08/19/2026
“Rocky Travels to Last Roundup”
by Janie S Jenkins Youngstown Vindicator, 1969
A caption under a photo of a boulder states the spirit of a much-loved horse Rocky, ridden in countless Poland parades by his owner, Karl K. Granger, is now free to roam the countryside he
knew so well. Rocky became so ill last week that Granger had to have a veterinarian put him out of his misery and he obtained permission to bury him near a rock in the Poland Municipal
Forest. The far-sighted Granger had painted Rocky's epitaph on the boulder last summer.
The article:
One of his villages best- known, best- loved personages has been buried in Poland Municipal Forest beside a trail familiar to him for 17 years. When Rocky, a 26-year-old brown and white horse owned by Karl K. Granger of Poland Manor collapsed in his stall and was humanely put down by a veterinarian Grainger and scores of
village children lost a dear friend.
It will seem strange not to see Rocky tied in front of the drugstore or grocery while his 83-year-old master shops or Rocky eating ice cream given him by the many youngsters who were happiest when sitting on his swayed but always reliable back.
Something will be missing from Poland parades too. Rocky, very dignified and groomed for the occasion, marched in front of everyone else and tried to arch his neck a bit more than usual.
When salutes were fired from the bridge over yellow Creek he stood at attention and didn't even flinch as the volley echoed over his head.
Canfield fairgoers will miss Rocky too. He and Granger were a familiar sight about the grounds and Rocky had his own stall there, courtesy of the Fair Board .Blessed with tremendous stamina, the aged gelding was never in a trailer in his life and went to the fair and home on his own feet, a distance of some 12 miles on the less heavily traveled roads. Not that Rocky was afraid of diesel trucks or trains or rumbling tractor trailer rigs. He never
flinched an ear at an air horn or a siren in his life he was afraid of nothing.
After last year's fair Grainger and Rocky were on route home about 5:30 PM when Grainger noticed his horse was not feeling “up to snuff”. He dismounted ,and leading Rocky, walked from West Blvd. to Poland. At the village dairy he got 2 milkshakes and man and horse each refreshed themselves before continuing their journey. It ended at 11:00 PM and the milkshake had done the trick. Rocky was himself again.
Foaled in Leetonia in 1942, Rocky was the offspring of a pony mare and a registered saddlebred stallion, Peavine Commander, owned by R.E. Jenkins of Boardman. Grainger first saw him in 1945 in a “farmer's race” at the Canfield Fair when a little girl with ribbons in her hair rode him to victory. Granger dreamed of owning him some day. “Some day” came 17 years ago when he bought the horse from Miss Caroline Jones of Indian Trail, Poland, who was going away to school.
Rocky and his master soon became part of the village scenery, trotting through the woods or down busy Main St. If Grainger, a former Boy Scout leader and knowledgeable naturalist, dismounted to inspect an animal track or identify a flower there was no need to tether the horse - he just turned him loose. Rocky knew every inch of the woods. In winter rocky amiably pulled a snowplow to clear village sidewalks, sleigh bells jingling around his neck.
