Reconciliation Horsemanship

Let me introduce Flash!

Flash is an 11-year-old Morgan gelding who I’ve known since he was about 3, but not owned until this year. His previous owners were close family friends and retired from breeding Morgan horses. He spent his 11 years of life out in a field and with a herd. He was brought in for basic care and handling, but his whole world was that herd and that same farm. As close to a “natural” life as you can give a horse. Unlike the majority of horses I’ve worked with, he doesn’t have a hard past or history. He doesn’t have abuse or trauma in his history, just a lack of experience in certain things. His life dramatically shifted when he moved from field life to barn life with turn out at my facility.
We’ve spent a lot of time hand grazing over the last few months as he acclimates. I want to share a moment with you we had not too long ago, during said grazing time.

While grazing, Flash slowly but intentionally started inching his way over towards the gate to the broodmare field. When he got right next to it, he paused, picked up his head and looked longingly out in the broodmare field. He didn’t call, but he didn’t have to. I paused and let him look, then out of my mouth came: “Aw buddy, I wish I could let you out in the field, but there are some mean horses out there who would seriously hurt you. They are not your friends like you think they would be.”

Oof. Now isn’t that a life lesson.

Flash doesn’t understand why he can’t go out in that field, it’s a natural created desire for him to want to be out there. That environment is something he’s been in before and thrived. But I know those other horses and their nature, and they’d really hurt him. I care deeply about him and that’s not a kind of hurt that would help develop him.

In those moments where all we see is something removed, something taken away, a “no,” and we don’t know why- those are the moments we need more than ever to know His character of love. That He is involved, He does care, and He gives good gifts.

Friend, you’re not going to feel like it either. It doesn’t make it suck any less or hurt any less, but what the enemy wants to do in those moments is get us believing God is vindictive, hateful, dismissive, doesn’t care about our hearts, doesn’t SEE us, doesn’t have any good planned for us, and sadistically enjoys keeping us from anything that sounds good or jives with us. Which isn’t true.

I don’t dismiss or punish Flash for wanting to be out in that field, I acknowledge that desire, and also let him know as best I can, there’s just not good for him there. That doesn’t mean he’s never allowed to be in a field, that he can’t look with longing, or that I’m going to keep him away from a field his whole life. Just that field, that environment, because I know who’s in it is going to hurt him. He doesn’t get to know the whole story, he can’t yet. He’s not thrilled, but when I ask, eventually, he trusts me enough to at least follow on past. He’s willing, I’ll take it.

“Cmon buddy, let’s go find some more nice spots to graze.”

If I am so with him, how much more with us is our all-knowing God who IS love?