"The Presence of Horses"

I spent my first seven years on this farm in eastern Pennsylvania. Along with the cows we had chickens, ducks, geese and pigs. Our animals were the "useful" kind, so no horses! But I would run around the pasture with my sister and brother pretending I was a horse. If we had stayed there longer, I might have worn my parents down with begging and eventually had a pony. But the farm was sold and we moved to Colorado Springs, where we lived in a new subdivision. You can't imagine a more drastic change for an eastern family, and kids who were used to a big private farm. Yet all around us, there were still open prairies, ranches and horses to covet. So it was a new life.

I'm thinking of the old farm because I'm reading a novel called "In the Presence of Horses," by Barbara Dimmick. The horse barn setting is near Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, which is a stone's throw from our old place in Bucks County. She writes about the sad decline of Bethlehem Steel, where my father and other relatives once made a living. If you're looking for a happy story, don't read this book. But if you like horses, it's unusual to find fiction written by an experienced horsewoman. Here's some lines she writes about grooming a favorite horse. If we let them, our animals keep us grounded in the present moment:

I polished Twister's shoulders and his flanks, and in time I began to listen for the black horse's thoughts. But he seemed only to be, to breathe, to exist: a huge, warm gleaming presence. And soon, that's all I was doing too: being, breathing.

When your horse dies, you have free time to miss your horse. The thing is to keep busy, keep going, because all those old chores and obligations are gone. I realize how special Sizzle made me feel, whether I was walking around the grocery store in boots or taking a ride alone in the park. Of course no one needs a horse to help their self-image. It's vain and silly. But I guess it takes time for your feelings to listen to your logic.

If you click HERE the link will take you to an article that was just published in the West Seattle Herald newspaper about my last stable. It's a special place (yes, a hidden gem in the city) and I was lucky to be there with good friends for the final chapter in Sizzle's life. Here's picture of a happy day last April: