I Hold My Horse’s Hope In My Hands

Another guest post from Eleanor D. Van Natta over at Sage By Nature. You can find more of her writing on her horse blog.

I love my horse because when I am with her I hold her hope in my hands.

Hope for her better life, for grass filled pastures, nuzzles and knickers; a soft place to rest her head, a safe place to sleep and to dream. A shelter from the storms.

I love my horse even more because I hold her hope in my hands. Hope for nuzzles and knickers, a soft place to fall, a steady strength. A warm breath on cold days; a dry, clear eye, in the midst of tears.

I grasp her mane in my hands, bury my nose in her withers, and breathe the nurturing scent of her. And I am 17 again.

A horse’s mane can hold a lot of tears. From first horse and first love to now, it’s the truth of her, the hope of her, the truth and hope of all horses, that endures.

Twenty-five years ago is very vivid in my mind. First love gone wrong and first horse gone right. It is solidly comforting and wholly satisfying to breathe in the hay and the sweet smell of horse and let your tears absorb into the pine shavings. Many a horse, I am sure, have had their manes washed with the tears of young and older women alike.

I loved that first horse and all she represented with a steadfast fervor through the years. Twenty five years later I still think of her very fondly, and the memories are still vivid. She lives on in my current horse.

And the hope of horses endures.

Image from cwalker71

About Eleanor

Eleanor Van Natta is a wife, a mother of two little girls, and a caretaker to one dog, one cat, and one horse. She has a Zoology degree from the University of CA, Davis, and prior to becoming a stay at home mom she had a career in environmental and pharmaceutical sales. You can find more of her writing on her website: Sage By Nature.

Read more by Eleanor
For Better or Worse – As Long As I Can Have My Horse
Learning From Wild Horses – Part 1, Part 2 & Part 3.