It’s
been quite a while since I have had time to write anything. We have spent the
last month entertaining one set of guests after another in our home, and while
it was really fun and lively, I am ready to step back and regroup. The horses are happy that I am out in
the pasture with them more now, grooming and cleaning up as the weather gets
milder. Everything is exploding
with shades of green, and the girls are wandering around, sampling the little
blades of new grass.
We
celebrated Silk’s 25th birthday on Sunday, and my daughter and I
sang her favorite song – “We love you in the morning and in the afternoon. We
love you in the evening, underneath the moon. Skinneramerinkadinkydink,
skinneramerinkado, we love you!” My daughter began singing that kids’ classic to
her fifteen years ago, and Silk always perks up her ears and bobs her head when
she hears it like she would like to sing along with us.
I
was listening to an interview this morning with poet Mark Nepo ,and he
suggested looking at the first time when you
had a sense of your own aliveness. I realized that for me, it was the first
time that I rode a horse. I was
really young, only about 3 years old, but the emotional connection that I felt
with the horse and the power of the animal combined with how gentle the horse
was with me made me feel more alive than I had ever felt before.
Then, Nepo asked when was a time when
you felt pulled away from that aliveness. I remember it came about ten years
later, when my parents flatly refused to ever let me own my own horse. My father was afraid of them, and my
mother had other plans for whom she wanted me to be that did not include
spending even more time at the barn.
So, I was pulled away from the beautiful creatures that made me feel
most alive and sent off into the world to make something of myself that my
parents approved of and understood more. It wasn’t until I had my own child
that I allowed myself to have the joy of being with horses in my life again.
Silk touches that aliveness for me every day. The older my horse and I get, the
stronger the connection becomes between our hearts.
.
15 comments:
Happy Birthday Silk, you beautiful girl. I'm sure your Mama knows how much you love her. A mutual admiration society.....That is some theme song you have. If I could be there, I'd give you a birthday treat and a big hug.
Lori - It is indeed Silk's theme song. My daughter learned it in pre-school and sang it to Silk with all the hand movements that go along with the song. I've never seen a horse light up the way Silk did when she heard it, so we've been singing it to her ever since. I spared everyone the video so you didn't have to hear how off-key I sound!
Happy Birthday beautiful girl! May you have many more happy years with the family that loves you so.
I love that she perks up every time she hears "her" song. I'm sure it's very special to her and all of you too. Did she have carrot cake or apple pie with candles?
Happy birthday, beautiful Silk!
I love your memories of horses - memories like that, early memories, are often the best guides to what's important (or not) in your life.
Happy birthday to a beautiful mare!
Arlene - She had a fruit salad and we had carrot cake, and Siete was so jealous that we had to make a small fruit salad for her too.
Thanks Wolfie!
Kate - Hope Pie enjoyed his birthday as much as Silk did hers. I have a feeling that my early memories are very similar to a lot of my friends who read the blog. Horses, horses and more horses - even though my mom tried to convince me that ice skating, ballet dancing, skiing, piano lessons were better - but I was always a cowgirl.
I'm so glad you came back to your first, true love...it's so sad to me that so many parents don't want to accept who their children really are. Happy, happy Birthday Silk!!!
Happy Birthday, Silk! Twenty-five wonderful years old. Songs and fruit salad, what a way to celebrate.
Victoria, what treasured memories you are gathering with the horses in your life. They do our souls so much good. Hugs to that sweet birthday girl.
Hoping you and Silk enjoy many more birthday singalongs together! She is such a beautiful girl.
(love that Siete needed her own fruit salad lol!)
Happy birthday to Silk! Glad she is so happy and healthy and able to celebrate so many years. We don't even try to offer just one birthday tub - they all get one, every birthday that passes. All for one, one for all. :)
Silk thanks everyone and I do too!
Billie- You must be making extra birthday tubs all the time since your herd is so much bigger than mine! Lucky for the November Hill gang!
Hello Victoria,
I have several older horses that we still use around our places for guest rides. These guys, all in their mid twenty's are still full of energy. As long as I keep them well fed and in good health I expect they'll be around for awhile.
Like you I got on a horse early. My father raised horses so I was pretty lucky. At about 4 yrs old I was riding "Old Joe", on my own, a gentle roan that we could crawl all over. It's been a lasting memory and I'm still riding.
Hi! I just found your blog! I just started taking riding/caring lessons as a menopause gift to myself :) Having a horse has always been a dream and with my 3 youngest kids graduating from high school over the next 5 years, I am planning to buy a horse - after I learn to care for him. Anyhow, I look forward to reading more. Thank you for sharing your experiences!
Beth
A beautiful theme song for an amazing horse and I hope that she is around to celebrate many more birthdays. 25 is just the start for silk! I remember a photo of her about two years ago and she still looks as well, even without her saddle or any other tack on her, I love photos of horses with undoubted character and silk has that for sure.
Post a Comment