Horses

"Hast though given the horse strength? hast thou clothed his neck with thunder?"

Job 39:19

     Horses are by far my favorite animal and one of the most beautiful aspects of God's creation. I am a long time horse-lover, for as long as I can remember in fact, and they continue to fascinate me with their strength and beauty, grace and versatility, power and variety in breed, body type, and personality. And more recently, (as in the past 2 years) I am seeing these traits as shadows and pictures of the strength, beauty, grace, power, and majesty of King Jesus.  I am grateful for these pictures and shadows that God placed in creation to remind us of how majestic He is. It helps me truly see Him so much better. 

     An awe inspiring thought? When you look at a horse and all the beauty and fun, and grace, and strength, do you ever ask yourself, If this animal is so amazing, just how awesome is the One who made them? (i.e. Job 39:19) :) Think about it, our God is so huge that our brains (which He created) cannot, and I repeat, CANNOT fully comprehend Him!!! It is impossible! 

     So, if you please, allow me to introduce to you the two beauties Jesus has given into my care. They are daily a joy and always manage to bring a smile to my face. We have been through a lot and we have taught each other a lot as well. In fact, after introductions, I have a recent story to share with you that includes a warning. 

Introducing....

JackieAnn (aka Jackie)

 Jackie is a 12 year old Quarter Horse mare. She is rather shy and tends to be temperamental at times. She is a beautiful golden buckskin and in the summer she has darker dapples across her body, and her mane gets long and thick. Jackie is my spitfire girl and takes a great deal of patience to handle. God has used her to teach me many a lesson in attention to detail, patience, trust, and diligence.

 

Snowfield Darlene (aka Darlene or Leenie)

Darlene is a 29 year old Morgan mare. She is fairly laid back and easy going (unless you have a plastic bag or a tarp nearby...) and doesn't act or look her age. She was my 4-H horse, my omoksee horse, and my second horse ever. She loves her belly scratched and any kind of food. She is scary smart when you give her a chance to think and is easily bored. Bit of trivia: When I first brought her home my first horse, Pepper, kicked out some of her teeth. So she is missing two of her bottom front incisors.

"If a feller's been a-straddle since he's big enough to ride,

and has had to sling his saddle

on most any colored hide, - 

though it's nothin' they take pride in,

still most fellers I have knowed,

If they ever done much ridin',

has at different times got throwed."

~Anonymous

     Now for the promised story/warning. Just yesterday I went out to my horses and after trimming Jackie's hooves and grooming them both, I decided to hop on Darlene and let her walk me around. Mistake #1: I got on by hopping instead using a mounting block. Mistake #2: I had no halter or bridle on her, no way to control her. Mistake #3: Getting on in a pasture with another horse loose in it. 

     So, to make a long story short, Darlene started moving, Jackie chased her, and I got dumped into the barbed wire fence. Plus I bounced off of a t-post. This resulted in a sprained ankle and lots of very colorful bruises. Lesson learned. Point taken. Please, take my mistakes as a warning and be careful, don't do stupid things around horses, and be safe. However, I don't want one little accident to keep you from enjoying horseback riding. Yes, accidents do happen, but they are well worth it. :) 

      I am grateful to Jesus that I was not hurt worse, and that my horse is physically okay. I will have a bit of work to do gaining back Darlene's confidence, but He has a purpose in all of this, and I  am excited to see what He does with this time.

      To finish up this epistle on the equine species here are a few horsey quotes for your enjoyment. Have fun reading them, and when they refer to the beauty and wonder of horse, think of the great and mighty God who created them. 

"No one can teach riding so well as a horse."

~C.S. Lewis

"He is pure air and fire; and the dull elements of earth and water never appear in him, but only in patient stillness while his rider mounts him. He is indeed a horse, and all other jades you may call beasts."

"I will not change my horse with any that treads but on four pasterns. When I bestride him, I soar, I am a hawk. He trots the air. The earth sings when he touches it."

~William Shakespeare, Henry V

"A hurry of hoofs in a village street, a shape in the moonlight, a bulk in the dark, and beneath, from the pebbles, in passing, a spark struck out from a steed flying fearless and fleet; That was all! And yet, through the gloom and the light, the fate of a nation was riding that night."

~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Paul Revere's Ride

"I took my horse to market,

And lost her on the way,

For dappled were the moors with rain,

And she was dapple gray."

~Traditional Nursery Rhyme

"A horse never knows who may buy him, or who may drive him; it is all a chance for us, but still I say, do your best wherever it is, and keep up your good name."

~Anna Sewall, Black Beauty

"Let us ride together, - 

Blowing mane and hair,

Careless of the weather,

Miles ahead of care,

Ring of hoof and snaffle,

Swing of  waist and hip, 

Trotting down the twisted road

With the world let slip."

~Anonymous, Riding Song

"I'd horsewhip you if I had a horse."

~Groucho Marx, Horsefeathers