The Best Horses in Heaven, They Have No Tail

The best horses in Heaven they have no tail.
This is a rule they all know without fail.
For when a new horse arrives with a short cut bob,
they all know that this horse did a very good job.

The last year of King’s life I believe speaks volumes of his character. When arthritis and old age 90% retired him from participating in sessions, King was not finished. Instead, he made for himself a new role. See, his pasture mate and best buddy was a spotted pony named Gus who was progressively losing his eyesight. A few months before King crossed the rainbow bridge, Gus underwent surgery to remove his eyes, eliminating the last 1-2% of remaining sight. Just as King had done for years and years with kiddos, King stepped up to the plate to take Gus under his wing and take care of him in his transition to blindness, always up for a rowdy game of “gelding games”. King was a forever teacher and caretaker, a true King who demanded respect, but was never above having a good time. He connected deeply with those who loved him, and this story that Ash tells exemplifies all that King was: 

I (Ash) have always had a heart for old horses. Perhaps that is what endears me to King. King is an old soul. Donated to us in 2013 after his pasture mate died five years prior, King served his family as a flag horse for parade and rodeo till he reached retirement age. Horses are herd animals, so without companionship, they rarely rest and are always on alert. They literally have to fend for themselves, which many of us, and our Exodus kiddos, can unfortunately relate to. As a result, we harden ourselves to vulnerability, and are always on the defensive. Hence, many of our volunteers hesitate to work with King. Defensiveness is rarely pleasant to deal with. That being said, I can personally attest to having witnessed King’s “soft side”- the secret part of him that engages and displays emotion, and even affection!

One summer while participating in a horse-based leadership development class for our leaders, King approached me while sitting on the mounting block in the middle of the round pen, and started…strange as this sounds..licking me! Not just little licks, but chin to ear full swipes of his tongue! I couldn’t stop laughing and King wouldn’t stop licking and encroaching. He wanted affection! The week before, we were discussing King and his ego – how he tends to be the type of horse who almost yells at you, “I know what I’m doing, so leave me alone and let me do it!” This of course makes it difficult to connect with him. Even more so, it makes us reluctant to connect because WE are on the defensive as well!! Realizing this, I learned that when you respect King and engage with him in a way that honors who he is, and motivates him to engage with you, he responds in kind (and with kisses!). Respect is given when respect is earned! That’s King’s motto. Since then I have always tried to give King the space to do his job while motivating him, and since then we have had a great working relationship, which just goes to show that even the toughest of us are capable of softening given the right opportunity to do so.

King lived a long life, hanging onto the life and herd he loved until the very old age of 32. Everything he did, he did full of enthusiasm and of course kisses for those special students and wranglers who could see through his defensive exterior and into his soft heart.

“God still moves mountains!” shouted one of our young riders to his wrangler that day. The mountain that God was helping this boy move that day was Vero, our gentle giant of the farm. Vero was an enormous, 17-hand tall Dutch Warmblood, son of an impressive Olympic stallion, Ferro. Vero and his former owner were very successful dressage competitors. However, after a long bout with injury and lameness, UC Davis recommended he might work well in a therapeutic riding program, and so he came to Exodus.

By his breeding, Vero “should have” spent his life in competition. But God had another, more impactful story for Vero. Instead, he spent his life carrying hundreds of broken hearts into healing. We have witnessed teenagers, too broken to even speak, ride Vero into our woods, only to lay herself on Vero’s giant neck, wrapping her arms around him as the tears ran down his mane. He brought countless children to hilarious laughter at his tendency to spook at the tiniest bunny. We watched him transform into the most careful babysitter for youngsters who loved to bounce happily on his back. We witnessed Vero’s gentle patience with parents as they fumbled through learning new skills in how to become better leaders for their families. We watched Vero empower others, like the sweet grandma who said she went home and realized if she can get a 1200 pound animal to respect her, then she can get the same from her granddaughter.

Vero taught us all that there is a better path of life than one of constant competition and comparison, which we can all fall into from time to time. Lives that never win metals, make the cover of magazines or the front page of newspapers, can truly change the world. For so many of us here, Vero’s calming, wise presence certainly did. 

Addie was a beautiful dun quarter horse with striking zebra stripes on her legs, and big black eyes that Ginger always said made her look like a beautiful Jersey cow. She came to Exodus after an early life as a broodmare, having passed on her gorgeous coloring to a handsome son. With a background as a mama, Addie carried into her Exodus career a self-confidence and independence that could prove challenging, but for a teachable student who could earn her trust, the bond was palpable.

After several years of service to the Exodus kiddos, Addie’s health declined, and her anxiety rose. Just like many of us who experience difficult life changes connected to our physical and emotional health, Addie knew that group sessions were too much pressure for her, and communicated that through a worsening of her “Addie-tude”. In response, we retired her from sessions, but allowed her to continue as a one-on-one, ground, or parenting class horse, all of which were areas that she excelled. As an anxious horse herself, she was an incredible teacher of emotional awareness and regulation. Her sensitivity was unmatched, as she mirrored her rider or handler’s emotional state, and taught the power of forgiveness to release built up tension. She also taught countless parents how to be patient yet firm and persistent with similarly sensitive and challenging children.

Although she might be most widely remembered for her strikingly good looks, the leaders and the few children she formed close bonds with will never forget how it felt to earn her trust, and to know true loyalty and love.

Root Beer was with our program for less than a year, but her impact on the lives here was imesurable. Donated by a volunteer, she was one of those very special horses that transitioned right into program with no additional training or tuning up. She loved our kids and they poured love right back to her. She had a unique bond with a few hard to reach students, ones who weeks and months of pouring into couldn’t crack, until they met this sweet little mare.

Less than a year into her time at Exodus, she was kicked by another horse in her pasture, and our vets diagnosed her with a spiral fracture. Although her chances of making it were slim, her cheerful attitude never wavered, so we decided to honor her courage and give her a fighting chance. She was bandaged and stall-bound for several weeks, doted on round the clock by our loving leadership team. Every morning she greeted us with her friendly nicker, hobbled over to us to gobble down carrots and horse cookies, never once showing signs of pain or distress. But at some point that hobbling that was keeping her spirits up, caused the fracture to break all the way through. Amazingly, she still wasn’t phased, still nickering, gobbling down treats, eating and drinking like always… but the leg had reached a point beyond repair.

The day we laid Root Beer to rest, she still hobbled out of her stall, nibbled on green grass, and nuzzled us all for one last time. We promised her she would run pain free in just minutes. As she closed her eyes peacefully, Ginger gave her a new name: Courageous Heart crossed over the bridge galloping and nickering. Her incredible courage and sweet attitude in the midst of significant pain will forever be an example to all of us, and to every one of our Exodus kiddos.

“Courageous Heart…..you……in your last days have shown us all how to have joy……even in our suffering…..we will never forget you ……..and will love you forever.”

We are pretty sure Santi had a PhD. He was brilliant, clever, and kept us all on our toes and entertained. He was a gorgeous gray Andalusian-Arab whose beauty rivaled his over the top personality. 

With a background as a dressage horse, he was a sensitive, talented athlete as well as an amazing teacher of softness and connection. But he was also a trustworthy, bombproof mount for beginners. He could act stubborn and hard-mouthed for the unseasoned rider, but the more you knew him the more you knew he was only pushing his riders to become the best they could be. Santi could see the best in a person before they could see it in themselves. 

Santi was also a comical entertainer, constantly inventing new games, tricks, and ways to escape, either to entertain us all, or just his own busy brain. He inspired many of our kiddos, who learned from him that our talents and energy, when focused in the right direction, can make us truly brilliant and effective in the world. He also taught us that we can work hard and still balance that with having fun. 

Santi is deeply missed by all. But the lessons he taught us remain in our hearts, and there are lives transformed by him that I still see him reflected in to this day. 

Many of the rescued horses that come into our program have had long lives behind them.  No matter how old or troubled they may be we promise them a life in comfort here until the very end.  There have been a few very special horses in our program that will remain forever in our hearts.  The children who’s lives were touched are a celebration of these horses time on earth.

Indiana Jones

Cheyenne

Kobe

Fender

Fender came to be at Exodus for only his last year on this earth, but he touched all of our hearts. A therapy horse in the past, he came as a promising new addition to our herd. But as he began to settle into life at Exodus we knew something was not right with his body. Neorological damage became apparent, and despite physical therapy, chiroproctic and rehab work, Fender still fought an uphill battle to remain balanced and upright. None of this dampened his spirits however. He and Ginger created an apple ritual, where she would bring him a daily apple, and if she forgot or was running late he would bang on his shelter like a base drum. Fender was character to the core, a mind-reader and English speaker. He loved to tear around the arena looking a bit… tipsy… but happy. He inspired us daily with the immense hope that he carried despite his physical limitations and obvious pain that he never let hinder him.

Missy

Nickers

Sierra Bey

Sierra was Exodus Farm’s first rescue and touched the hearts of all who knew him.  After he found his way home to Exodus he competed as a successful show horse and then taught many children the value of a tender heart.  When our staff and volunteers think back on Sierra’s life they remember when he carefully took the smallest steps with a timid rider or when he seemed to peek into the soul of a troubled youth and touch something deep inside them.

Sterling-O

Exodus “adopted” Sterling after receiving several emails about him that he was in need of a lifelong “dressage” home.  Sterling was a 24 year old Danish warmblood that was imported from Denmark as a Prix St.George schoolmaster and had medaled two young ladies in the LA area in his prime.  I met Sterling in Shasta Lake City on a warm August day and it was love at first sight. As a life long lease, my intent was to make his golden years more comfortable and to learn more about dressage from him but God had other plans.  Exodus was a little short on bigger boned horses for our kids and adults so we put him to work, first with the House of Hope women, and he loved it!!  He after that he participated in rodeo camp and worked with the kids weekly.  Though he earned medals for his riders in the past, he shared God’s amazing love and purpose with his riders!  Rest in peace Sterling-O.

MAK-MAK

Mak-Mak was a lovely liver chestnut quarter horse in his early teens.  Mak’s previous owner Sam lived down the street from Exodus and was killed in a plane crash in Oregon in 2010 leaving Mak an orphan.  Sam’s daughter was going to keep Mak but found that it was not the season of her life to take him on so she donated her father’s horse to our program.  Mak’s background was in reining/working cow horse and Sam, who was an Asphalt Cowboy and very active in our community, used him on many trail rides.  We were concerned he might be a little quick for our Exodus kids but after a few months of rides, he has proved to be very reliable in our sessions.  What we have learned about our beloved Mak is that he does NOT get along with other horses….AT ALL……..and is the first horse, ever, at Exodus…..to get a black eye from scrapping with his pasture mates!  Needless to say, he teaches our kids daily about the consequences of not getting along with others!