Everything sublime is as difficult as it is rare. Baruch Spinoza

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Just A Way Of Life

I am sort of on sabbatical. But I ran across this on facebook and I can relate to it. I have often heard these words "it's just a horse". I have heard this mostly when I am putting money and effort into a sick or injured horse. So I think "you're just an idiot". Perhaps sometimes I have actually said it out loud. It wouldn't surprise me.

The horse thing is, I think, genetic. You either have it or you don't. If you do, you cannot explain why you spend countless hours and enormous sums caring for them. The constant cleaning and repair. Sleepless nights waiting for mama to foal. The nightmare of caring for an orphan. The heartbreak of death.

Brushing, detangling. Broken bones and broken dreams. Soft muzzles nestling against your neck. A newborn foal smelling and tasting the person who will be their guardian. A mare's soft nicker. The stallion's guttural call.

The ride of a lifetime. The win you have waited for. The horse that is one-in-a-million.

Not being "just a girl."

17 comments:

Amy said...

LOVE THIS!!! Thanks so much for sharing!

Unknown said...

wow.
fabulous..

Teri said...

16 years, 3 months ago I lost "just a horse". She was MY horse and I am less because of it.

Judy said...

Oh that was so beautiful...I miss the year I had with Johnny and his horses and then the time I had with them alone, know one understands how I feel so hard for them.(you do)

Bonnie Zieman, M.Ed. said...

Yea, and this is just an inspiring post ... a four letter word used to minimize and diminish.

A.Smith said...

ah yes, just a horse, just a child, just democracy, just faith, just life, just...

When I had to give up my horses a part of me went somewhere and in the intervening years I have yet to find it. ah yes, just a part of me...

Elizabeth said...

lovely --

When my daughter Sophie was doing a better, she rode weekly at a local hippotherapy stable. She loved sitting tall on the horse and looking around -- those horses weren't "just horses;" they were amazing --

Ganeida said...

Sandra: Makes me want to name a horse *Justa*...☺ No animal is just a; everything is unique & special & I like best the people who acknowledge that.

Deb said...

Beautiful footage, message and you.

Missy said...

This is awesome. It is never "just a horse." Your horses are like children. Non animal people just do not understand.

Unknown said...

thinking of you today.... it is an absolute sauna again.

Cyndi and Stumpy said...

Beautiful!

I got back east in time for some wicked humid weather, but fortunately there is water close by. Somehow, if I am already soaked the humidity isn't so bad. Can't sleep in the lake, though!

Unknown said...

sending love and a laugh and shout out to seasonal changes.

how are you?

Sandra said...

Hi everyone. I have not been engaged in mine or anyone else's blog for awhile. I am not myself and I am unable to pay attention. My humor and my perspective have left me. When I find them, I will return. I do appreciate you all, but you would not appreciate me very much with the mood I am in. I need this election cycle to come to an end.

Amanda said...

I clean a family's home every Thursday, who own 7 horses. I am sure the lady who owns them, would know exactly what you are talking about. I am in awe of horses but have not had a lot to do with them.

I delight to go and pat them. The 3 that I go to are white Palamino's. The mother loves to be petted, but when her daughter comes for a pat, she will nip her on the neck (sometimes more of a bite!), and the girl submissively slinks away.

I love to look at their eyes, and pat their big strong nose/mouth/muzzle(?)! I just love them so much, as inexperienced as I am with them.

If you want to see the photos I have recently taken, they are on my blog. The post is called '4-legged friends', under Recent Posts.

I hope you feel revived and refreshed soon...

go said...

There is no such thing as "just a horse" or "just a dog". All are beings on this earth and all are just about equal in intelligence. Horses and dogs are some of the most intelligent animals I have ever run across and I cannot leave out the cats either (mine would disown me). I did own a horse when I was 6. Sparkey and I did not always see eye to eye. He was a shetland stud pony and I must say that my mother didn't know any better than to buy him.

Sandra said...

Amanda, very nice to meet you. For some people, horses are a passion. I'm so glad you have the opportunity to know them.

go, I could not agree with you more!