Spending time at Shiloh helps me find peace in my life.
As we all know, life has many ups and downs. Sometimes it gets hard. Whenever I feel as though things are not just right or I have to many burdens to bear, I think of Shiloh: the horses, the volunteers and Jill and Sally. It helps me to put my life into perspective.
Both Granite and Shiloh offer me peace—a sense of belonging and purpose.
A few weeks ago, I was driving out to Shiloh and a creature crossed my path that I have never had the honor of seeing up close before. It was the most beautiful coyote, streaking across the road in front of me. Now, I know ranchers and farmers may not think of these desert creatures as beautiful, but this city girl? Well, she stands amazed at the beauty of the wily coyote. They live in the hot desert, with little water where food is scarce. They are smart, sly and full of spirit and ingenuity. The coyote that crossed my path was a specimen of good health; his coat was shiny and made up of beautiful colors. He had started across the road at a slow gait and I had come upon him as I turned at a bend in the road. His form was amazing! He went from a lazy kind of gait to a rocket ship in a blink. I swear I saw the G forces as he screamed across the road. It was a sight to see.
This day was one of my sadder days at Shiloh. One of my favorite horses, Stretch, was not looking good, so I spent a lot of time with him that day carrying water to him and trying to feed him extra treats, though he would not eat. I wasn't sure when I left that day if I would see him again. Felipe gave him some medicine to help his tummy and, as I left, I prayed I would see him again. I walked out of Shiloh that day with tears in my eyes and a heavy heart.
I always check the daily Shiloh blog that Jill posts and no bad news of Stretch was posted in the following days. That next Friday, I came out to Shiloh and rushed over to the pasture where Stretch roams and searched each and every horse looking for him. My heart was in my throat, but there he was, far off in the distance. My prayers had been answered and he looked much better. Jill told me that sometimes a change in the weather, combined with the fact he is old can really get animals down. Luckily, my big guy was looking much better. I hugged on him and loved him before I went to see Granite.
This week I stopped by Stretch's pasture, where he was standing straight and tall munching away on his breakfast. Life is good. I called him and motioned to him and, like he always does, he came straight away. I gave him major hugs and kisses, and it looks like he is going to be ok. That, my friends, brings a smile to my heart. Ms. Vanilla is also doing fine with her little aloof self. I only get a casual glance from this girl, but hey at least she notices me. Maybe someday I will win her trust, but for now I am content to admire her from a distance.
Then I head off to see my big guy, Granite, and man he is awesome. Before going to get Granite I always head to Cherry Pie (little shed/house on the property) because this is where I prepare Granite's weekly treat. I chop up his apples and carrots so I can mix them with his Equine Senior, which he LOVES. I usually put corn in the mix, but they did not have any that morning. Have you ever licked a bowl of ice cream? I have...when your home by yourself eating ice cream (shh, I should not really eat ice cream) and when it's all gone, you just lick the bowl. Well Granite loves corn, and when I mix up his treat with the apples, carrots, corn and Equine Senior he actually licks the bowl clean. It is the funniest thing, that big old tongue licking every curve of the bowl. I have never seen a horse lick a bowl before now.
After preparing his treat and setting up all my stuff for his majesty's grooming session, off I go to Granite's pasture to get him. Its truly a ritual each time I go to Shiloh to check on Stretch, get Granite's treat ready and set up all his stuff for his grooming session. Anyway, off I go to get him. I always have to search the pasture as he seems to be at the farthest end. And, of course, he is always with Stitch. Stitch and Granite are the best of friends. Granite leads the way to Stitch's constant nudges as to which direction they are to go. Its the funniest thing. I think Stitch is really the leader but he lets Granite go first and he supervises.
Granite loves the big pasture and he loves to eat his hay. I can barely get his attention as munches away at his morning hay. I open the gate and wander across the pasture, greeting many a happy horse along the way. They are like kids in a playground when a new kid comes along. They walk up to you to greet you get a little pet and then once they know who you are off they go again to eat their breakfast or hang out. Granite is so sweet. He stands very still while I go through my ritual of trying to figure out which way the halter goes. Will I, seriously, ever learn how to put that thing on straight away without having to talk to myself about which way it goes?
"Oh yes. head here, over the head, down this way... tie here."
Stitch doesn't like it much when I steal his friend. But come on Stitch, I only get him once a week for a few hours. Stitch likes to give me a little bit of a bad time, but I have him figured out, he loves Granite and wants to hang with him because when Granite's gone he doesn't have anyone to supervise.
He's a cutie and I give him a little hug, sometimes a treat, and he lets me take my boy. He does follow me all the way to the gate to make sure we get there ok and then we bid him farewell. I swear he waits by the gate until we come back, because he is always there waiting for us.
Granite and I play in the corral and I try to remember what I have read, learned and watched on the Parrelli tapes about the seven games. The seven games help you train your horse and develop a bond of trust. I think I confuse Granite more than I teach him. Sometimes he looks at me like, "What are you doing?" I think if he could, he would take my carrot stick and show me how it's really done. But, you know, that's what so good about having an older horse. They know the ropes. I bet him and Stitch have a really good laugh in the late afternoon after I have gone home about my training skills.
It's so good to be new at these things, so fun to learn, so fun to watch this old horse run and jump. So fun to watch him lick his bowl, brush him down and comb his tail and mane. Combing his mane and tail is my favorite thing...probably not his favorite but it's mine. Remember, if you can, when you played dolls and you would comb their hair and do it all fancy, or when you pretended you had long hair (which I never had. But we used to pretend by putting towels on our heads and pretending it was long hair. Yep, I did that.). I love combing Granites mane and tail; it takes me back to when I was a kid. I comb it all pretty and take pictures of him.
He gets impatient by the time I get to his tail, so his tail never looks as perfect as his mane. Silly how such a simple task can bring such a wealth of happiness and fond memories. By the time I have played and groomed and fed my big boy I have to tell you I am hot and a little tired. It's hot at Shiloh and I cannot wait until the summer heat is gone.
Anyway, after all this, Granite and I wander back to his pasture and as soon as we come close Stretch is calling to Granite. Granite calls back and it's so nice to see how much they watch out for each other. Granite always stops right in front of the gate and has a nice long drink and then in we go. I have to ask Stretch to step aside so we can get in and then Granite stands very still so that I can take of his halter. I stand there for a minute, give him a hug and a kiss and he stands there, too. We say goodbye for now. Stitch gives Granite a little nudge and off he goes. I swear I can hear Stitch saying, "No, go this way. No, maybe this way." Granite just keeps walking and Stitch does his little directional nudging until they find the perfect place in the pasture.
I know I have found my perfect place. It's a place I can go to put things in perspective, to embrace life and to enjoy the little things that seem not to be noticed in my everyday life. At Shiloh, I notice the little things and they bring a smile to my face and warmth to my heart. See you next week big boy thanks for the memories.
