I would like to remind the reader my horse stories are in three parts, The Observer, The Trainer, The Lesson
My prayer is you will find an Easter message in Mac's story.
The Observer - I didn't see him at first. He was kept in the horse trader's barn until my attention was diverted to two sorrel geldings that were saddled outside the barn for me to look at. Both were old horses who would have enjoyed the rest of their years out to pasture, warming their backs in the sun.
The horse trader continued describing how good one of the sorrel geldings would be for me without telling me their age nor their backgrounds. All I said to him was that I wanted to buy a horse - not what my experience was. When I noticed a bay horse being led out of the barn to the round pen by a young man who considered himself to be a "cowboy". Soon, I directed the conversation from the older geldings the horse trader was trying to sell me, to the bay horse that was being forced to run around the pen. I excused myself and walked over to the round pen.
The "cowboy" saw me approaching and dismounted the bay horse. As I looked into the round pen, through the board slats, I could see the sides of the horse heaving from being ran around the pen to get the "buck" out of him. He didn't care to move, he didn't even care what might happen next or about the people watching him. For the moment, he was allowed to stand quietly. I looked into his eyes while the sweat dripped from his coat.
The Trainer
In my opinion, typically the horse trader is one of the most despicable individuals in the horse industry. Heaven forbid the horse enthusiast who crosses paths with the horse trader when looking for a horse to buy. The trader will feed off of this poor, unsuspecting individual like a vulture. A horse trader has a silver tongue and a bag of tricks they will use, no matter the cost to the buyer or the horse.
One afternoon I went to the horse trader's barn, to see if I could find a horse I wanted to "do some trading for". As a trainer I know exactly what I'm looking for. Yet, I must be careful of the tricks a trader will use. The trader wants to sell any horse, no matter how lame or old the horse is, for as much as the trader can sell the horse for - even if its an unfair amount. Obviously, my goal is to find a young, healthy, sound horse the trader might not know what to do with. I went to the trader's barn and found Mac.
Mac was a five year old bay, Quarter Horse gelding with good conformation the day I saw him at the horse trader's barn. It was apparent he had not been with the trader long. How did this good looking, athletic horse get to the horse trader's so young? He had learned to buck, throwing the calf ropers who were trying to use him for roping. I believe mac was a gifted athletic horse and his original owner was too eager to win calf roping events and Mac's training was neglected. When Mac felt pressured and confused his owner tried more aggressive techniques to get Mac to perform. Mac's response to the mishandling was to buck. Several calf ropers tried to ride him but to no avail. Mac was discarded and sold to the horse trader.
The day I saw Mac in the round pen I didn't let the horse trader know what I knew about horses. I needed to observe how this man conducted himself. What were his ethics, morals and values. It was my way of getting to know the horse trader's playing field. There is an old saying amongst horsemen, "Just let someone talk and they will tell you what they know - let them talk longer and they will let you know more than they ever wanted to divulge about themselves.
When I approached the round pen, the "cowboy" was working Mac in, I was sizing up the situation. Over twenty plus years of training horses professionally was to Mac's and my benefit. I leaned on the pen and asked the trader a few questions a novice horse enthusiast would ask. I was trying to get the trader to tell me more then he would if he knew I was a trainer. If the trader was honest, this fact would come to light however, if the trader was dishonest his intent would also be exposed. Finally I said, "May I go in the pen and spend a few minutes with the horse and see if I like him?" I continue, "If I do like him what will you sell him for?" The trader was quick to reply, "Fair market value for a horse like this is $2,500." The trader knew if he could get my money before I rode Mac he would be getting ride of a horse he'd have a hard time selling. I lowered my eyes as if I was disappointed and said, "I was told I could find a good horse for $500." There was a wide range between the two prices. I knew the trader's price allowed room for trading but $2,000 gap! I said, "I was told that some times you can buy a horse at a lower price if you don't conduct a pre-purchase veterinarian exam and do not ride the horse." In other words the buyer would take the horse as is that day. In true form the trader responded, "If you like him you can have him as he stands right now for $500." The trader had to add, "This means you can't ride him until you get him home." I walked over and shook the trader's hand. "OK, let me go look at him and if I like him, he's mine for $500 - deal?" The trader agreed.
I went into the round pen taking the reins from the "cowboy". I led Mac around to see how he would respond to me. When I had his attention I performed one of my old tricks to see how Mac would respond to schooling. When I was finished "checking out" Mac, it was obvious I was not a "greenhorn". I led mac to the gate of the round pen, reached into my pocket and handed the trader $500 which was donated by Mr. & Mrs. Bennett for the purchase of a horse. If Mac had never bucked and ended up at the horse trader, he would have been worth over $7,500 as a calf roping horse! Mac had a new home.
Mac has been with Windridge for seventeen years now. He is very knowledgeable and skilled. Mac is a part of instructional classes for instructors, lead and independent classes in the therapeutic riding program, and a part of our hippotherapy and research programs. If I was to equate Mac's knowledge and skills to our academic system, Mac has earned his doctorate!
The Lesson We Learn from Mac
To have been given power, but to move and act with gentleness is true strength. Mac has learned to temper his power with graceful assurance that makes it possible for even the smallest child to receive great benefit. Mac is also fair. He recognizes ability and raises or lowers his responses accordingly.
Mac once struggled to interact with people, but when he learned what true communication was he learned to listen. He learned not to anticipate what he was being told to accomplish but rather wait for the next instruction. Mac now responds gracefully, steadily and effectively. He knows his job and is able to do what must be done even in difficult circumstances.
Mac's story exhibits God's grace for us. Though once lost, when grace began to unfold in his life, Mac accepted it and began to respond. He did not fight the truth. He let gentleness combined with education overcome the past so that his true value could be fully revealed. "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! . . . Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is." 1 John 3:1a & 2
