LeRoy and His Horses

LeRoy Martin, born in 1930, was the son of Elmer and Maymie (Wilson) Martin.  LeRoy was raised in Southwest Colorado and he grew up riding horses from the time he could walk.  Although, he did start off riding pigs first.🐖  To see LeRoy riding a pig, click here.  

LeRoy's mother, Maymie, loved to tell the following story of when LeRoy was in grade school in Cortez, Colorado.  One day she walked to the grade school wanting to see how LeRoy was doing in class that day.  When Maymie walked into the classroom, the teacher instead asked Maymie how LeRoy was doing and that she was sorry he was sick.  Apparently LeRoy sent a note to school saying he was sick and would not be attending school that day.  He had instead saddled up his horse, and started riding towards Dove Creek, some 30 miles away. 🐎🐎
 

LeRoy Martin 1949

The earliest photo of LeRoy and his horse was taken in 1941.  LeRoy would have been around 10 years old.  Name of the horse is unknown.  The original black & white and the colorized versions are both shown.

1941

The next group of  photographs look as if they were taken on the same day probably in 1942.  The photos were taken near Dolores, Colorado on LeRoy's grandparent's place.  LeRoy would refer to Tony as his "pony" when talking about him.  Tony is probably the horse LeRoy started riding to Dove Creek in the story above.  I've colorized the first two photos.

LeRoy and his horse Tony

L-R: Wilbur with Cheyenne & LeRoy with Tony  

Rounding up a calf

During WWII, the Martin family moved to Las Vegas.  LeRoy's father worked in a government defense plant during the war.  While living in Las Vegas, LeRoy had a horse named Dollar.  This photograph was probably taken about 1945.

LeRoy and his horse Dollar
Las Vegas, NV

LeRoy is shaking a hoof in this next photo.  Both LeRoy and his horse look like show-offs as they are posing for the photo  The photo was taken 1950 at Maymie's house in Cortez, Colorado.  Name of the horse is unknown.  

Show-offs

Next are two photos taken in 1951 in Yuma, Arizona.  The top photo is LeRoy and his horse, Edna Coath.  The next photo is Verna,  LeRoy, and Edna Coath.  Interesting name for a horse.  LeRoy loved that horse so much, he wanted to name his first daughter Edna.  Thankfully his wife vetoed that.😄😍

Edna Coath (horse) and LeRoy
1951

Verna, LeRoy, Edna Coath
1951

In this next photo, LeRoy is with another favorite horse, Catnip.  Catnip was more like a family member in the Martin Family.  In this picture, Catnip is following LeRoy around and son, Chuck, is on the horse.  LeRoy is probably trying to teach Chuck, who was 4 years old, to ride. Taken 1957 in California. 

LeRoy, Catnip, Chuck

LeRoy has his two sons, Chuck and Dusty with him on this horse.  Horse's name unknown.  This was taken just outside of Yuma, Arizona in 1961. 

LeRoy with sons Dusty and Chuck on Catnip
1961 Yuma, Arizona

LeRoy and his horse Billie at Durango Fairgrounds
1980s Durango, CO

LeRoy and Robin
1980s Cortez, Colorado

1990s LeRoy - Unknown horse
Cortez, Colorado

In the 1970's and 1980's, LeRoy raced horses in New Mexico and Arizona.  Below are a few "Win Pictures" during this time.

Note: If anyone in the family knows the name of any of the unknown horses pictured above, please let me know.  And, if I only have a color version posted here and anyone in the family wants the original black and white photo, just let me know and I will send it to you.😊