Great Horse Stories (28 page)

Horses are prey animals, and one reason they tend to be flighty is their location at the bottom of the food chain. Other animals hunt and eat them—and the horses know it. Lady needed to feel safe so she wouldn't bolt and crash into the walls. She needed to learn how to get around safely. She'd have to learn a new skill set—how to feel her way around the stall and, later, around a corral. Tonya knew how frightening
it was to blindly crash into walls. The young woman decided she'd be Lady's “seeing-eye person” until the horse adjusted. The biggest problem was trying to get Lady to understand what was going on.

Tonya stood next to Lady's left shoulder. Using her right hand she gently curled her fingers around the snap of the lead rope under the mare's chin so she could guide her head. In her left hand, she held the extra length of lead rope so she could give the horse room to move without having to be too close to her. With the lightest pressure possible, Tonya pulled the lead rope forward, encouraging the mare to move. Lady would need to trust Tonya totally to walk forward blindly.

The tall bay hesitated and then tentatively took a step. Tonya smiled and stroked the mare's neck. She shadowed the horse by stepping forward as well.

Lady held her head high, and her muscles were tense.

Tonya lightly tugged again. The mare shuffled her feet through the shredded paper bedding scattered on the floor. Tonya counted the steps until they were within a few feet of the wall. Tonya hesitated. If the mare didn't follow the cues and slammed into the wall, she would panic. Carefully Tonya held the rope in her left hand and placed her right hand four inches behind the mare's ears. She wanted Lady to obey the cue that meant “keep your feet in place but stretch your neck and head forward.”

The mare stepped forward and smacked the wall with her nose. Shocked, she threw her head up, snorted, and lurched back a few steps.

Tonya stayed alongside, afraid that if she let go the mare would explode in fear.

Lady suddenly froze in place, her breathing shallow and hard.

Tonya stroked the mare's neck, the only comfort she could communicate to the blind and deaf mare.

In a few minutes Lady lowered her head, and her breathing slowed.

Once again Tonya cued her forward to within a few feet of the wall. Tonya stopped the mare. This time when Tonya put her hand behind Lady's ears giving the cue, the mare cautiously did it. She brushed the wall with her whiskers and then her nose.

Tonya's heart leaped with joy.
Lady gets it! She understands!

After they turned 90 degrees, the mare's muscles relaxed. Tonya “showed” Lady the water bucket that hung from the wall and the feeder in the corner. At each turn, the horse stretched her neck and head and felt for the wall. After a couple laps, Tonya reversed directions. Finally she let go and stepped out of the way. She listened as Lady explored on her own. Tonya could hear her gently brush against the walls. The mare kind of tapped her feet as she walked around.

Tonya smiled, realizing that Lady was doing exactly what she'd done when learning how to get around without seeing. She knew Lady was making a mental map of the stall.

Throughout the next two-and-a-half months, Tonya served as Lady's eyes and ears. She planted a baby monitor in the horse's stall and kept the receiver with her so she could tell if Lady was in trouble. Many health battles were fought, and Tonya tackled each one using the same training method. She looked into Lady's heart to see what the horse needed, and then met her there with help and encouragement.

Tonya's gift astonishes me. I first heard about her through a friend who had hired her and couldn't quit talking about how her horse had been transformed through Tonya's gentle training methods. Tonya's approach simmered in my mind for days before I grasped why it was so effective. When you look into the heart of a horse, you can clearly see how to help it. In the situation with the injured mare, Tonya could relate to the mare on an even deeper level because she also was blind. She knew the fears Lady was facing and the hurdles she'd need to jump. She'd been there and done that. Because she loved the mare, Tonya was willing to invest the time into coaching her through the disaster and recovery.

•
Tonya, Izze, and Lady
•

Under Tonya's care and guidance, slowly and miraculously Lady regained her hearing and eyesight. Two years later Lady gave birth to a healthy foal, Izze, that I had the privilege of meeting.

Tonya's story with Lady reminds me of the greatest trainer and coach of all time—Jesus Christ. He also has experienced what we have. “For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted” (Hebrews 2:17-18). Because Christ became a man and experienced the trials of daily living, He knows what's going on deep inside us. He's been here and done that. He wants to share His wisdom and give us help so we can live happy, fulfilling lives.

I've always been overwhelmed by the thought that the God of the universe left His beautiful and comfortable home in heaven to come to earth and live with us. He knew humans would kill Him, but He came anyway. He didn't come for Himself—He came for you and me.

Because of His love for us, Jesus looks into our hearts to see what we need. Then He comes alongside us and coaches us, teaching us the cues that will keep us safe. “Don't hit that wall,” He says. And if we don't listen and we bonk our noses, He's there to comfort us and encourage us to repent, turn the corner, and step forward again.

Lord, please help me wrap my mind around the fact that You lived on earth as a human being, experiencing the same things that I go through every day so I know You can relate to me on every level. Amen.

•
Thoughts to Ponder
•

Jesus is an understanding and gentle coach because He's been where you are. How has He encouraged you to step beyond your comfort zone and trust His guidance? How has He warned you of danger? How will remembering these things help your relationship with Him?

44

THE LOVE METER

Sharing Love

T
he keys on Sharon's computer clattered as she typed the email. Pausing, she wiped a tear from the corner of her eye before continuing. “So I need to downsize. I'm considering selling Satin. Do you know of any good homes?” Sharon's heart ached as she hit “Send.” Immediately, she was assaulted by doubts.
Oh, Satin, how can I do this to you? You're my dream horse. Will I find someone who loves you as much as I do?

For years Sharon had dreamed of owning a unique breed of horse called Gypsy, which was short for “Gypsy Vanner.” This horse breed originated in the United Kingdom and Ireland by the gypsies who carefully mixed draft breeds with athletic breeds to create a multipurpose horse they could ride and use to pull their colorful wagons. Gypsy Vanners can be a variety of colors, but they have a telltale genetic trait of “feathers” or long hair that grows down their legs and around their feet. The horse's large bone structure coupled with its athletic ability produces incredible strength and grace.

On an internet classified ad page, Sharon discovered a buckskin paint filly who was a cross between a Gypsy and a quarter horse. Immediately she called the breeder. After negotiating, she made payments until the filly was just over a year old.

The sun shone brightly the March day the filly was to be delivered. Sharon wrung her hands and kept peeking out the kitchen window of her ranch house outside of Mariposa, California. When a pickup pulling an aluminum stock trailer rattled down her driveway, Sharon raced out the door. The driver swung open the door of the trailer. Sharon's heart beat quickly.

The filly's body was the color of dark cream, and it looked like someone had dribbled white paint on her back that ran in wide stripes down her legs. Her forelock contrasted nicely with her tan ears tipped with black. Gracefully she arched her neck like a princess as she stepped out of the trailer. Her dark-brown eyes with long, black eyelashes gazed at her surroundings. Her nostrils flared as she inhaled the new smells.

•
Satin
•

Tears streamed down Sharon's face as she wrapped her arms around Satin's neck. Satin relaxed into Sharon's hug.

But now Sharon was contemplating selling Satin. Resting her forehead in her hands, Sharon wondered,
Am I doing the right thing for Satin?
She'd dreamed of riding the mare and breeding her. Satin was nearly three years old—time to start training in earnest. But Sharon had suffered a health setback, and the doctors said she could no longer ride. She stood up and walked outside. Standing by the wooden rail fence, she watched Satin frolic in the green grass.

Suddenly Satin spied her master. She stopped and pricked her black-tipped ears. The sun glinted off her creamy coat. She whinnied and burst into a gallop. She ran full-blast toward Sharon, issuing low-toned nickers the entire way. She pranced to a stop.

Sharon ducked through the wooden boards and threw her arms around the horse's neck. Satin put her chin on Sharon's shoulder and pulled Sharon toward her chest, as if giving her a hug. Sharon's heart ached.
How can I find someone who will love you as much as I do?

Later an email came in from a dear friend. “I know a woman who will love Satin with all her heart, give her the training she needs, and
won't ever sell her.” The friend went on to explain that Kim was a kind soul who had wanted a Gypsy Vanner her whole life. Sharon closed her eyes and prayed. “God, help me make the right decision.”

Sharon contacted Kim, and they emailed almost daily. Cautiously, Sharon evaluated everything Kim said. She discovered that they were so much alike they even shared the same faith. The first time they talked on the phone, Sharon was drawn to the sound of Kim's sweet voice.

Before the end of the call, Kim sensed Sharon's hesitation. “Would you like to pray together?” she asked. After they said “Amen,” Kim softly said, “If you sell Satin to me, she will always belong to both of us. I'll keep you updated, and you'd be welcome to come see her.”

During their prayer time, God had impressed on Sharon that she was to do the best thing for the horse. Although it was a tough decision, she knew she needed to let Satin go. After they hung up, Sharon took a deep breath and walked out to the pasture. Satin's head came up, and she gave a low chortle. Her white mane flowed as she trotted next to the fence. Sharon slid between the wooden boards and stroked Satin's neck. “You're going to a new place. And there's going to be another horse there that will be your pasture pal. His name is Russell.”

When Sharon decided to sell Satin, it was based on loving the horse more than what she wanted for herself. God had found the perfect home for Satin. Instead of simply being a sale, the process was more like an adoption.

Adoption is an amazing process that can be fraught with uncertainty. It would be so much easier if someone would invent a “Love Meter”—a tool that measured the capacity, intensity, and lasting power of a person's love. Wouldn't that be slick? No guessing, no wondering. Just plain facts that could be typed on an official-looking form with scores in different categories.

I'm sure Sharon would have jumped at the chance to use a love meter while her heart was torn over what she was to do. And how about if we could use one when we meet new people or when we're thinking about getting married? Wouldn't it be great to have certified guarantees?

But if we had love meters, we wouldn't need to rely on God. The risks of the unknown are some of the factors that keep us seeking Him. Two of my favorite verses are in the book of Proverbs: “Trust in the L
ORD
with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take” (3:5-6
NLT
). Those verses hold the answer to everything we'll ever face. Sharon did that when she prayed and followed God's direction. What a miracle to be able to ask God Almighty for advice because more than 2000 years ago the greatest adoption took place. God's love meter registered out-of-this-world when Jesus came to this earth and died for all of us. Through Him we are adopted into God's family! “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty” (2 Corinthians 6:18). All we need to do is receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior (for more information, please read “Time to Hit the Trail” at the end of this book).