Dixie hated her new world. To give her credit, horses have their own niche just like people. Once we traded our barrel saddle for a jumping saddle our relationship went downhill fast. Jumping was not her thing. Basically we were 2 stubborn mares butting heads, each refusing to give in. We simply were not getting along. In tears of frustration I gave Mrs. Brenda a call, and she informed me of a horse at her barn who had been abused by his barrel trainer. The horse now had major fear issues on the barrel pattern and he therefore needed a career change. I tried him out and he seemed nice enough. I was at my wit’s end with Dixie when Mrs. Brenda offered me an even trade – a 14 year old mare with tendon issues and a bad attitude (that’s Dixie) for a 5 year old gelding with fear issues thanks to his previous owner (my new horse). There was an old man who had been asking for Dixie for years to add to his broodmare band, so she had a home and a new career waiting for her.
Patty and I hooked up the horse trailer and drove the 15 miles from Winterview Farm to Herald Farm. It was strange to come back with a horse trailer and another trainer. We pulled up to the barn to see my new chestnut standing at the far end of a small paddock. I signed the papers and then unloaded Dixie. We walked through the gait into the barnyard, and I gave the lead rope to Mrs. Brenda – handing off an entire era of my 15 year old life. It was a swirl of emotion that was completely based on a gut decision and a dream to have my own jumping horse. I really didn’t know this handsome chestnut with 4 white stockings, but he looked the part of a jumping horse, he needed a new home, and I was ready for a change. When I went to catch this new horse there was a mote of water between us at least 10 feet across. I had only seen and ridden him a couple of times, yet as I stood on the edge of the water thinking that I really didn’t want to wade across and ruin my boots, he walked towards me. He dropped his head and blew a loud snort at the water, sending a spray of tiny droplets and creating little rings that expanded until they disappeared. He shifted his weight from one leg to the other looking at me with nervous eyes, and then he rocked back on his haunches and launched across the expanse of water into my life for good.
Mrs. Brenda wasn’t sure of his name and had been calling him “Easy” to calm down his nervous energy. I decided to name him Gideon after the man in the Bible. Gideon in the Bible was the weakest man from the weakest tribe of the Israelites. God used this man to lead an army of 300 men to defeat the Midianites – an army of 135,000. I knew that Gideon and I were a small army. We didn’t have much money or anything else, but I knew that with God on our side we would defeat giants. Looking back, the great things we did certainly were not what I had in mind. They were far greater.
Remember when I sold Misty, and I promised I would never promise another horse I wouldn’t sell it unless I could keep that promise? I promised Gideon I will never sell him, and I am happy to say I have kept that promise.
Stay tuned to hear about our very first show!
Soli deo gloria,
Sarah
Gideon looking skeptical at the camera
Recent Comments