“The horse. Here is nobility without conceit, friendship without envy, beauty without vanity. A willing servant, yet never a slave.”
Robert Duncan
Ironwood has had many horses come and go. Few horses remain from when I first arrived. Ironwood has a special Equine program that allows residents to learn what being responsible for another living thing is like. Recently, the Farmhouse barn has received a new horse. Her name is Athena. She arrived about a week ago, and I was assigned to her last week. I am also assigned to her this week, and from what I can say, she is a very amazing horse.
She is a white flea-bitten mare. The term flea-bitten means that she has little black dots all over her body; hence the name. She has the most beautiful eyes, and her mane is a mix of gray and white. She can be extremely anxious when she is getting turned outside, but with time she can get used to going in and out. She gets along with the other horses well. I’ve been told that she has “the hots” for one of the geldings [male horses]. Athena’s trot and canter is something I’ve never seen before. She is so graceful yet so agile. When she’s ready to go, she’s all in. Almost every time I take off her halter, she canters away and it’s so amazing to watch.
“Your bond with her [Athena] is something that can never be broken.” Is a quote from the barn manager James. I believe it’s true. When I first met Athena, she was terrified of what was going to happen to her. She had a cut on her back right leg, and a gash in her forehead. She was traumatized, and wouldn’t let anyone get close to her at all. She was kind of like me when I first got to Ironwood. After a few days of being with her, she let me get a bit closer each day. I will admit, I fell for her quickly. I’ve taken the best care I can of her and I will continue to until I graduate in two weeks. I’ve built such a strong bond with her and I’m not so sure how I’m going to leave her when I graduate. I’ve fallen hard for her. I believe that I’ve helped her quite a bit and she’s helped me more than words can describe. She’s made me feel things I didn’t even know I could.
Ironwood has given many horses a home, especially with all of the love that we provide. Ironwood has given all of us a home, and in return we would like to give homes to others. Athena is only one horse, but she has made a tremendous amount of progress since she got here about two weeks ago. She’s helped me with calming myself down, she’s helped me help others calm down, and she’s helping everyone at Ironwood with her compassion and comfort. She means a lot to me, James, and the whole Ironwood community. She may be a new horse, but she will always be known to me.