented "Horses tied up
everywhere and all these people walking, has to be
something wrong with that."

There was a great deal of argument and name-calling at
the meeting, the worst of which was someone saying that
Gilbert was "afraid" to come to the meeting, hiding
behind Bertha as an excuse.
The Rideouts and I packed up and left over that and
went straight to Medicine Springs.
Differences in philosophy led to the forming of SSMA, a
director run registry with a chairman who has the
support of a Board of Directors.
In 1976 medical bills forced Gilbert to sell me a filly by
Turtle from Squaw that Bertha had practically raised
around the house. I still have the letter from Bertha
telling me to come get her and the bill of sale from
Gilbert. Her name is Indian Summer and she is 30 years
old and doing GREAT!
When I got her home, she and I were featured in a Bryan
Newspaper article that told all about Spanish Mustangs.
I think the best thing I can do is tell some of the old
stories about Gilbert and the mustangs. During one of
my first visits, Gilbert surprised us all by petting a great
big mule footed Spanish hog that Bertha had gentled. He
raised these hogs and Catahoula stock dogs and both
were quite renowned.

Later that same day most of us who were there for that
fall ride lined up for a picture with 14 stallions, 1 mare,
and I mule. Gilbert's comment, "You couldn't take that
picture in the spring."
The early rides were usually under 30 or so people, you
really had to want to get there because the roads just
weren't much back then.
Many years later in his life, Gilbert held 3 men who were
poaching his hogs at gunpoint until the sheriff could
arrive. Bryant tells that story really well with great
detail.
On one of our best rides around the range with Gilbert
we must have seen over 100 horses. Gilbert, who had
cataracts, could spot them and then would holler "Come
on," and slowly off in the distance that spot was a little
band of mares and foals and a stallion and they would
come up for him.
This was one of Gilbert's favorite stories. One year I was
loaned a mare for the 50 mile race and my friend David
Chambers volunteered to ride part way if he could find
something to ride. Gilbert kind of grinned at him and
offered him his Spanish mustang mule, Skeeter Bill.
David, without ever riding a mule before, agreed and
Gilbert said he better use the heavy leathers, which
turned out to be reins about 2 inches wide. David knew
something was up when almost everyone in camp
stopped what they were doing as someone, probably
Milton, helped get the mule ready. I think most people
expected a real show when David mounted up. David
thought to himself, "this is a little mule, I hope he's
strong enough to carry all 6'5"of me". The people that
knew Skeeter Bill, assured him that the mule would be
fine. There is a lot more to this story, just ask David
Chambers.
Another time, Gilbert was riding horses with us. He and
Jewel Whitmire were leading the way and we all watched
as they eased the pace up just a bit, and then a little
more and then they were racing down the road. When
they pulled up and we caught up, they were grinning like
two naughty school boys. There are so many more great
stories.
I can see him sitting in his chair, quoting from a book or
article, walking across to his bookcases that covered the
walls of his house and pulling out the right volume and
teaching me exactly where he got that information. I was
always amazed at his quest to learn more about
everything, and his correspondence with authors was
world-wide. I believe he is part of the reason that Finley
got a new Post Office.
Because of the bad to nonexistent roads, David brought a
Jeep that he would drive over practically anything. When
we would get there a few days before each October ride,
Gilbert would have us take him to town to do some
errands. We could never get him to wear a seat belt in the
mountains and had to tell him it was the law when we
got on the pavement. His comment was "I don't need a
seat belt, I ride by balance."
I went to Medicine Springs to see Gilbert the last fall he
was on the mountain. He was in good spirits that day and
he posed. for pictures with my Texas mustang pals, and
he told a few stories and as always asked some questions
on a great variety of subjects. I never got to see him as
often as many in Oklahoma did, but each visit is so
crystal clear to me.

I remember the first time I saw a clear-cut. It looked like
an atom bomb had been dropped, but it turned out to be
much better grass for the horses and they didn't die from
ticks anymore. I've heard that my beloved Medicine
Springs has had its timber cut and I can only say that if I
can heal, and the clear-cuts can heal, maybe in time ....
We owe it to Gilbert H. Jones, who spent his life trying to
preserve these horses, and to the rest of us who have
spent many years trying to get the word out to make sure
that Spanish Mustang horses are around for generations
to come. My personal goal is to continue to breed true to
Gilbert H. Jones bloodlines and to spread the word about
these special horses. We must preserve the past for the
future..
I would love to collect the stories about Gilbert H. Jones
and our experiences with these unique horses. Think
about them, write them down, and share them with me,
or your loved ones. I've met such caring, amazing people
because of SSMA, I consider it a privilege to be a director.
I asked Gilbert one time why I had such a responsibility,
he looked at me, grinned with his one tooth, and said it
was because I'd been around so long. His word was
always good enough for me. .
I spoke to Judy. She has a wonderful health
update!..............


I am off oxygen and out of the wheelchair and have even
ridden horses a few times now.  

I still have lots of scars and metal in my body and
permanent damage to my lungs but to most people say, I
look like I am doing great.

Lost 70 pounds from the ordeal so I think I look better
than I have in years.  

I have been so happy to get to make my two trips back to
Medicine Springs, it was like coming home to me.  
Email Judy