The young visitor stared at the bay mare’s mane. “Would you like to
brush her?” I ask. Sending the girl for the grooming bag, I haltered
the mare, a visitor to the farm herself. After showing the girl about
curry combs and brushing with the grain of the hair, she set to the task
with immense thoughtfulness in each stroke, giving special attention to
the mare’s mane until it was perfect, her other hand smoothing it down,
chipped nail polish on small fingers, so delicately she could have been
a fly, while the mare kept her head low to her hay. “Would you like to
lead her?” I ask. The girl nodded, her eyes solemn with the responsibility.
Inside the pen, I walked the first circle with them, asking the girl to
stand at the mare’s shoulder, to let the rope be slack, and with a nod
to the mare, I stepped back, suggesting the girl take giant steps and baby
steps, like Mother, May I? And the mare naturally matched her, as she
had done with her herd since she was a filly, but the mare’s size made
it seem magical to the girl. Walking over, I un-click the lead rope, roll it
up, and say, “Big breath, and walk just like before.” The girl is uncertain
but ventures a step. Instinctively the mare picks up a hoof, and the pair
walk on together. It was never the rope. The girl steals a look to see if
I’m watching, her face flushed with wonder, and I smile back so the
girl knows it’s real, as the mare absentmindedly continues the baptism.
…
Anna Blake at Infinity Farm
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Yes, it is a sacrament.
Writing this, I was also thinking about the good work your Haflingers have done…
Magical IS the word for that!
on our side, at least. Thanks Maggie.
oh. my. I have no words for this, except I will confess it brought a tear and a feeling I haven’t felt since I was 10. And, like most of the folks here, when I WAS that girl, except we didn’t have you.
Like that mare didn’t teach you all you needed to start… Thanks Sandy.
And the hook is set.
Yup. Thanks, Sueann
True! A wonderful, happy, healthy hook that can last a lifetime.
You would know, Jean. 🙂
A baptism indeed !!! Some of us were baptized early and it stuck, throughout the decades.
Gee, this creates a longing to have a horse who is safe around kids. Isn’t it wonderful to introduce children to the horse magic ?Lovely piece , Anna.
I confess. I do like to watch. Thanks Sarah
You brought a tear to my eye even. Love.
If there is a horse in your eye, you have a dog there, too. Thanks, Patti.
And another girl meets her life long addiction…..hooray!
Easy as that… Thanks, Rita
Beautifully worded. Perfectly named. Thanks Anna.
Thanks, Lyndsey.
I both remember being that starry-eyed girl, and desperately miss being the adult blessed by being part of starting the child on the journey.
Just a perfectly lovely Valentine!
Thanks, Shelley.
Having the wisdom of age ,the wonder of youth brought together by a horse. Now there is a fine trinity.
Didn’t do a thing but watch. Horses have had this figured out for centuries, I think. Thanks, Kim
Generation by generation this repeats itself. I was that little girl. And I got to be there when my grand daughter was that little girl. Goosebumps and smiles all around.
Thanks for reminding me.
Thank you, Grandmother. Well done.
Charming…… brought back the memory of my feisty mare walking gently with a three year old boy as he brought her in from the paddock.
I kept back and watched with awe.
Kinda hold your breath just a bit?? Thanks, Annie.
I love this so much! It brought tears to my eyes. Those mares and little girls are so special!
Yup, I started on a mare just like her. Thanks Eileen
It positively fills my heart to be witness to that magical connection between a child and an animal. More so if I was honored to help bring it about. I have a 3 yr old grandson who is more interested in ‘vroom vrooms’ (ie: cars) than animals but the first thing he wants to do at my house is ‘feed dat donkey’. And Winston, the mini donk gently works the treat out from a little boy’s fist as the old Kentucky Mountain mare ruffles his hair.
Yes, I hid my despair when a certain little boy wanted a ride in the back of my horse trailer instead of a horse. Thanks, Sherry.
Anna, this one swelled my heart to the point of pushing out a tear or two. I am that little girl every time a horse presents me with a gift of trust. It is simply the most spectacular feeling.
Yup. My challenge in clinics but if we don’t feel that way, might be time to hang it up. Thanks, Laurie.
A magical gift for a lifetime. Don’t know what I would have done if I hadn’t had that connection through my teen years, but the horses always granted me a safe place to be truly who I was, and today, who I am.
As always, thank you for putting into picture/words a feeling, so hard to describe.
I wonder about the same with me. Who would I be without them. Thanks, Jane.