This is a chair made by my father, Frank Rogers and son Steve Lipginski from wood that came from a bidge that was torn down in Taylorsville. My father and his brother brought the wood, heavy oak, to their farm and built a barn. Later a hard wind hit the barn and blew it down. Steve and his Granddaddy brought some of the wood to Dad's shop and from that they made this rocking chair. Steve put the cain bottom in several years ago and I took this picture when he had just put the finish on the wood. He has it sitting in a place of honor in his formal living room.
Annie is Annie Hart and she is a God send for my farm. As most of you know, I do have several horses at this point and most of them are home for the winter. Some of them, I am not confident to ride because I lack the skill I need to feel confident. I also don't want to ride alone or with someone who is not a very good rider either.
Annie's father and my son Mike were Army buddies. That is how I got to know Annie. She is such a good rider and so good with animals in general and horses in particular. She knows what they like and how to relate to them. Sometimes I think they may talk to each other.
I had some problems getting the two weanlings away from the mares. I think that is well documented. Are you smiling? I am smiling from the memories of all we have been through to get the two weanlings away from the mares. I had gotten Blaze away from his mother by using the new stall I purchased. That was easy. I had imprinted him and he was all to happy to come up to us and to allow us to handle him. Celine was a different story. She as you may remember was not imprinted at birth and she has had a hard time accepting humans and trusting us.
I had gotten Celine and her mother into the big stall and had not yet separated the two of them. They had been in the stall several days. We were only having minimum successful getting Celine to allow us to handle her. I had brushed her, combed her mane and handled her in many ways but when it came to the halter and putting it on her, it was no deal.
Yesterday, my brother Bob, Annie and I were in the barn and we were talking over different options to separate the two of them. I decided the mare could go outside away from the weanling. Celine immediately started getting very agitated and stressed. We have a weanling I had bought over the summer that I call Ann. So we put Ann in the stall with Celine and gave them some feed and the two of them started eating together. Celine calmed down immediately. Ann had been weaned a couple of months ago and she wasn't caring about her mother anymore but she does care about the grain I put into the trough. Celine has also been eating dry feed so it wasn't hard to get her interested in the feed I put in front of her.
Annie went to the field and shut the mare down in the lower field where she could not come up to the barn and talk to her baby. This helped immediately. Then Annie went into the stall and talked to her and rubbed her and petted on her. Pretty soon Annie had the halter on Celine. Celine was a little upset but she accepted it all in good time. She wore it last night. She is still separated from her mother. This time I think it will work
Annie has a lot of knowledge for a young lady of 18. With her help I am taking the knowledge that I have acquired from listening to others who know about horses and the books I have read on the subject plus videos that I have watched and began to make it heart knowledge.
What is the difference you may ask. Before I accepted Christ into my heart as Lord and Savior, I knew a lot about him. I had been to Sunday School and read my Bible. I knew all the stories and I had memorized all the verses to the songs that told me about Jesus. I went to Bible School in the summer as a youngster. My parents had me in church almost every time the doors opened. But I did not have the heart knowledge I needed to personally know Jesus Christ. Then one day I ask Jesus to come into my heart and I accepted him as my Lord and Savior. I accepted the gift he wanted to give to me. Then I had heart knowledge of Jesus. It is so different from just knowing about him.
How does this really relate to horse training, you may ask? Once again, I have a lot of knowledge about horses. I know a lot about what makes them tick. I know why they do some of the things they do. My most recent reading material has been a book titled "Think Like a Horse." I know more about their eyes and ears and bone structure now than I did as well as a lot of other general information. But until it becomes a part of me and I work with horses, all the knowledge in the world will not make me a better rider or a more successful trainer. That will only happen when I actually start to relate to them in a personal way.
I am so excited about having someone work with me each and every day. It is so much different than talking or reading or even watching someone work with horses occasionally.
Let me tell you how much she has already changed things around here in just a little over a week. Natalie has been fearful to ride her horse, Romeo. She has almost been in tears a couple of times because she wanted to ride but he frightened her because he had found out he was the lead horse in their herd of two. She did not know how to make him do what she wanted him to do. She was also fearful of what would happen if she pushed the issue. I know what that feels like too.
Last night, my brother Bob and I were eating supper in front of the big picture window in the sun room. I heard strange noises and looked up. In a little bit I saw the flash of the light on what I knew was a stirrup. I walked out on the deck and of course it was Natalie and Annie. They had gone for a ride after dark. Natalie was just as comfortable as she would have been behind the wheel in her car. Annie inspired that confidence in her and has already taught her how to become the boss in their two horse herd.
I am very proud of Natalie for her courage and for her willingness to learn. I am indebted to Annie for being such a good teacher and giving Natalie the confidence to take charge of her horse. Natalie is really enjoying the riding experience and I think Annie is really loving to ride the horses on our farm.
Why wouldn't she though? Why wouldn't anyone? The Mountain Horses are some of God's greatest creations. To ride them is to enjoy a little piece of heaven on earth. Everyday all around me I see the creation of God's hands. Sunday morning as Bob and I left for church we looked out over the fields with the fog hanging silently over the green grass and kissing the trees dressed in their fall colors and we could not help but think of God's goodness and love for providing the beauty that embraced us.
May the peace and joy of knowing Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior
embrace you. May God bless and keep you in his loving care.
Regards
Mary
A clear understanding of stewardship not only recognizes that it is not about us but also believes that is all about God, and that it all belongs to and comes from God.
Tony Dungee
Retire coach of the Super Bowl Champions, the Indianapolis Colts.
I am the way, the truth and the life: no man comes to the father except by me.
John 14: 6
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