HISTORY OF PASCO COUNTY

Lacoochee

Smut Out of Magnolia by Prince

By J. W. HUNNICUTT

“Shorty” Daley kept horses and cattle on the “free range” adjacent to our property on US301 north of Trilacoochee. Shorty had a palomino, Prince, and his wife had a white mare, Magnolia. Prince was usually in a pasture next to Shorty’s garage between Lacoochee and Trilacoochee but Magnolia frequently ran with the horses in the woods.

When I was about ten Prince and Magnolia had a foal. The foal and Magnolia spent most of their time near our house. One day while my dog, Sonny, and I were exploring the woods we found Magnolia dead and the foal was at her side.

I ran home and told my dad who said he would tell Shorty. When Dad returned from Shorty’s he said the foal was mine. I do not know if he bought him or if Shorty just did not want to be responsible for him. Regardless of what the circumstances might have been I was very pleased to have a palomino. His coat was gray and shaggy but I knew, in time, he would grow into a beautiful golden stallion like his father. I named him Smut and he and Sonny and I soon were inseparable.

I do not know how long Magnolia had been dead but Smut apparently had not had a good meal in several days. He was kind of puny. My dad had a lay horse doctor from Trilby come check him out. He told me what to feed Smut and said we should just hope for the best. When I was at home Smut was always at my heels.

One day I came home from school and Smut was gone. My sister said he had died. She said my dad did not want me to see him dead so he dragged him into the woods and buried him. Sonny and I never really got over losing Smut.