Jack Balas, 2025;
RUN AWAY (#2793)
India ink & acrylic on 2 paper panels, 24 x 36 inches overall

TEXT:
Damn if he didn't run away with me. I was just turned ten the week we were up in the mountains in Colorado at a ranch where they had horses, so every day we'd have a trail ride and on one of them my horse just started galloping and I couldn't make him stop. I'd like to remember that we passed under a pine tree and I grabbed a low-hanging branch as the horse kept going, and I dropped to the ground and had to hike back to the stables. I guess the horse went home by himself and when he came in without me everybody got worried, until they saw me walking up the trail. My favorite ranch hand Buck gave me a big smile and took me aside for an hour to go over my riding technique again, and let me wear his hat and even showed me the bunkhouse. So when I went out riding the next day I made damn sure I could make my horse run away with me any time I needed.