Lynn Baber… for love of God and horses

A short time ago, after a wonderful rain, I went to the barn mid-morning to put Asti and Swizzle out for part of the day. I pulled their blankets, it was 52 degrees; no wind but incredibly soupy.

The ground outside the horse’s back gates still held standing water in each hoof print and depression. The air was liquid and the fog dense enough that I couldn’t see to the far side of the pasture.

At first I felt a bit guilty, taking away the mares’ cozy blankets and asking them to go out to get muddy feet, get their hair damp and be subject to the natural environment.

Asti and Swizzle looked at the muddy mess outside their open gates and hesitated, they were not in the least bit certain they wanted to go out into the natural environment. They were giving serious consideration to whether a little grazing was worth getting their hoofies all mucky.

As it turned out I had to mildly encourage both of them to leave their sweet little haven of home and go into the great big world of their pasture. The girls like the comfort of the barn, with climate control, catered meals, wardrobe and housekeeping services.

They would be poor horses indeed if they were not able to make it through a little dirt, damp and chill. Asti and Swizzle need these experiences to maintain their unique horsiness. Being out in God’s natural world helps them stay fit, content and able to fend a bit for themselves.

How often do we take a look out the window and wonder if perhaps we shouldn’t just stay inside where it’s pleasant, warm and safe? When we encounter a bit of the natural side of worldly life are we too much the hot-house flower to bear up and venture forth?

My horses would lose their health, balance, boldness and strength if they were never thrust out into the natural environment. They would no longer have the essence of horse that God gave them.

God loves us enough to send us out from time to time, to trudge in the mud, wander in the fog, to get our hair a little wet, and to brave the elements out there in the natural environment. We love the five star accommodations He provides, but He must occasionally boot us out into the world to keep us sharp and resilient, to retain what makes us uniquely human.

God sends us out into the natural environment, not because we have been overlooked, but because He loves us.