For the past few months, my life has taken lots of turns- all of them, I find, for the better. We’ve had lots of things going on, changes, work- all of it with a different set of goals and attitudes.
I haven’t explained or anything, and I sort of apologize because that’s frustrating, I know; but I’ve been taking that time to try and get some ground and stuff under me. So, without farther ado, I will continue!
I suck at time frames, but anyway; A few months ago, Tory and Roger were at a pow-wow in Alabama. (Which isn’t far from here.) Dad, Kody, Ma, and I were on the way home from a trip to the city, and I listened in on Mama’s conversation and stuff with Tory. In a few words; Tory had met a couple who had a horse sanctuary, for the ancient Indian tribes. The horses were free, gifted in herds, and there were conditions about getting your own herd. The main one was; the sancuary was also dedicated to keeping the tribes pure, so the stallions had their families, and you were not allowed to cut your stud (ie. make the stud a gelding,).
I remember listening to Mom, trying to be calm but inside I was sort of confued. You have to understand here; I’ve been wanting a horse for about 5 years now. Its never been a ‘no’ from my parents, which I’ve always clung to, but it was the ‘once we get the houses done, then we can look into a horse.’ In short, I could only get a horse once the land and houses were fixed. Not only because of money, but because time.
And here we were, with our other house needing to be finished building, and Grandma and Papa needing their house done before winter- and Mama was before me, talking about going to visit horses? Outwardly, my face was stony, but inside, I was wondering.
Was this it? Mama was truly interested, I could tell by her voice, and Dad was not protesting from the driver’s seat. Next week, we would be visiting the Sacred Way Sanctuary. What did any of this mean?
Well, next Sunday rolled around. We went to the ranch. And that’s a long story, but here the simple one goes; It was amazing. There were so many tribes, Northern and Southern tribes, beautiful horses, it was all truly amazing. I can’t get into details because that will take days and plus, while the recent happenings are fresh in my mind, I need to get them out. 😉
But it was happening. I was ecstatic (still am!). We were getting horses! And not just one, MANY! That trip, we already chose horses that we wanted (which will be weaned in a few more months, around Spring, I think).
Anyway; skipping to lately!
Not but maybe a week ago, for some reason, the adults (Mom, Dad, Roger, and Tory) were looking on Rog’s phone on some Facebook Horse sell. And suddenly, there was this filly palomino. Mama fell in love as soon as she saw her. And to my surprise but pleasure, we went and got her!
We named her Sugar Baby. 🙂 She has a big ‘ol attitude, but she is super sweet! 🙂
She and Cosmo took a liking to each other, really quickly, after about a day.
We also got the bigger pasture closest to our house done! So they really like all of the grass, lol! 😉
So, Baby is Mama’s horse, but she is also pretty much, as I call it, the family horse too. XD Mama loves her and so do we! 😀
So, we had a week, I think, to get Baby settled in with Cosmo. Then, it was finally time to go and pick up Roger’s horse, Comanche, and Tory’s mare, who she is hoping will be Reyna’s mare in the future, too!
Yesterday, we rented a trailer and went to AL, to the Collins family’s Sacred Way Sanctuary.
It. Was. A. Blast.
We got there around 10, I think, and they were moving horses. Roger and Tory went with Mrs. Yvette, and it was all busy with moving and keeping gates closed!
But then, Ma in the car with Reyna; Dad, Kody, and I went over to where Comanche, Senna, and Com’s half-sister were all corralled.
Farther through the day, we all had lots of fun. I mean seriously, it felt like another home!
We watched them for a bit, and then Mrs. Yvette’s son showed Kody, Rey, and I his (and his sister’s!) turtles. They were super cool, they had (that I saw, they had more) 4 of them, and they were fun. 🙂
Roger then trimmed some mares (their hooves, I mean.), and Dad went over there too. It took a bit, so that’s when us kids saw the turtles. 😀 And they also had 3 black cats, which were so cool, I got to pet them. XD
Then Mrs. Yvette wanted Roger to ride a horse, so they left (I still am not sure why but oh well haha) and we hung around. We petted some more horses, too.
Then Roger got back, and he pulled out this mare and rode her bareback! She was beautiful! Absolutely stunning, I mean it. She was half warmblood- or better bet, she actually came from a Viking lineage. Which explains everything. I’ve always been drawn to the bigger horses, I love their stocky builds and big, gentle faces. ♥ But it makes sense now, because of my Viking heritage, its all in the soul and blood.
Roger rode her around the yard a bit, and when he got off, that’s when Mrs. Yvette talked about the horse’s linage and stuff. 🙂
I rode her, too. Bareback. I haven’t ridden in such a long time, and even then, I have like zero experience- plus, add about 6 people as an audience… Yeah. XD But Roger asked, and Mrs. Yvette was really encouraging, and Ma and Dad were smiling so I did. Dad helped me on, because it wasn’t like the girl was like a huge giant- but she was big and add the fact I am short… XD It was funny. 😉
Luckily, in the *faraway* past, Roger used to give me riding lessons. And I hadn’t forgotten about keeping my knees and thighs tight, also known as ‘they hold on so you don’t fall off but don’t hold too hard’.
Honestly, though, I know I didn’t ride a whole lot in the past, but gosh, it doesn’t matter- I’ve missed riding so much. So so much. With that girl, I was on this huge back, and she wasn’t jostling me around and I didn’t moron-it-up (I didn’t fall off 😉 )- it was amazing. Just to be on the back of a horse again, and THIS horse… Bareback. First off, of course I’ve barely done much if ANY bareback riding, but even so, its my favorite. It may sound silly or something, but I seriously love bareback. I know its probably harder, but to me, it just seems purer.
Just you and the horse. Nothing big and bulgy in the middle. You and them, that’s all, no excess. Its amazing to be a part of. To me, I don’t know if I’m explaining it right, but bareback is just so much freer.
Anyway, so I rode the girl back to the barn, and getting off was less fun (and probably way less ‘stylish’ 😉 ) but I managed to do it without breaking Dad’s knee. Ehehe… 0-0 XD
So then, we hung a bit more but made our way down to another field where Tory, Roger, and Mrs. Yvette were tending to a sick mare. I don’t know what was wrong with her, but they did some stuff (while an entire other herd ate the alfalfa in the back of the truck XD).
Mama, Dad, Kody, Reyna, and I were accompanied by Yvette’s son, daughter, and toddler son. 😀 We went and petted another herd, one Kody was really drawn too, and the mares and stallion were absolutely incredibly sweet. (And soft)
It was very amazing to be a part of yesterday, it was so peaceful, I didn’t feel out of place at all, and surrounded by these amazing, God given animals and my family was incredible.
Eventually, but what the adults were doing I forget (is my memory bad or what? XD), the daughter took us to see the ducks. 🙂 There was quite a few, and one of them was her pet. His name was Musby. He was really big and pretty cool! I climbed some fences, had to make sure I didn’t make eye contact with a four horned sheep- the day was good. XD
Then, us Watts’ went to eat! XD 😀 ♥-♥ We ate at Chick-Fil-A. 😀 I love that place. It took us a bit to find it, what with our GPS being weird. XD (also, on the way out of leaving the ranch, Dad suddenly stopped in the back road, reversed, and yelled ‘turtle’ because we were all like ‘Dad? Uh… Have you lost your mind what are you…?’ XD So we also happened to pick up a box turtle we gave to Yvette’s son. 🙂 )
When we got back, we then started to load Comanche and Senna up. It was sad to see Senna be parted by her friend (who was Com’s half sis). 🙁 But Senna is doing well now, too!
It took not long at all to get them loaded. We used panels and they are both really sweet, though they scared a bit for a moment, they did get in without anyone getting hurt.
Eventually, we headed home. Senna and Comanche were beautiful in the trailer, nothing bad happened, it went smoothly. Comanche is such a boy, he’s amazing! XD Every time we hit a stop light, he’d poke his head out of the back bar. Mama got a pic, too.
When we got home, we moved Cosmo to another really, really tiny paddock with a shed (which Kody and I cleaned out a few days ago, meaning to get it cleared for a baby calf, which we ended up not getting. We are going to get some cows and stuff though). And we brought Senna and Comanche in with Baby. It wasn’t too bad, Baby kinda ran them away but they didn’t care too much and ate. Baby freaked a bit because she is already attached to Cosmo, though.
We had an amazing, God blessed day. Yahweh is making all of this come together, in His way and timing. We pray to praise and glorify HIM, and help and give that same love to other people, too. We have goals and dreams here, and God is blessing us and helping us in His will for us. We are all extremely joyous, for many reasons, to be able to do this, to have these horses, for things to be coming together, for the future, for the things we wish to do to give back. ♥ I am very happy, and awestruck, that the years I was waiting and giving up and almost giving up, but wanting to hold on to the idea of me getting a horse…
I think we’ve all heard the saying; ‘God’s answers to your prayers; Yes, no, not yet.’ Its dumbed down, yes. But Yahushua is miraculous, and He gave me something way better than what I originally wanted. His plan is bigger, and all the way more fantastic than my dreams. I am so glad He had me wait, because what’s happening now is much bigger and GOD’S BLESSINGS AND MIRACULOUS WORKS. He is all we need, and I am always baffled when He shews us these kind of loving works, HE IS TO BE PRAISED!
It was a day! 😀 The only down part was Dad and I didn’t feel really good, Dad has a coldish thing going on, and my asthma kicked in so my throat isn’t like bad bad but its a tid sucky. XD But it didn’t stop us from having that day! 😀
This morning I slept in till 10, and woke and had breakfast with everyone! 😀 Reyna was giving sugars, too. 😉 We moved Cosmo in with the girls and Com, and they’re doing really well. We’re interested to see how they all end up, whether one herd or parted off.
We didn’t do much today at all, a lazy day, because we’re all really exhausted. XD So Dad, Kody, and Ma have been watching Hawaii 5-0 (one of the extremely heart breaking ones I might add nooo can’t do), and I’ve been doing nothing. XD My throats not too bad, just gotta drink stuff and take medicine so I don’t have to breathe my inhaler forever. XD
So, that’s pretty much what’s been going on in our lives! 😀 There’s much more to come, and we’re all praying, and life is taking some turns. 😀 We’re working hard and plans are working out.
This is a journey I am taking with Yahushua, my family, and these animals that are so much more. ♥ We’re all learning, loving, trying- and PRAISING.
God bless!
-Angela