Choked back tears watching a new foal wobble to his feet
for the first time… Or watching your good horse wobble to his feet after
surgery…
Or seen the ends of the reins float straight out as a reining horse spins
beneath them… Or chuckled to yourself as you watched a tiny tot on a
patient pony trot through a barrel pattern at a saddle club play day… Or
felt the building tremble as an eight-up hitch of feather-legged giants
pulled a hand-carved beer wagon into the arena… Or had your heart stop
when you saw your horse lying motionless in the pasture on a sunny day —
and waited breathlessly to see an ear flicker…
Or cheered at the screen when The Man From Snowy River slid Dunnie down the
mountainside, or when Seabiscuit made his final surge to beat War Admiral…
Or cruised along the highway and seen a horse in the pasture and wondered
what he’s like to ride…or pictured him as a prospect… Or sucked in your
breath as a horse and rider approached a six-foot wall…
Or sworn a solemn oath to your horse that together you would triumph…
Or flipped through the TV channels and stopped when you saw a horse…even
when it was a commercial.. .
Or laughed aloud when you rubbed your horse’s face and he rubbed back…
Or gotten chills hearing Dave Johnson’s “…and DOWN THE STRETCH THEY COME!”
(Or “Run For The Roses” circa 1980ish?)
Or stood in awe at your horse in morning play as he sprinted around the
pasture, then stopped, head erect, and snorted defiance at the rest of the
world… Or been thankful to see wild horses grazing casually at the foot of
a hill… Or felt calmed by the sleekness of a silky haircoat beneath your
hand…
Or felt your jaw drop as you watched a Lipizzaner perform a capriole…
Or if you’ve ever seen someone in the grocery store wearing a certain kind
of hat or boots or buckle, or have a certain cut and length to their
jeans…and felt some remote kind of connection.. .
Or felt warmed by a soft-nicker greeting you as you entered the barn…
If you’ve ever been moved by any of these feelings, you know you are a horse
person.
Thank goodness we have our love of horses to help us on our journey.