Horse Tales Part 0ne

Linda encouraged me to blog a little bit about our horse adventures. I haven't blogged a whole lot about them and they were a big part of our life for about 10-11 years, but we don't have them now.

I think I feel an actual bloggy series coming on.

Think "Black Beauty" without the talking horse.

Think "All Creatures Great and Small" without the excellent writing or moving stories.

To be on the safe side, just think of me telling you a horse story over the course of a few days.

I've included pictures from that wonderful time. Everything from a pretty palomino (the PRETTIEST horse), cute pony, trail rides, horse camping, Rod's cavalry debacle adventure,baby horses and baby riding horses.

(Notice Rod's brother Eric's wet jeans? We had just ridden through an intense hail storm and weren't dressed for the weather. No, the baby didn't come. We left her in the barn.)

Maybe you can get your Orygun cowboy fix on.

When Rod, the kids and I moved up here to our place in the mountains we had a barn. Amy really wanted a horse. We loved the idea and bought a couple. After a few years, Amy gave up on the riding thing.

But Rod and I were hooked. We love this animal that the Lord created and are just amazed and thankful that he lets us care for them and ride them.

And smell them. Standing in the warm dry stall when it dark and sleeting outside, hearing the horses shuffle around as they munch their hay and smelling the rich horse smell....the pleasure of the memory almost makes me forget the pain of getting kicked in the shin. Full on. By an angry, hormonal mare.

(This is Rod and one of his fellow union officers. Boy, are there stories with this. Rod had to stay in character the entire weekend. Rarely have I laughed so hard.

Eli is Rod's horse. Believe me when I tell you that Eli did not like the cannon fire during the civil war re-enactments. No, he did not.)


Rod was hooked on things like training baby horses, loving on them, falling off them, riding like the wind, collecting their various accouterments and paying their exorbitant costs. Okay, maybe he didn't love paying for all their stuff so much.

I was addicted to taking their pictures, cleaning their poopy stalls brushing their manes and tails until they gleamed and taking their pictures again. Basically, I was fine having what we fondly call a "pasture ornament." I don't need to ride to enjoy a horse. Remember, I think they smell good.

But we did both enjoy riding the specific breed of horse we bought called a Tennessee Walking Horse. This is because they do what is called a "four beat gait" rather than a trot.




That's right people. NO BOUNCING

Can I get an AMEN?

The first time I rode a Walker, I laughed out loud from the sheer, giggly feeling that filled me as the horse glided smoothly and quickly across the field. It was an exquisite and glorious feeling unlike anything I had experienced before. It was as though this horse moving under me was not tethered to the earth with heavy, trotting hooves, but his feet moved lightly, floating almost, as we flew. I was in love.

I am convinced Jesus will come back on a white Tennessee Walker. And Heaven will be filled with them. Because we will not TROT in HEAVEN. Amen.

Anyway.

Because of our love of this animal, we may have evangelized and a few family members may have bought a some for themselves. We have had quite a number of fun times together.

Camping.

Having horse babies.

Annual "Soup and Ride".

Emergency room visits with good quality pain relievers.

Good times.

There were so many good memories, but horses, like anything, can take up a huge chunk of time and money, if you let them. Rod had injured his back and I also think that our priorities weren't that

healthy. We kind of revolved, at times, around the horses.

Although we loved almost everything about our lovely animals, it just became bigger and bigger with time and expense, until we couldn't justify it anymore.We felt out of control.

(Our niece, Chantry, with her darling pony Blitzen. Nothing could be cuter.)

There was one incident in particular, when we felt the Lord was trying to get our attention during that time. The accident:

More tomorrow....