I went to Churchill Downs racetrack this past Friday with my two daughters and their families, and we had a great time together. I love to see the horses in action, a performance like no other being on the planet, running with such power and strength that I can’t take my eyes off of them.

I always take the time to pray for the horses and the jockeys, for their safety. Think about it. A horse averages out at approximately twelve hundred pounds with a full, horizontal body and carries most of its weight on four long, spindly, vertical legs. Throw in the factor that a horse running a race is traveling between thirty-five to forty miles an hour, surrounded by several other horses doing the same thing. Impressive. Now think about the jockey, a small boned person, a total athlete who is all muscle, who sits astride this massive creature, hunched over a tiny saddle with both feet in the stirrups and only one hand guiding the reins of the horse’s bridle. And on a day when the track is wet and muddy, mud is flying all over the track from the horses’ hoofs. The jockey has a few goggles wrapped around his helmet, and must reach up, perfectly balanced on this moving four-legged locomotive, and pull down the muddied goggle covering his eyes and replace it with another from his helmet, all to protect his eyes and gain visibility. Again, impressive. I imagine only the jockeys understand how truly risky this sport can be. And who knows, maybe the horses understand, too.

I have had a love for horses all my life and was fortunate enough to have a horse of my own from the age of fourteen to twenty-six. I learned how to ride with a western saddle and later horse camped with friends. This lead me to competitive endurance horse riding at Harrison-Crawford State Forest in Indiana. My marvelous horse, Nugget, a golden palomino mix of Quarter horse and Thoroughbred, loved the challenge of twenty-five miles a day. We traveled all over the forest trails, up and down, in less than the six hours required to finish the race on time.

I learned a lot about horses in that time of my life. But it was only a few years ago I had the opportunity to embrace the knowledge that horses are true healers. Their high vibrational energy is known to aid humans in mind, body, and spirit. There are horse healing retreats available in so many places. Google words like “horse retreats”, “equine gestalt”, or “healing power of horses” If you would like to learn more. I have come to understand that a horse is so much more than a powerful, athletic animal. I wish now I would have known this in the time of my life with Nugget as a companion. I would have appreciated him so much more. A thoroughbred horse trainer told me years ago, “Anyone can get a horse to run. But to respect the horse, to understand the horse, so he WANTS to run for you. Now that is the real partnership.”

This month, December 13th is the National Day of the Horse. I will be sending out warm thoughts to all of them all over the world, and pray that they feel safe and protected, and thank them for all they do.

c   Love, Joan