Great Horse Stories

by Rebecca E. Ondov

  • “Going Home” •

  “Hopeless.” Have you ever felt that way? Jesus specialized in being the Hope of the world. He walked past the throngs of people who looked like they “had their lives all together” and zeroed in on those struggling in their daily lives. He gave Himself to each person who sought Him with sincerity.

  The act of giving, which includes serving others, reflects the very heart of God. When we give, we take our eyes off ourselves and focus on somebody else. We move from being self-centered to being “other centered.” I’ve noticed that when I give, especially anonymously, or when I serve someone through a random act of kindness, my spirit soars. The act of giving provides a natural high to the giver with no negative side effects. The best part is that it enhances our self-image. We feel valuable.

  Joe experienced the very same thing. The more he took his eyes off himself and focused on God and others, the happier and more fulfilled he became. People accepted and loved him in return. The solution Joe needed was the opposite of what the world teaches. The world says take care of yourself first, and if there’s a crumb left over then you can share. But the secret to a happy life is a paradox. When we give, we don’t lose anything. Instead we gain everything. God shares this key through the apostle Paul: “The Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’ ” (Acts 20:35). Hope for the hopeless is achieved through giving. The ultimate is when we give ourselves to God. God will mold us into useful vessels, no matter how big our challenges seem.

  About a month after the second Combined Driving Event they attended, the manager at Joe’s apartment building called Kathi with the news that Joe had fallen in the street while getting his mail. The ambulance took him to the emergency room, where they checked him over and released him. Not long after that, blood clots settled in his lungs and in his legs. Then Joe moved to his heavenly home.

  Although Kathi was devastated by the news, when she looks at the “Going Home” photo she often wonders if Joe had a premonition he was going home to heaven soon. He’d gained hope and freedom through surrendering himself to God and by serving others. His contributions were acknowledged the following year at the Combined Driving Event in their program. Under the words “Gone but not forgotten” was a picture of Joe.

  Lord, I’m so glad there’s no such word in Your vocabulary as “hopeless.” Amen.

  • Thoughts to Ponder •

  Have you felt hopeless? Perhaps you lost your job, went through bankruptcy or divorce, or a close relative or friend died. Have you talked to God about your situation? Look around you. Does someone need words of encouragement? Is there something you can do for someone?

  20

  THE NANNY

  Attitude Is Everything

  The last of the sun’s rays rippled across the golden-brown grass in central Montana. Tall metal silos dotted the rolling hills. The fingers of a gentle-but-nippy November breeze brushed past Lisa, her husband, and her eight-year-old daughter, Katie. They rode their horses along a dirt road that wound through the hills below a sandstone bluff. They were returning home after visiting a friend.

  It was Katie’s first trail ride on Nanna, her two-year-old Norwegian Fjord Horse. Although Lisa had carefully planned the day, it wasn’t turning out the way she’d wanted.

  An afternoon upset had happened. Lisa’s tall, gray gelding had gotten antsy and she’d reined him in. He’d pranced in place and then suddenly reared. For a moment it looked like he would tip over backward, but Lisa stood in her stirrups and leaned forward to rebalance him. He dropped to all fours, and they had continued riding home. Lisa was a very experienced rider and took it in stride, but the episode had upset Katie so much that her nerves stood on edge and her temper smoldered beneath the surface.

  Katie’s temper was legendary. From the womb, she had been a fighter. She was a strong-willed child who was tenacious about everything. For most of Katie’s life, Lisa had been single and a working mom putting food on the table for her family. The lack of a strong father figure helped generate a powerful current of anger within Katie that frequently surged. In a flash Katie could transform from a loving child into an erupting volcano. Before she was four years old, she’d knocked the wind out of three boys and bloodied two noses. Lisa had spent hours in prayer—asking God to help repair Katie’s broken heart and tame her temper.

  When Katie turned seven, she took an interest in ponies. She even tucked away her birthday and Christmas money to save enough to buy one. Lisa knew a middle-aged pony would be safe and offer the unconditional love Katie needed. One evening after getting ready for bed, Katie went into her mom’s bedroom as she usually did. Wearing her pajamas, she plopped down on the queen-sized bed with the green comforter.

  Lisa sat next to her. “I want to talk with you about getting a pony.”

  Katie’s eyes twinkled. “Really?”

  “Really. But I want you to buy it.”

  Katie’s face grew serious. In her mind she added up all the money she’d saved. The total came to $36. “Okay. How?”

  Lisa laid out the options. One was working off the payments.

  Katie skipped off to bed that night. After investigating different breeds, Katie chose the Norwegian Fjord Horse. Lisa found a reputable breeder, but when she called and asked about a middle-aged, trained horse, there wasn’t one available. The breeder asked if she’d be interested in a yearling. Lisa passed on it. But search as she did, she didn’t find a single prospect. Lisa called the breeder back to ask if she knew of any other breeders.

  The lady said, “No, but would you consider the yearling filly?” She went on to explain that the horse had a mischievous streak and perhaps it’d be a good match for a young girl. Lisa considered, checked the horse over carefully, and agreed to buy her.

  After much discussion, Lisa arranged for Katie to make payments. She knew that a middle-aged pony would teach her daughter life skills, but she didn’t have any idea that this young horse might do even more. The filly was about to change her daughter’s life in ways she’d only dreamed about.

  The sun dipped even with the horizon and cast a golden glow across the grassy field. Lisa’s gray horse and her husband’s black, ex-race horse jigged sideways and impatiently blew air through their nostrils that formed vapor in the cool night air. They were headed home and wanted to get there now. To them, Nanna was merely plodding along.

  The short and round cream-colored horse seemed content to not speed up. The horse’s crested, Mohawk-styled, black-and-white mane slowly swayed in rhythm with her feet. Although Nanna was now only two years old, she was wise beyond her years. Lisa was sure Nanna knew she had precious cargo on her back and was choosing to walk at a sensible speed.

  Katie, seeing that she was lagging behind, squeezed her legs against Nanna’s sides to encourage her to speed up. When that didn’t work immediately, she got frustrated and kicked Nanna’s sides. The more she thumped on the mare, the slower Nanna walked. Katie whined, “Come on!” She walloped the little horse’s sides and yelled, “Mooommmmm, wait up!”

  Lisa shook her head while she listened to the whole commotion. She knew Nanna was slowing down because of Katie’s attitude. She hoped Katie would figure it out before her temper blew. Lisa turned in the saddle to encourage Katie. “Just relax and squeeze your legs. She’ll speed up.”

  Frustrated beyond listening, Katie pumped her legs against her horse.

  The clop-clop-clop-clop of Nanna’s feet on the dirt road got slower and slower.

  Katie burst into tears and wailed.

  Instantly, Nanna turned right and walked out into a field. The patient little horse had suffered enough rib bashing.

  Katie screamed at the top of her lungs. “Mom! Mooommm! She won’t stop! I can’t turn her. Mom!”

  Lisa stifled a chuckle as she ignored Katie. Obviously, the little horse, in her sweet and calm manner, was making a point about Katie’s behavior. Perhaps this was exactly what Katie needed.

  The little horse
chugged away from the other horses.

  Katie howled, “Mom! She’s leaving. She’s going to take me out here. Mom, she won’t go back!”

  Lisa twisted in her saddle and looked at the round horse as it carried her out-of-control daughter toward the center of the field. Lisa yelled, “Quit screaming, Katie. You know how to steer her back.”

  Tears streamed down Katie’s red face. Ear-splitting screams drifted across the prairie. “She’s not listening! She’s leaving. Mom…Mooommm!”

  Lisa reined in her horse. “Katie, pull on the left rein. Come on! You can do this. You need to calm down.”

  Instead of calming down, Katie flew into a tirade. “Mom! She won’t listen! Make her come back!” Katie yowled and bawled even harder.

  Nanna ignored the girl having a temper tantrum on her back. The horse stopped and stood still, pointing the opposite direction of the way they’d been traveling.

  Katie’s voice scorched the field. Finally out of sheer frustration, she dropped the reins on Nanna’s neck, threw her hands up, and screeched, “Fine!” Then she sighed and relaxed.

  Peaceful stillness drifted through the dusky field. Nanna’s ears swiveled forward. She turned, picked up her feet, and boogied back to the road next to the other horses like nothing had happened.

  Lisa watched in amazement. God had answered her prayers in this little horse! She was acting like a nanny, showing Katie that people throwing tantrums need to be put in time-out until they can settle down. The wise, young horse taught Katie a principle found in God’s Word: “Slowness to anger makes for deep understanding; a quick-tempered person stockpiles stupidity” (Proverbs 14:29 MSG).

  The best part was that it wasn’t Katie’s mom or dad or a teacher who had illustrated this lesson. It was Katie’s very own horse that she’d bought with her own money and who was her closest friend.

  Katie never lost her temper with Nanna again. From that day forward, she learned to control her anger. On the day Nanna took charge, Katie discovered that her attitude makes a huge impact on how situations play out, and how she responds is her choice.

  Lord, when I’m tempted to lose my temper, give me a gentle time-out and show me how You want me to respond. Help me act appropriately. Amen.

  • Thoughts to Ponder •

  Do you have a hard time controlling your temper and actions when you’re upset? Proverbs 15 offers plenty of wisdom for handling emotions, including these two verses: “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” and “A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel” (verses 1 and 18). You choose your attitude and behavior. In the future, what will help you respond more like Jesus would?

  21

  BLENDING IN

  Being Accepted

  The sun climbed out of bed and cast golden rays through the fields in eastern Montana. A pickup pulling a blue horse trailer rattled down the dirt road that led to the fairground’s entrance, leaving behind a twirling plume of dust. Lisa carefully dodged the potholes and edged up to the locked chain-link gate. She and her daughter had arrived so early that they’d have to wait for the fairgrounds to open.

  Nine-year-old Katie nervously fidgeted in the passenger’s seat. It was the first time she’d be competing in equestrian events at a fair. She’d be riding her three-year-old horse named Nanna. It was Nanna’s first show too. Katie’s stomach twisted. She didn’t know any of the kids because this was a neighboring ranch town, but she was sure all the other kids would know each other. They probably went to school together. She hoped she’d blend in so they wouldn’t make fun of her.

  Several pickups pulling horse trailers lined up behind them. When the chain-link gate was rolled to the side, Lisa pulled forward.

  Katie looked around. The small-town fairgrounds didn’t even have a barn. Instead there were two arenas. In the arena she’d be competing in, white bleachers lined one side and bucking chutes lined the other. The contestants would warm-up their horses in a smaller, dirt arena. A narrow alleyway connected the two.

  Lisa parked her rig under an ancient cottonwood tree. A half dozen other trucks and trailers scattered under the trees and parked.

  Katie hopped out of the truck and curiously watched the other kids unload their horses. The sun glimmered off the sleek coats of the tall bays and sorrels. Their manes and tails had been carefully trimmed. Most of the horses looked like quarter horses or thoroughbreds.

  When it was time for Katie to unload Nanna, she hesitated. Nobody had a horse that looked anything like Nanna. Katie took a deep breath, walked into the horse trailer, and untied Nanna. The kids’ eyes bugged out when Katie stepped out leading her short, round, cream-colored Norwegian Fjord Horse. Nanna’s mane, white on the sides with a thick black stripe down the middle, stood up in a four-inch-long crest, the traditional fashion for a fjord. The kids gawked and twittered while Katie tied Nanna to the side of the trailer.

  Katie was the outsider who had come into town with a breed of horse they’d never seen. And from Katie’s view, things only got worse.

  She tossed the English saddle pad on Nanna’s back and then hefted the saddle up. While she tightened the girth, she glanced around. Her heart fluttered. Every other kid was tightening cinches on western saddles. Then she noticed they all wore cowboy hats. Katie stormed over to her mom. “Nobody else is wearing a helmet, Mom! Do I have to?”

  Lisa glowered, letting Katie know there’d be no discussion on that topic.

  After bridling Nanna, Katie’s lip sagged. She buckled on her helmet and climbed into the saddle. With her mom walking by her side, she guided Nanna toward the warm-up arena. The other kids wouldn’t quit staring at her…and Nanna. Everything about me is different, Katie thought. She wanted to hide. Tears rolled down her cheeks. Her eyebrows puckered. She choked back sobs and whispered to her mom, “They already hate me. Why can’t I be like everybody else?”

  Lisa’s heart broke for her daughter. Throughout Katie’s childhood the other kids had tormented her for being very candid and a bit overweight. Lisa knew Katie would have to overcome this battle at some point. It might as well be now, she thought. Compassionately but with gentle strength, she stopped and looked directly at Katie. “You’ve got to dry your eyes. You’re going to make Nanna nervous. You two will do just fine.”

  But things didn’t get better.

  People were scattered throughout the bleachers and along the arena edge, leaning their elbows over the fence rails. When the emcee announced over the loudspeaker that the English Pleasure Class would be starting, Katie dried her eyes with her sleeve and rode into the ring. She looked around with dismay. She was the only contestant! Everybody’s attention was on her. She wanted to crawl under a rock. The judge called for a walk. Katie squeezed her legs. Nanna’s cream-colored body calmly stepped forward. Each foot sank deeply into the sand, causing the four-inch-long Mohawk of a mane to wobble from side to side.

  When the judge asked for a trot, Nanna refused. Katie’s face flushed. She squeezed her legs against Nanna’s sides. Finally she kicked the mare. The nine-year-old girl’s temper simmered. No matter what she did, Nanna ignored her. Katie glared toward her mom, who was standing by the wooden rail violently shaking her head and mouthing, “Don’t lose your temper or Nanna will freeze up!”

  The judge fidgeted in the center of the arena as if she wanted to move on but didn’t know how to handle her lone contestant without embarrassing her.

  Lisa waved her hand and called to the judge. “Excuse me! Is it okay if I give Katie a crop?” The judge nodded.

  Katie bit her lip. She wanted to disappear into thin air. After taking the crop from her mom, Katie tapped Nanna into a trot, and they finished out the class. Afterward she walked Nanna up to the judge.

  The judge looked at Katie and said softly, “You did really well. Honey, I totally understand. I have shire draft horses that are really hard to motivate sometimes too.”

  Katie’s heart soared. Somebody understood an
d accepted her—and it was the judge! Those words gave Katie the hope and courage she needed. She held her head high as she rode out of the arena and reined Nanna close to the fence. From the saddle she watched the other competitors while waiting for her next class.

  A teen boy and girl ambled up to her. They were curious about Nanna and asked questions about Norwegian Fjords.

  Katie was shocked when they said, “You did a really good job” as they turned to leave. They admired her because she was different!

  Throughout the afternoon, Katie met several nice people because she stood out instead of blending in. At the end of the day, she relaxed in the passenger seat and watched the scenery flash past the window. A smile beamed from her face as she reviewed her day. It really is okay to be different!

  Katie learned a precious life lesson that day. Being herself may mean she isn’t like anyone else, but that’s perfectly okay. This is the way God created her.

  I often marvel when I look at crowds of people and ponder the fact that God created each of us to be unique individuals. “Is he not your Father, your Creator, who made you and formed you?” (Deuteronomy 32:6). Never again in history will there be anyone like you and me. Each of us has our own individual fingerprints. DNA is the blueprint of our physical presence, and each combination is one of a kind. If God wanted us to blend in and not be noticed, He would have made us all the same. Instead, He gave us unique talents and abilities.

  Another insight Katie learned was that it takes courage to be different. She’s put that to work in her favor. In the last four years she’s gone on to show Nanna throughout Montana, bringing home 4 medals and 17 ribbons. She’s made a lot of friends through her unique cream-colored horse with the black-and-white Mohawk. Best of all, her hope was renewed by understanding she doesn’t have to blend in to be accepted because God created her to stand out in a crowd.