Thanks Be to the Gentle Giants that Make Us Feel like We Can Fly

We enter into this sport because we love horses.

This week, it was re-confirmed for me that this is why I get up every day, as hard as it sometimes may be.

There was a horse we called Fred.

©Lauren Hunkin

To me, he was this steady guy that I met about six years ago when he was trucking Amy Millar’s daughter, Lily, around the lead line. They had braided him up and the two of them were quite a pair. All I could think was, what a good guy. The atmosphere would have had me spinning and he just looked proud to be doing a good job.

Such a cool thing, to see an animal want to help a small human. I don’t have the words to express that look. But if you’ve been lucky enough to see it, you’re most likely hooked for life.

When Fred came up for sale, I knew we were lucky to have him. I just didn’t knowhow lucky we were.

We didn’t know him well that first season, but he loved to show off. I have never seen a horse so accomplished and happy from doing his first derby course, even at his age. (He was around 15 at the time.) It was like he had found his new job. And we reaped the benefits of him succeeding at it. Thank you, Fred.

Fred didn’t require too much of us, but he soon became our “go to” horse. Anyone who was new, nervous, never had been near a horse, Fred was our guy.

As time went by and we built our business, all the while there was Fred, just doing his job. He got placed with wonderful people every summer, he was loved and appreciated. And every fall he came back to what I thought was “work.” But to Fred, it was his passion and he was happy to do it.

How could I possibly know that?

Because he took it on with a certain kind of vigor.

The same kind that my top horses have done. But in a different way. He was patient. And kind. And he loved it when his human got it. Sometimes he celebrated it too (even if only he got the joke!).

The last time I got the pleasure of riding Fred, I was having a “hard” day. Then I got to warm him up for a student—that was my therapy for the day. Truly. You couldn’t have knocked the grin off my face as I rode him around. It was MY pleasure to be sitting on him. Again, I thank Fred.

I could go on forever…

We said goodbye to Fred this week. And no matter what the circumstances, I don’t think words are ever good enough. So…

Please give your horses a hug and their caregivers too. Thanks be to the gentle giants that make us feel like we can fly. ‪#‎fredblessed‬