Quiet.

Hey Everyone!

I am sitting here writing this post as I am sniffling every five seconds and can't hear out of my left ear... I am miserable. I hate being sick and have been for the last 5 days and I'm over it. Anyway, that's my sob story. Now onto the awesome Saturday I just had with the Buckaroo!

Saturday morning we woke up and took Jess to the vet to check out her stitches. She is doing better and moving around a little bit and seems to be in really good spirits right now. We are happy about that! Our puppy is on the mend. After we dropped her off at my mother and father-in-law's house, we put on our boots, spurs and chaps and headed out to Promontory. When we got there, we turned on the water for the horses and caught Bert and Ernie, the Percheron drafts that pull the feed wagon, and took them to get harnessed up and hooked to the feed wagon and we took off.

Mckrae, our nephew came out with his mom that day because he told Taylor he wanted to go feed cows earlier in the week. Saturday was also his 3rd birthday, so it was special to be able to spend time with him doing ranch work. He is such an energetic, caring little boy. I am blessed I get to watch him and his sweet little brother Kayson grow up.

After we fed, they unharnessed Bert and Ernie and turned them back out into their corral and then Taylor and I caught Jimmy, Slic and Propane to go ride through cows.

As I am sitting on the back of Propane, looking out to the east and seeing the reflection of the blue sky off the salt flats, I realize how quiet it is. Even though there are some noises from the cows and the wind, it was still just... quiet. I felt so much at peace in that moment because I realized just how rare they are becoming in this world. Then I just felt this immense gratitude towards our Heavenly Father for a tender mercy like that. How lucky am I to spend the day with the Buckaroo and my father-in-law outside on a beautiful day on horseback?

Since I wasn't able to grow up with horses of my own like the Taylor did, I find myself making sure I am there any chance I can to ride. Honestly, because I feel like I want to make up for lost time. It's something I have always wanted to get better at, and now I have the opportunity to do so.

The relationship and trust you see built between the buckaroos and their horses is something I find to be amazing. It's sort of like a relationship that takes no verbal communication. It's just trust, emotion and reading each other. Horses are incredibly sensitive to human emotion and they can become so in tune with their rider that it barely takes anything for them to know what you want. It really is amazing to watch. And I hope that I can get to that point someday.

You always hear about the stories of kids with disabilities, or someone who is just struggling in general, start riding horses and developing a relationship with them instantly become better. I truly believe that horses have a healing effect on people.

I am lucky enough that I now get to build my own relationship and trust with some of these horses and experience that for myself.