Dopey the horse

My dad came home one day with a horse. It was a Shetland pony that he got from a carnival I believe. We kept it in the backyard for a few days. Dad then rented a lot a few blocks away in OKC and kept him there.
We had a great time taking turns riding our pony that we named Dopey. I can't recall how he got his name. He was the most stubborn animal I ever saw. It was always a struggle to get Dopey to obey what we commanded. He did not seem to respond to the whip either.
After a while I guess it got to be too much trouble to care for Dopey in the city. We took him to my aunt and uncles farm. We visited often and rode him there. That is where the photo was taken.
I rode him in the local rodeo parade and grand entry each year for a few years. One year I showed up with little time to ride him before the rodeo. We skipped the parade. He seemed fine before the grand entry, but as soon as we entered the arena that changed. He started bucking and I couldn't get him to stop. He stayed in line, but bucked like crazy. Half way through they stopped to pray and Dopey kept bucking in place. After the prayer people started cheering me on. Still staying in line we eventually left the arena. As soon as we did, Dopey stopped bucking and acted normal. I was worn out from hanging on though.
Great fun and many memories ...