Why God Gives Us Horses - and Takes Them Away Again
God gives us horses and compels some of us to love
them. Yet why does the horse, an animal with such a
big heart, live such a short life?
Perhaps it's because if our horses lived any longer,
we wouldn't be able to bear losing them. Or, perhaps
it's because God wants to jump.
Perhaps God looks down on the fine horses we raise and
decides when it's His turn to ride. He gives us a few
good years to care for and learn from them, but when
the time is right, it's up to us to see them off
gracefully. OK, perhaps not gracefully. Blowing into a
Kleenex is rarely graceful. But we can be grateful.
To have a horse in your life is a gift. In the matter
of a few short years, a horse can teach a girl
courage, if she chooses to grab mane and hang on for
dear life.
Even the smallest of ponies is mightier than the
tallest of girls. To conquer the fear of falling off,
having one's toes crushed, or being publicly
humiliated at a horse show is an admirable feat for
any child. For that, we can be grateful.
Horses teach us responsibility. Unlike a bicycle - or
a computer - a horse needs regular care and most of it
requires that you get dirty and smelly and up off the
couch. Choosing to leave your cozy kitchen to break
the crust of ice off the water buckets is to choose
responsibility. When our horses dip their noses and
drink heartily, we know we've made the right choice.
Learning to care for a horse is both an art and a
science. Some are easy keepers, requiring little more
than regular turn-out, a flake of hay, and a trough of
clean water. Others will test you - you'll struggle to
keep them from being too fat or too thin. You'll have
their feet shod regularly only to find shoes gone
missing. Some are so accident-prone you'll swear
they're intentionally finding new ways to
injure themselves.
If you weren't raised with horses, you can't know that
they have unique personalities. You'd expect this from
dogs, but horses? Indeed, there are clever horses,
grumpy horses, and even horses with a sense of humor.
Those prone to humor will test you by finding new ways
to escape from the barn when you least expect it. I
found one of ours on the front porch one morning,
eating the cornstalks I'd carefully arranged as
Halloween decorations.
Horses can be timid or brave, lazy or athletic,
obstinate or willing. You will hit it off with some
horses and others will elude you altogether. There are
as many "types" of horses as there are people - which
makes the whole partnership thing all the more
interesting.
If you've never ridden a horse, you probably assume
it's a simple thing you can learn in a weekend. You
can, in fact, learn the basics on a Sunday - but to
truly ride well takes a lifetime. Working with a
living being is far more complex than turning a key in
the ignition and putting the car in "drive."
In addition to listening to your instructor, your
horse will have a few things to say to you as well. On
a good day, he'll be happy to go along with the
program and tolerate your mistakes; on a bad day,
you'll swear he's trying to kill you. Perhaps he's
naughty or perhaps he's fed up with how slowly you're
learning his language. Regardless, the horse will have
an opinion. He may choose to challenge you (which can
ultimately make you a better rider) or he may
carefully carry you over fences...if it suits him. It
all depends on the partnership - and partnership is
what it's all about.
If you face your fears, swallow your pride, and are
willing to work at it, you'll learn lessons in
courage, commitment, and compassion, in addition to
basic survival skills. You'll discover just how hard
you're willing to work toward a goal, how little you
know, and how much you have to learn. And, while some
people think the horse "does all the work", you'll be
challenged physically as well as mentally. Your horse
may humble you completely. Or, you may find that
sitting on his back is the closest you'll get to
heaven. You can choose to intimidate your horse, but
do you really want to? The results may come more
quickly, but will your work ever be as graceful as
that gained through trust? The best partners choose
to listen, as well as to tell. When it works, we
experience a sweet sense of accomplishment brought
about by smarts, hard work, and mutual understanding
between horse and rider. These are the days when you
know with absolute certainty that your horse is
enjoying his work.
If we make it to adulthood with horses still in our
lives, most of us have to squeeze riding into our over
saturated schedules; balancing our need for things
equine with those of our households and employers.
There is never enough time to ride, or to ride as well
as we'd like. Hours in the barn are stolen pleasures.
If it is in your blood to love horses, you share your
life with them. Our horses know our secrets; we braid
our tears into their manes and whisper our hopes into
their ears. A barn is a sanctuary in an unsettled
world, a sheltered place where life's true priorities
are clear: a warm place to sleep, someone who loves
us, and the luxury of regular meals...Some of us need
these reminders.
When you step back, it's not just about horses - its
about love, life, and learning. On any given day, a
friend is celebrating the birth of a foal, a blue
ribbon, or recovery from an illness. That same day,
there is also loss: a broken limb, case of colic, or a
decision to sustain a life or end it gently. As horse
people, we share the accelerated life cycle of horses:
the hurried rush of life, love, loss, and
death that caring for these animals brings us. When
our partners pass, it is more than a moment of sorrow.
We mark our loss with words of gratitude for the ways
our lives have been blessed. Our memories are of joy,
awe, and wonder. Absolute union. We honor our horses
for their brave hearts, courage, and willingness to
give.
To those outside our circle, it must seem strange. To
see us in our muddy boots, who would guess such poetry
lives in our hearts? We celebrate our companions with
praise worthy of heroes. Indeed, horses have the
hearts of warriors and often carry us into and out of
fields of battle.
Listen to stories of that once-in-a-lifetime horse; of
journeys made and challenges met. The best of horses
rise to the challenges we set before them, asking
little in return. Those who know them understand how
fully a horse can hold a human heart. Together, we
share the pain of sudden loss and the lingering taste
of long-term illness. We shoulder the burden of
deciding when or whether to end the life of a true
companion.
In the end, we're not certain if God entrusts us to
our horses or our horses to us. Does it matter? We're
grateful God loaned us the horse in the first place.
Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the
rest to God.
