What is it about the smell of a horse that makes everything in this world feel nonexistent? It can literally make stress disappear and anxiety subside. Horses have an aromatherapy built into them that can melt away any bad day you come across. Weather it’s a 15,000 dollar barrel horse or a 400.00 dollar retired ranch horse, they all have the same special smell that can turn any day around.

Those times when you feel like this world is against you and everyone has a dislike towards you, it’s the aromatherapy of a horse that can help you pull through, finish your day, realize it’s all in your head, and start strong for the next day.

There are days I have to work all day, come home cook dinner for the kids, feed all my animals at home and then drive ten miles to check on the horses. But honestly I do not care how tired I am, because it is the incredible soul of a horse that can revive any tired soul of a human.

Horses are the one animal I have met that hold the most patience. Just last week our sweet mare, Brook got herself tangled up in some barb wire. A fence post had fallen on a unused fence line and laid the barbwire down on the ground, which she walked over and got her back legs caught up in it. She didn’t move and she didn’t fight. She stood there for I don’t know how long and waited for when I arrived. She must have stood there long enough to gain some hunger because once we were finally able to get her to move and realize she was free, she ran to her feeder.

Then there will be those inpatient horses that you come across in your lifetime. We are lucky to have a couple right now. A thoroughbred quarter cross gelding and a beautiful mini mare. Both hate to be left alone and if left alone tied, will literally hurt themselves trying to get free. Last Fall while trying to gather cattle our inpatient gelding, Prince, got left behind until we needed him so decided it would be appropriate to climb the trailer, get his right front hoof caught in the opening and sliced the whole back bottom of his leg open, nearly missing tendons by less than an inch. He spent almost two months in a cast, then another month still healing, all alone in a corral. You’d think the alone did him some good, but no, he’s still just as needy as before.

Our beautiful mini, Sugar, had lived in our backyard after Christmas for almost a year until we brought Brook down closer to the house for my son to use for 4H. Decided to put Sugar with Brook to give her some company and Sugar fell in love with her equine companionship, we have not been able to separate her since.

For me horses are my release, my breath of fresh air, my grace, my serenity, my faith, my education, and on some days everything I need to keep pushing forward in life.