It was a beautiful autumn day, the air was cool, the sun hot. *Lyndy walked up the driveway with her grandmother. I knew Lyndy through her family. I knew that her whole family had health issues and that this created a great amount of stress in their relationships. Her smile was stiff and forced, just barely holding back the pain of depression and anxiety. Both very common in young teens these days.
I had prayed when her grandmother signed her up, “Lord, which horse would You have her work with?” His answer was, “Let her choose”. Being the control freak I am, I questioned Him, “Really?” “Yes, really”, was His answer. “OK, Lord, You know what You're doing”, submitted grudgingly. I still fished around in my mind for a good fit. Of course, I really couldn't settle on a horse that I thought would be suitable for this particular session. This is probably why God doesn't tell me too much about the kids. I'd get in the way, if I knew too much.
Lyndy and I commenced our chore for the day. Mucking the Stockade. We talked about school, and her interests in hobbies. School wasn't her favorite thing, and she didn't have any hobbies. She really didn't have any friends, either. The anxiety always made her feel like no one liked her. She liked her church youth group. The youth pastor was great, and she was hopeful she would make friends. We talked about the “manure principle”. Life dumps manure on all of us. Other people sometimes do, to, whether they intend to or not. Sometimes, we even dump manure on ourselves through our own sin nature. Regardless of the source of the manure in our lives, God can make it into wonderful, rich, fertile soil where good things can grow, if we let Him.
We filled our wheel barrow and emptied it at the pile. As we hung up our forks, I asked Lyndy which horse she thought she would like to work with. She pointed to a buckskin mare across the Stockade, indicating Diamond. My eyes rolled upward, and I silently asked again, “Really, Lord?” “Yes, really”.
When she came to us, Diamond's back, left hoof was very long. It wasn't hard to discover why. For some reason, she did NOT want that hoof trimmed. It took our hoof care specialist and me several sessions to get her to pick up that foot respectfully. In fact, Diamond struggled to respect any human. I believe she had been “made to mind” instead of having a relationship cultured. We had worked hard to overcome her reluctance, but each new person she encountered was starting from square one. We only used her for ground work sessions, and then only if she showed signs of wanting to participate. I never would have chosen her for this session.
Not only was Diamond usually disagreeable with new people, she was always hard to catch. Actually, she didn't like to be touched. We almost always went around the Stockade at least twice before she would be caught.
Lyndy grabbed a halter and groom bucket from the tack shed, as I climbed through the fence into the Stockade, hoping I could get her cornered, to make for a quicker catch. As Lyndy followed me in, Diamond walked right passed me, up to Lyndy! I gasped! Diamond had never approached anyone on her own, especially someone carrying a halther! “OK, Lord, show me!” I prayed. He clearly had something special in store for these two.
Lyndy led Diamond to the alley as if the two had been doing this their whole lives. As I showed Lyndy how to brush her with the curry comb, Diamond began to yawn. Big, wide open mouth yawns, releasing stress that was built up from who knows how long. Lyndy and I laughed! And Diamond just kept yawning! I had never seen this horse react this way before. When Lyndy put down the curry comb to get the stiff brush, Diamond shook all over. A giant, full body shake, with dust flying all over! We were both covered, but we didn't care! Then I noticed that Lyndy was smiling! Not the stiff, scared, I can't let you know how bad I hurt smile, but a REAL smile. Relaxed and joyful!
Lyndy finished brushing Diamond, then, I showed her how to pick out Diamond's hooves. She began with the left front, then the right front, then the right back, then, Praise God! The LEFT BACK HOOF! Diamond picked it up FOR her! It was all I could do to not burst into tears! “ Do you have any idea what a miracle this is, Lyndy?!” I told her about Diamond and how she just can't seem to trust anyone, but Lyndy was HER girl! I could see Lyndy's shoulders relax, the tension, anxiety and fear all melting away in the bond being forged between a horse and a girl.
The rest of the session was just as amazing. Diamond stood patiently, calmly, and trusting as Lyndy tossed the string over her back, neck, legs, and rubbed her with the stick. She moved away from pressure, both direct and indirect making beautiful circles in the arena sand. She backed, ears forward, taking direction from her leader, trusting her where she could not see. Then, a circle game, first at a walk, and then trot, with beautiful, smooth transitions both in gate and direction! I had never seen this horse respond so willingly and gracefully! After each exercize, Diamond came in to Lyndy with a nuzzle! The horse that hates to be touched! Diamond would put her nose into the crook of Lyndy's elbow, while Lyndy rubbed her face and ears.
Throughout it all, Lyndy's head raised higher, her shoulders relaxed, her back straightened, her confidence shooting through the clouds! The peace in her face was radiant, like a diamond shining out God's glory! Only Jesus could have known that this sceptical, resistant horse, and this anxious, depressed girl would bond and bring healing to one another on a sunny autumn afternoon. And I had the priviledge of witnessing this miracle! What an honor to be a part of God's powerful work in the hearts of a girl and a horse!
As I said goodbye to Lyndy and her grandmother, I realized, not only does pressure make fertile soil out of manure, it creates diamonds out of coal! We just need to yield to the pressure.
He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus!
Phil 1:6
*name has been changed to protect identity
I had prayed when her grandmother signed her up, “Lord, which horse would You have her work with?” His answer was, “Let her choose”. Being the control freak I am, I questioned Him, “Really?” “Yes, really”, was His answer. “OK, Lord, You know what You're doing”, submitted grudgingly. I still fished around in my mind for a good fit. Of course, I really couldn't settle on a horse that I thought would be suitable for this particular session. This is probably why God doesn't tell me too much about the kids. I'd get in the way, if I knew too much.
Lyndy and I commenced our chore for the day. Mucking the Stockade. We talked about school, and her interests in hobbies. School wasn't her favorite thing, and she didn't have any hobbies. She really didn't have any friends, either. The anxiety always made her feel like no one liked her. She liked her church youth group. The youth pastor was great, and she was hopeful she would make friends. We talked about the “manure principle”. Life dumps manure on all of us. Other people sometimes do, to, whether they intend to or not. Sometimes, we even dump manure on ourselves through our own sin nature. Regardless of the source of the manure in our lives, God can make it into wonderful, rich, fertile soil where good things can grow, if we let Him.
We filled our wheel barrow and emptied it at the pile. As we hung up our forks, I asked Lyndy which horse she thought she would like to work with. She pointed to a buckskin mare across the Stockade, indicating Diamond. My eyes rolled upward, and I silently asked again, “Really, Lord?” “Yes, really”.
When she came to us, Diamond's back, left hoof was very long. It wasn't hard to discover why. For some reason, she did NOT want that hoof trimmed. It took our hoof care specialist and me several sessions to get her to pick up that foot respectfully. In fact, Diamond struggled to respect any human. I believe she had been “made to mind” instead of having a relationship cultured. We had worked hard to overcome her reluctance, but each new person she encountered was starting from square one. We only used her for ground work sessions, and then only if she showed signs of wanting to participate. I never would have chosen her for this session.
Not only was Diamond usually disagreeable with new people, she was always hard to catch. Actually, she didn't like to be touched. We almost always went around the Stockade at least twice before she would be caught.
Lyndy grabbed a halter and groom bucket from the tack shed, as I climbed through the fence into the Stockade, hoping I could get her cornered, to make for a quicker catch. As Lyndy followed me in, Diamond walked right passed me, up to Lyndy! I gasped! Diamond had never approached anyone on her own, especially someone carrying a halther! “OK, Lord, show me!” I prayed. He clearly had something special in store for these two.
Lyndy led Diamond to the alley as if the two had been doing this their whole lives. As I showed Lyndy how to brush her with the curry comb, Diamond began to yawn. Big, wide open mouth yawns, releasing stress that was built up from who knows how long. Lyndy and I laughed! And Diamond just kept yawning! I had never seen this horse react this way before. When Lyndy put down the curry comb to get the stiff brush, Diamond shook all over. A giant, full body shake, with dust flying all over! We were both covered, but we didn't care! Then I noticed that Lyndy was smiling! Not the stiff, scared, I can't let you know how bad I hurt smile, but a REAL smile. Relaxed and joyful!
Lyndy finished brushing Diamond, then, I showed her how to pick out Diamond's hooves. She began with the left front, then the right front, then the right back, then, Praise God! The LEFT BACK HOOF! Diamond picked it up FOR her! It was all I could do to not burst into tears! “ Do you have any idea what a miracle this is, Lyndy?!” I told her about Diamond and how she just can't seem to trust anyone, but Lyndy was HER girl! I could see Lyndy's shoulders relax, the tension, anxiety and fear all melting away in the bond being forged between a horse and a girl.
The rest of the session was just as amazing. Diamond stood patiently, calmly, and trusting as Lyndy tossed the string over her back, neck, legs, and rubbed her with the stick. She moved away from pressure, both direct and indirect making beautiful circles in the arena sand. She backed, ears forward, taking direction from her leader, trusting her where she could not see. Then, a circle game, first at a walk, and then trot, with beautiful, smooth transitions both in gate and direction! I had never seen this horse respond so willingly and gracefully! After each exercize, Diamond came in to Lyndy with a nuzzle! The horse that hates to be touched! Diamond would put her nose into the crook of Lyndy's elbow, while Lyndy rubbed her face and ears.
Throughout it all, Lyndy's head raised higher, her shoulders relaxed, her back straightened, her confidence shooting through the clouds! The peace in her face was radiant, like a diamond shining out God's glory! Only Jesus could have known that this sceptical, resistant horse, and this anxious, depressed girl would bond and bring healing to one another on a sunny autumn afternoon. And I had the priviledge of witnessing this miracle! What an honor to be a part of God's powerful work in the hearts of a girl and a horse!
As I said goodbye to Lyndy and her grandmother, I realized, not only does pressure make fertile soil out of manure, it creates diamonds out of coal! We just need to yield to the pressure.
He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus!
Phil 1:6
*name has been changed to protect identity
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