If we were voting on the horse that loves most to have her photograph taken, we would have to give it to Sughee. She will pose any time she sees a camera. She rivals some of my granddaughters for loving to have her picture made. Sughee belongs to Annie Hart.
On the other hand, Magic Rhythm would win honors for the most pregnant looking mare in the herd. Magic Rhythm is due to foal in March. She is mother to Butterfly Kisses, Kailey's Magic and my colt Blaze. This year she is bred to Blue on Black. He is a stallion that stands for breeding at the Van Bert Farms in Stanton. I am eager to see what that foal will look like.
It is bitter cold here as it is in other parts of the country. I talked to my daughter-in-law, Chrissy in Mississippi this morning and at noon it was finally just getting up to 20. They are having teeth chattering cold in Ms again this year. It is so cold down there that Steve is letting his dog Chief in the house. That is almost unknown for Steve who believes dogs belong out side. He is right too. Although, my dogs come in the house everyday. Winter and summer. Nice
weather and bad.
God in His wisdom has prepared animals for outdoor weather. In the summer the hair gets shorter and shiny. In the winter as it is now, our horses here are very heavily coated. Most of mine are staying outside as I have limited facilities to keep them indoors. The only ones staying indoors is the three yearlings and the old rescue horse.
I was given Aladdin. I took him because I felt sorry for him. He was woolly, thin and had missing spots of hair in the late spring. We began to feed him and brush him every day. He started to put on weight and slick off and look good. I turned him out with the herd. He has his favorite in the herd. She is a boarded horse named Hershey. He loves Hershey and if we see Hershey by herself or Aladdin without Hershey we start looking for one or the other.
Last winter Aladdin got thin and summer didn't helped him at all. We started making him stay in the fall last year (2009). He paced the floor day and night because he was separated from Hershey. She stood by the barn a lot. She missed him too. So we put him in a stall that blocked their view from each other. Hershey started mingling more with the herd and Aladdin continued to pace for days.
It seemed at first that Aladdin was going to burn off all the extra feed we were giving him by pacing the floor. Aladdin also had a bad case of rain rot. We have treated that and groomed him. He is beginning to grow hair back and now he is putting on weight. We have been letting him out of the barn to graze. He doesn't go out in the field with Hershey. He has the privilege that no other horse in the herd has. He is let out around the barn where the grass is taller and there is plenty of it but there is no fence. He stays around the barn and near the fence by the herd. He goes back in at night. He is putting on weight and looking so much better.
But how much has this free horse cost me. I have poured more money in his feed that I have spent for my pregnant mares. His teeth cost me more than my show horses. His coat care cost more than my weanling (just turned yearling) colts. He is worth less than any horse out there. He is a gelding so there is no breeding fees to be had from him plus he is a mutt horse. There is some Arabian in there but who knows what else. He is a total pain in the neck because of his care and expense. He can be ridden but he takes a very firm hand because he is so herd and barn sour. He can't be ridden very much because of his age (20+) and his condition.
So why do I bother with him? Horse lovers know the answer. For the rest of you, I will give you my take on it. Yes, I love animals too but the realist in me says I can't afford to keep this horse. He is of no or little use to me. But God has made me to be a compassionate person. He shows me things through this horse. Maybe, I could look like that to God if He looked at me the same way I sometimes look at Aladdin.
But God looks at me the same as He looks at everyone in this world. He loves us all unconditionally. It matters to Him what we do and how we act but like a good parent He loves us no matter what we do. As parents we try to imitate God by loving our children unconditionally. No matter what they do or how they disappoint us. God never gives up on us even though He is rejected time and again. On the cross Jesus ask God for forgiveness for those who crucified Him. That was us. You and me and all the other people of the world. He died for us because of our sin.
So we can see God in our relationship with animals and our relationship with other people. Those in our family and those outside our family. We are called on to love our neighbors. I don't think we have to like them but we do need to treat others as we would have others treat us. And the way God deals with us. In hard times as we are experiencing right now in this country, we need to turn to God. We need to keep our leaders in prayer. We need to keep our country in our prayers. We need to ask God to forgive our National sins. Yes, we have National sins.
May God bless you and keep you in His loving care.
Regards,
Mary
Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.
II Chronicles 7: 14
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
John 3: 16
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