Horse, Follow Closely...

"Horse, Follow Closely" - Native American Horsemanship is a book that brings to mind some of the many things that I have had to give up since I lost my job of 32 years. I lost friends that felt like family, I lost some of my identity (as Chairman and CEO), of course I lost my financial security and an orderly succession and retirement plan, and I lost the comforting knowledge that my special needs daughter (who has worked for the same company for the past 16 plus years), was within reach. I have or will adjust my life accordingly in all of these cases and then some.

But, one thing that will happen shortly is that I will be giving up my horses, "Sara" and "Snow". Snow is a beautiful tobiano Paint that is mostly white (thus "Snow"). Sara aka "Grandma's Gift", is a beautiful liver chestnut Thoroughbred mare that I've had since she was 18 months old. She is now 20 years old.

Sara's show name is "Grandma's Gift" because my small inheritance from my beloved Grandmother enabled me to purchase Sara when I did. Otherwise, I would not have been able to pay for her. Another connection to my Grandmother are my memories of listening to many of my Grandmother's stories about her own horse when she was a girl in Belgium.

Sara only had baby caps for teeth when I first met her and I kept all of the ones I could find as they fell out and ended up in her feed dish. I later lost them when my purse was stolen out of my car while at the barn where she was boarded.

I spent the first years with Sara on the trails while her knees finished developing so she could be trained to jump. An earlier trainer had already started her over fences but we didn't get along and I ended up taking Sara to a barn where we could just get to know one another. The trail was a good place to do that. That's where you learn to trust.

I have numerous fond memories (and, some not so fond), of my years together with Sara, with the final years being here with me on my own little hobby farm. After many years of boarding her, it was a real joy to be able to finally bring her home. It was after I brought Sara home that I purchased Snow "for the grandkids". They've become great buddies.

The only real possible joy in this story is that both Sara and Snow (separately), are going to the best possible homes I could ever wish for. It is the perfect scenario.

Snow is young and needs to be bred for her wonderful bloodline. She is a sweetheart and will make a wonderful mother. Her new owner will be a dear friend of mine who will always have a piece of my heart. You see, he has not only been my horses' farrier since Sara was a filly, but he was also the one who made me believe in myself and my horse at a time when I was a novice. We also walked hand in hand through a similar life-altering event for each of us. There's no one else I'd rather see Snow go to but him.

Sara has never been "loved" by another rider but me, until she met Jeni, our horse-sitter/trainer. Jeni is young, fit, spirited, and takes no prisoners while riding a horse in training. But she does it with love. I've never seen anything like it. Jeni has a gift. She loves Sara, and Sara shows a respect for Jeni I haven't seen in any other rider or trainer.

Jeni now owns her own stable and boards and trains horses full time. When I asked Jeni about the prospect of taking Sara and giving her a home for the rest of her natural life, she said she'd be honored. I'll be able to visit Sara there from time to time and I know she'll continue to get the same loving care as she received from Jeni when she came to watch the horses when we were away. There's no one else I'd rather see Sara go to then Jeni.

And so you see, even the worst of situations can and do have good outcomes. I am truly blessed to have resolved this particular issue the way I did.