Re: Blessings

[Maggie Mieske <mmieske@netonecom.net>]

Amen, Margie.  We aren't quite that well off...we often have to scrape to get by
and probably shouldn't have so many critters...6 horses, 5 dogs, 30 or 40
something rabbits, a cat and a chinchilla plus 3 teenagers creates quite a feed
bill!  But that's OK because we also feel blessed...we choose to live this way
(used truck, trailer, car, etc. but OURS) and as of this year, have chosen
distance riding as "our" sport.  Sometimes we may not have the entry fees, so we
will go riding together and maybe camping close to home and count our blessings
anyway!  And give everybody who would love to have a horse a chance to ride... it
thrills me to take someone riding who has never been.  Nothing like sitting on a
horse and actually staying on it to make a novice sit taller and prouder than
anything you've ever seen!!  It wasn't such a thrill when my dad made me get the
pony out every Sunday for the cousins, but when I was without horses for a few
years, I sure as heck appreciate them now and can't believe what I actually can DO
with them!  My friends and family can't even understand WHY anyone would WANT to
ride 50 miles, let alone 100 (which is in my someday sights!).  It's the people,
the friends, the connection to your horse, nature, God, whatever.... I hope I'll
be distance riding til I die and I'll count my blessings every day I can!
Maggie in Michigan

MargieKC@aol.com wrote:

> I feel blessed every day when I get up in a warm house and look out my window
> to see my two horses wandering out of their dry barn/shed looking for the
> "woman with the food."  To get to the barn, I must walk by my 2-horse trailer
> - not terribly expensive but a nice trailer and certainly able to haul those
> two spoiled creatures whereever we decide to go - and by my 8-year-old small
> (but comfortable) RV with 75,000 miles.  The whole set isn't worth a whole lot
> (relatively speaking) but I feel blessed.
>
> Because I volunteer with families who don't live as well as my horses.  A dry
> barn with warm hay, somewhere to get in out of the Kansas City winter would be
> heaven to them.  An RV with heat and running water AND a bathroom, a Godsend!
> Without the support of our local city mission and a large number of kind and
> generous donors, many of these children would not have food twice a day.  In
> fact, many wouldn't eat at all.  And Christmas presents - not a chance!  And
> yet, I hear more thankfulness and kindness from these unfortunate people than
> I have been hearing from some on ridecamp.
>
> We horse owners are an incredibly fortunate lot.  If you have a truck able to
> pull a trailer containing a horse and tack and the whole business (including
> the horse) isn't worth $5,000 and you can still afford to put shoes on the
> horse and gas in the truck to drive you to a ride in a beautiful forest and
> share in a pot-luck with friends, you are blessed!!  In my opinion, anyone who
> can do this even once or twice a year and then complains they can't afford an
> extra $10.00 to pay a non-member fee needs to reevaluate his/her lifestyle.
> Go to your local mission and meet people in real need.  In fact, trailer you
> horse over there - it would give the kids a thrill.
>
> I readily admit my husband makes a good salary and I have a comfortable
> lifestyle.  But if you can afford to own and feed a horse and participate in a
> horse-related sport, you can't be destitute.  So please, can we quit sounding
> like the poorest of the poor.  There are so many people who would love to
> trade places with any of us - or even our horses.
>
> Margie Burton
> Central Region