Pay it Forward

I've been blessed to be able to work with a remarkable young lady during the last week. She and I have enjoyed several hours at the barn, talking about all sorts of horse things.

Last Friday, we had a really neat moment, when Beauty, her favorite horse, chose to show his trust in her in a unique way. We were standing with Beauty in the snowy pasture, when he decided to walk a few feet away and drop down into the snow for a good roll. I gasped and said to my young friend, "Wow! Beauty just paid you the highest compliment a horse can give someone! He laid down near you!" I went on to explain that because a horse's first defense is always to run from percieved danger, and because it's not a simple thing for a horse to get up from a rolling position, they will only lay down when they feel very secure and safe. The fact that Beauty felt safe enough to put himself into such a vulnerable position was a big deal!

Today, this same young lady and I were talking about how hard it can be to find people that we can trust with our hearts - people we feel safe opening up to and telling about our sometimes messy lives. This time it was my turn to get the highest compliment, as this precious girl said, "I feel safe talking to you. In fact, if I were a horse, I'd be rolling in the snow right next to you right now!"

*sniff, sniff* What an awesome job I have!