Horses remind us to never give up up

NORTH CANAAN — As part of Railroad Days, Buck Kalinowski brought his two horses, Cupid and Arrow, from their home in Wolcott, Conn., on Thursday, July 26. Kalinowski first told all of Cupid and Arrow’s visitors and fans their story.

Kalinowski said that he bought Cupid (a horse with a heart marking on her forehead) at auction for $325. Cupid was in bad health, and was so malnourished that “you could count all of her ribs.�

Her new owner nursed Cupid back to health and trained her, and she  became a lesson horse — that is, a horse used for teaching new and inexperienced riders.

After months of training, one of Kalinowski’s students taught Cupid how to jump, and even took the horse to a horse show. Cupid was very successful at that show, winning a first-place ribbon.

Even as Cupid was being trained, she had a secret: She was pregnant. About 11 months later, she birthed a foal who had the markings of an arrow, and was named, well, Arrow.

Kalinowski has since published two books telling the tale of Cupid and Arrow and he has produced other memorabilia of the horses, such as plushies and pens. His goal, he said, is to “work with kids so they can see that good can come from a situation that seems hopeless.�

After hearing the saga of Cupid’s recovery and adventures, Railroad Days visitors were invited to pet the mother and her son.

“They were really pretty,� observed Haley Wilkinson. “Arrow had a different textured coat, but they were both soft.�

Kalinowski let everyone in on another secret:

Cupid is pregnant again, due in April. And, the unborn foal’s father has a heart on his forehead, just like Cupid’s, so there is a significant chance that Cupid’s baby will have a heart on his or her forehead as well.