“There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.” Winston S. Churchill
"A few years ago," said Joy. "I was ill and unable to work. My horses are my passion, but our family was financially slipping, so I offered to
let them go - the horses that is!
Horses are expensive and a lifetime commitment. They live 25 plus years. Monthly boarding costs $375-$1000 and our two horses eat 1/2 a ton of hay a month adding another $300.
Horse hooves need trimming every 8 - 9 weeks. And Dixie has to have $90 shoes every two months. So you can see why I offered to sacrifice, and sell them, for my family’s well being.
My husband,
Dean, a kind and understanding man said, "NO. Those horses keep you going." And they do. They are a pivotal part of my healing medicine. He took over feeding and caring for the horses. Never once a complaint.
When I walk to the barn my pain decreases, my mood lifts and I feel better and can do so much more when I get to the barn. When I go back to the house, the pain comes back. Being near horses somehow triggers my natural pain blocker.
My
horses are an answered prayer for a little girl, who grew up immersed in poverty where owning a horse was just a far-away dream.
When I was ten years old I promised myself that I would own a horse. It took 30 years but I did it! I have now been a happy horse keeper for 18 years.
I love everything about horses! The way they smell (dirty or clean), look, feel, and how I feel near them. I love how they nicker when they see me coming. Nickering
warms my heart, clear to the bottoms of my feet. It's like cats purring that makes your heart smile.
I also love grooming horses and even enjoy scooping their manure - it is such a good workout.
Horses are herd animals and need a companion horse or another four leg grass eating animal like a goat or sheep. That is why we have two horses: Dixie, a 21-year-old Quarter horse, and Gabe, an 11-year-old Mustang. Dixie arrived with her name, but I named
Gabe after Archangel Gabriel because he has white markings on each shoulder resembling angel wings.
My horses have a game they love! They toss their 100 pound 4 X 6 foot rubber-stall mats around like playing cards. They grab them between their teeth and fling them around like nothing - even dragging them out of their stalls. I wish they would find
a new game because I need help dragging the mats back in the stalls."
A "Jolly Ball" was designed for horses, but Joy’s won’t play with it. They Purr-FUR their mats. But when her dog spots their ball, he steals it and plays with it while she cleans out stalls.
"The thing I wish horses did do is....poop in one spot!" laughs Joy, "Manure mixes in with hay, wasting it, and makes it harder to clean up. It would be easier to pick up their manure if they could miraculously be trained to do it in one location. I don't mind shoveling. It is great exercise and you don’t’ need a gym membership with hay and manure to shovel and toss daily."
After 18 years, Joy is still passionate about horses and amazed to have realized her seemingly im-paws-ible childhood dream!
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