Pasture Magic: Bonding with Horses and Donkeys



Photo by Marianne M. Smith



Christmas always makes me think about horses (and donkeys, too, of course).  I’m not sure how I originally made this connection.  Maybe it had to do with my earliest desire for a Christmas pony.

By the way, that pony never materialized until I bought it for myself when I turned 40!  (Well, ok, I actually bought two ponies, probably because I thought that fulfillment of that wish was so overdue.)

A few years later, my husband surprised me at Christmas with a Belgian mare, and Nadia is still a strong contender for “best gift ever.”



Nadia with Dwayne



But sometimes my non-farming friends want to know what drives me to continue the farm these days.  To be honest, it has never been a profitable venture, and it requires huge investments of time, money, and hard work.  It also brings with it a disturbing lack of freedom.

However, I can justify it all by citing how rewarding the equine/donkey bond is for me.  Even in this time of economic uncertainty—especially in this time—the bond I feel with my equine and donkey friends makes me feel more sane and balanced.

They are a constant in a world of turmoil and change.  I can count on connecting with them when I can’t count on anything else. 

Recently I was watching an episode of Two Broke Girls.  In case you aren’t familiar with it, the sitcom is based on a poor but delightfully down-to-earth waitress who befriends a fallen rich girl.  The rich girl moves in to the poor girl’s apartment in Brooklyn with her horse, Chestnut, who lives right outside their back door.  With winter coming, the girls decide to find Chestnut a more suitable home.  When Max (the poor waitress) is saying goodbye to Chestnut, she experiences a bonding moment.  I surprised myself by bursting into tears and had trouble getting ahold of myself.  That made me start thinking about why horses and donkeys matter so much in my own life.

Max's bonding moment with Chestnut in Two Brok Girls

The past year has been extremely tough for many of us.  We have collectively experienced a lot of loss.  Dump a nasty economy on top of that, toss in some diminishing dreams, and there is little left to hold on to.

When my heart feels heavy, I know what to do to balance my spirit.  I head out into the pastures, and put my hands on our donkeys and horses.  They live in the moment, and bring me back to it.  Standing firmly planted on land with my hands on the freest of creatures, I regain my center.

If I could send you a Christmas gift, it would be a package full of the feeling I just described.

Knowing that I always have this connection available allows me to take bigger risks and pursue dreams that would otherwise be deep-sixed.  And to me, that kind of support and connection is what drives my passion for farming and ranching.

I’m especially thankful this holiday season to be celebrating with friends and family at the ranch.

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

I’d love to hear about your own connection with horses and/or donkeys.  Please feel free to leave a comment.

Marianne M. Smith
Writer At The Ranch
Making You Look Brilliant One Word At A Time
http://www.writerattheranch.com
wordsmith@writerattheranch.com