My friends have ridden for years. I’d had
a perpetual interest in horses but had never done
any serious riding. On the first day of our lease
Terry took the least experienced of us in the fields
and trails for a clinic. She was explaining how
horses see many things as possible predators, and
they have no way of knowing that the blue tarp over
there on those logs is not a bear.
“Let him take a look at it,” she instructed,
“then urge him to walk on.” The view
of Moonshine from his back alerted me to what he
was thinking. Right on cue he turned his head, eyes
and ears to the right to check out that big, bad
blue tarp, and I was a goner. He was so cute, I
fell in love that moment!
Everything we did through the rest of the day cemented
my feelings that this gentle grey was the horse
for me. I called my husband John, who was on the
golf course at the time, to tell him that we needed
to change our lease to a lease/purchase to hold
Moonshine. “I knew you would get to this point,”
he said, “but not on the first day!”
“I’m 100% sure that this is the horse
for me,” I told him. “I’m 90%
sure about riding, and if it doesn’t work
out I want you to know I can walk away.” Of
course, that didn’t happen!
This young horse makes me ridiculously happy. I
keep telling Moon with the kind eyes that we’ll
learn this riding thing together. Terry and her
daughter Chelsea have been invaluable in their never-failing
support, and the other riders at Majestic are always
willing to share ideas and be of help. I don’t
think I could’ve landed in a better place.
That support is EVERYTHING! This isn’t buy
a horse from me, here’s your hat, what’s
your hurry? The lifelong concern and guidance come
with it! What a comfort to know that they are always
there for you.
It’s been four months since we met Moon, and
I’m still pinching myself. This experience
has opened windows and doors to a world I didn’t
know existed. It is full of wonder wonderful! It
pulls something new out of me every time I’m
there. I truly feel that my soul is dancing, when
I ride, when I watch the herd grazing, or running,
or doing horse things, and especially when I hug
my Moonshine and give him carrots and kisses.
Learning about herd behavior has brought home how
unique these Mountain Horses are. Their friendliness,
smooth gaits and hardiness make them easy keepers
and the perfect horse. John is even starting to
become interested, and also is mesmerized by watching
the interaction of the herd. He feels that stabled
horses are in jail. Horses are meant to graze and
be with other horses. The herd is family, companionship,
and protection, and that’s what makes what
Moon did next even more amazing.
A few months ago Chelsea was calling the horses
in for “dinner.” I was halfway down
the field, walking away from the barn, harness in
tow, to “catch” Moon. (This consists
of me walking up to him and putting his harness
on. Even if he has a mouthful of hay he always comes
willingly.) He was running toward the barn with
the herd when he spotted me, and cut out to the
left, ran up to me and stopped on a dime right in
front of me.
I don’t know if he just thinks I’m
the carrot lady, or he really, really likes me,
but send my mail to Cloud Nine! I’m still
there, experiencing new life through the heart of
a horse.
--Muffie McFadden
