"Justenuff Angel"

I grew up on a dairy farm in Kansas and my dad had no use for horses. At the constant urging and pleading of us kids he finally broke down and bought us a "pony". She sure had a mind of her own and to say she was ornery is quite an understatement. Every time I tried to get on her she would lay down and roll over. I was only 5 years old at the time and subsequently developed a very deep-seated fear of horses. Eventually dad sold the pony after my brother was thrown from her and badly cut.

Well, I grew up, and wouldn't you know I married a man who loved horses and had shown and ridden nearly his entire life. The first 14 years of our marriage I wanted nothing to do with "his" horses and trembled if he even asked me to hold one or lead one for him. We went to the Wiescamp dispersal sale in 1998 and bought a stallion, So Select. My husband was anxious to bring him home and breed every open mare on the place! We anxiously awaited our foal crop of 1999 and had 5 foals hit the ground. With my husband being quite busy at work I couldn't leave the mares alone and would watch them closely as they foaled, one by one. This was like having 5 new children that I could enjoy but didn't have to worry about feeding or getting up with at night.

There was one baby that I became attached to. I remember the morning she was born, and as soon as the little filly stood up I put my arms around her and told my husband "she's just an angel". She had a sweet disposition from the start. Of course the name "Angel" has stuck and at 18 months old she is still an angel. She always comes to greet me when I go to feed. She has learned to give "kisses" and puts her muzzle in my neck. Sometimes she just rests her head on my shoulder. She has taught me so much about the nature of horses, as did that entire foal crop that year. They all had a personality of their own but Angel will always be my favorite, and I intend to start riding her next summer. I believe she's the type that a person will just be able to climb on without any fuss.

Angel and I have such a connection that she seems to understand that she is teaching me as much as I am teaching her. I halter broke all 5 of those babies and taught them to lead that year, and do you believe that slowly I have overcome my deep fear of horses and have begun to understand that each of them is such an individual. I began to read horse publications and even shared some new ideas with my husband. Thank goodness for the kinder and gentler approach to horses we are seeing nowadays. Now my husband and I share the training and grooming and the chores.

Much to his delight the horses are now "our" horses but there is one special horse in the pasture that is "mine" and she is an Angel that must have been sent from above!

Gina O'Dell