Horses are one of the masterpieces of God’s creation. They are beautiful, smart and strong creatures. Some, like me, adore them. Others, like my brother’s high school basketball teammates, are scared to death of them. They can be everything from pasture ornaments to magnificent athletes such as Secretariat and this year’s Triple Crown Winner, Justify.

I personally can’t imagine a world without horses. I am greatly appreciative of my own horse and the ones that I have had over the years have each had a special place in my heart. Three of them in particular have been great companions. Their names are Jake, Little Red and Stitch.

Jake was one of my first ponies that I competed on in the National Little Britches Rodeo Association (NLBRA). He eventually took me to the short go at the NLBRA Finals. In time, he was retired and spent his final years being loaned out to some friends’ children who adored him.

Little Red was my “Right Hand Man,” for years. I also enjoyed a long stretch of rodeo time on him. He now enjoys his well-deserved rest in the fields at home where he can be the crabby king he’s always been.

Stitch is my current horse. I got him in December of 2008. The best way to describe him is that he can be a lot like Maximus in “Tangled.” He was a little monster when I first started riding him. Since then, he has turned into a very reliable performer. The majority of my successes in the arena have been when riding him. In March of 2016, he had a serious health scare. I am thankful to still have him every time I see him and ride him now.

I am truly grateful that these wonderful creatures exist. There is a saying that I am convinced is true; “In riding a horse, we borrow freedom.”