Christmas Eve

In a manger much like this one a miracle was lain to rest.
The first beings to greet the Christ child besides his parents were the lowly animals. As we are now the animals back then were very aware of things. They knew this small child was special. They watched over him and sang lullabies. As a gift to the animals for their tender care and attention they are granted the gift of human speech every Christmas eve.
Below is a legend from Norway (the DORs great-grandmother was from there) about the Christmas Eve miracle.


The Night The Animals Talked
In the frosty mountains and on the snowy fields of Norway, there is a legend that draws children to all kinds to stables and stalls throughout the country on each Christmas Eve night. They are hoping to hear a miracle. They are waiting to hear the animals talk. Over 2,000 years ago, Jesus was born in a stable in Bethlehem. This was no abandoned place, but was a working stable, filled with animals of all kinds. Into these humble surroundings, encircled by the innocent creatures of God, the Savior of man came into the world. Now according to legend, at least, Christ's birth occurred at exactly midnight. Inside the stable, the animals watched in wonder as the new-born babe was lovingly wrapped in swaddling clothes and placed in a manger. Suddenly, God gave voice to the animals and immediately they began to praise God for the miracle they had just seen. This went on for several minutes and, just before the entrance of the shepherds -- who had hurried to the stable because angels had told them the Christ had been born there -- the animals again fell silent. The only humans who had heard them were Mary, Joseph and, of course, the Christ child. The legend of the talking animals persists to this day in Scandinavia. And every Christmas Eve, wide-eyed children creep into stables just before midnight to hear the animals praise God for the wondrous birth of His Son. Of course, adults scoff at this. "Old wives tales," they grump. "Those children should be home in bed, not out in the cold waiting for the family cow to preach a sermon." But the children know -- or at least believe -- that animals really do praise God at midnight every Christmas Eve. And who of us -- those who believe in an all-powerful God -- can say that it really doesn't happen?
Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26 NIV)
Have a blessed Christmas Eve and listen to hear the animals sing.
Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR

Lots of thing doin' here

The horse in the picture is my youngest sister.  The DOR heard about her a bit over a year ago and thought about getting her, but Freedom insisted that she get Friend instead.  My little sister was close to being sent to a bad place this year so the DOR went and looked at her, she even tried her out.  Yes that is her with no helmet on and she got put in time-out for it.  My little sister now lives in our herd and her name in Bohannan's Rhapsody Splash, aka Hanna.  I am thirlled that she did not end up in a very bad place-she is a youngster and should not be on a dinner plate.
The DOR also brought home two former stallions, she calls them the sopranos.  They are living in my pasture learning to be part of the "He Man Gelding Club".  The little one has a bunch of learning to do, but the older one is coming along nicely.
A group of horses went to school with the DOR this past week.  She was working with two groups of boys that wanted to harm each other.  There have been bad things going on for over a year and people have ended up in the hospital.  She made them take her C.O.W. Intervention program and part of that is with horses.  She picks special horses to come in that will be able to teach the students a particular lesson they need.  It work well and now there is a treaty in place.  The students have asked if they can have the horses come in again....
I am doing well.  I did give the humans at the ranch a scare when I did a flip running as fast as I could to get to the new hay.  It was slick and I still had on my 'Boogie Shoes' (which are now off until summer).  I hopped right up and finished running for the hay and munched away.  I was not hurt, a bit embarrassed, other that a bit of a scrape where I banged my ankle with my shoe.  The DOR gave me a bit of a scolding...she doesn't want me to hurt myself.  I gave her my 'really I don't want to discuss this' look and she smooched my nose.
Hope all is well with your herd.
Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Thank you

To all of our veterans my deepest thanks for being able to live peacefully in my pasture.
The sacrifices made by human and animal can never be repaid and must never be forgotten
Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

The following letter is written by Bub, he is the young man who worked with Lady when she needed to go to charm school and works with other horses of the DOR. He wrote this letter to the DOR's students while he was in Iraq. I wanted to share it with you because he is such a fine young man and I found the letter touching. Bub came home safe and we are so grateful for that. He has been changed by his experience and he looks at things differently now. I am doing a repost because I couldn't say things better than Bub already did.

Hi everyone,

As some of you know my name is PFC. Justin Hewitt and Mrs. Hewitt is my wonderful mom. Mom asked me to write you guys a letter for Veterans Day so I figured I’d give it a try. I joined the army during my senior year and went to basic training in Ft. Leonard wood Missouri July 11 07 . Basic training was... interesting. They thought us basic soldier skills like shooting an M-16, throwing hand grenades, and hand to hand combat. It was the longest 9 weeks of my life but in some ways it was 9 of the best. I made friends there that I will never forget like Daniel "the coop" Cooper, David Johnson, and one of my best friends I have ever met Andrew Jon Shields. On May 29th 2008 Andrew was deployed to Afghanistan and was on a routine convoy when his vehicle was hit with a road side bomb. Andrew died instantly. After basic and our advanced individual training we all went our separate ways to our units and new duty stations. I was assigned to the 659th Engineer Company in Spokane. I was only there a little while until I volunteered for a deployment and was reassigned to the 277th En Co from Ft. Sam Houston TX. We got mobilized the 3rd of January 2009. We spent January in Ft. Bliss TX Iraq the beginning of February getting all of our medical and in processing done and were in. We started missions almost right away. Being an Engineer company our missions consisted of running heavy construction equipment to foot patrols through the streets of Baghdad and Sadr city which used to be called Saddam's city but we renamed it as soon as we kicked Saddam's butt outa power. We also do what’s called Route clearance. That’s where we patrol the roads that U.S. forces use for I.E.D.'s and other road side bombs (that’s my favorite). Our tour is almost over but not without a loss, June 11th one of the soldiers in our company was at the medical clinic getting some meds when another soldier from another company came in and opened fire with a pistol. My friend Specialist Jacob Barton saw the man come in and pull his pistol out. The shooter took aim at a female working in the Aide station and Barton jumped in front of her and was shot twice in the head. 4 more soldiers were shot and killed before the shooter was taken down. I've been shot at, been in fire fights, my route clearance vehicle has been blown up twice by road side bombs. I've slept in old school houses, the back of dump trucks, and even an old Iraqi prison once. I've driven over 3000 miles and stayed awake for days on end and I would do it all over again in a heart beat. The friends I’ve made over here are more like brothers and I know without a doubt they would give they're life for me just like I would for them. If you ask any soldier they're not fighting for themselves or for freedom of speech they're fighting for the man to they're left and right. Mom wanted me to tell you guys why I joined but I don’t have one of those I did it for my country answers (although I guess I kind of did). To be honest I really don’t know why I joined. I just wanted to do something with my life that I can look back on some day when I'm old and say “man that’s something to be proud of". At times I regret joining the army but I can’t see myself being anything but a Soldier. I like to say it’s the best worst decision I ever made, and I made quite a few bad decisions just ask my mom. People call us heroes but where not heroes we're just doing our jobs. The real heroes are those that come home in a box with a flag draped over them. It doesn’t matter if you support the war or not, you should still support the troops. Because we didn’t start the fight but we're more than willing to fly half way around the world leaving our wives, husbands, children, moms, and dads and everything else we know and love behind to finish it. So this Veterans Day don’t just think of it as a day off from school. Remember the fallen heroes from past and present wars that died defending your freedom. So if you know a vet from any generation make sure you shake their hand and tell them thank you. It’ll make their day. Well thank you for listening and I hope you have a great Veterans Day.

Sincerely
PFC. Justin Hewitt
277th En Co, 101st En battalion, camp liberty Baghdad Iraq

Running as fast as I can

This past Monday I went on a trail ride with the DOR and some friends.  We climbed steep hills.  We went down steep hills.  We traversed loose rocks and boulders.  We went to the edge of cliffs and looked over...800 feet straight down can make you dizzy.
For six hours I wondered through the roughest terrain I have been in with the DOR.
I walked, I trotted, I loped....Best of all the guide finally convinced the DOR to let loose of the reins and let me run as fast as I could.  Oh boy did I run!!!  I have to admit at first we were both unsure, what if I stumbled?  The DOR made sure to stay centered and balanced, I watched the ground, and the next thing you know we were flying.  Yes I did stumble, but I caught myself and the DOR stayed centered on my back which helped.  I ran full out several times and we were having a ball.
Yep, I have some crazy feet now.
In two weeks I am taking the DOR to dressage lessons.  Before I am done training her she is going to know all kinds of things.
Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Today I celebrate!!!!

For those of you who have followed my blog for a long time, you would know that me working cows what not something that looked likely to happen ever in my lifetime.
I am happy to say I took the DOR to a Joe Wolter cow clinic and showed her that I have not reached my potential yet.  I worked cows with the best of them.  Yes I moved a bit different from the other horses at times.  But what I can't do in speed or tight turns, I more than make up in lateral movement.  The DOR asked Joe to ride me to make sure she wasn't asking too much of me.  He did and said I was perfectly capable of working and holding a cow.  He noticed that I have figured out how to compensate for the things my body still can't do.  He also said I was a nice horse.  The DOR just about cried, she is so proud of me.
She has learned not to say "can't" about me, she now just says "not yet, but someday". 
The journey we have had this year has taken us from me starting back under saddle, to the mountains, Buck Brannaman, the ocean, numerous trails, and Joe Wolter.  I am starting dressage lessons with the DOR in November.  I am the little appy that could!! I am the little appy that WILL!!
So today I celebrate all that I have done in the past two years.
Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!