God’s plan unfolds

It was an August day around 1:00pm and over 100 degrees outside the first day I met Susan. My husband and I pulled up to the ranch, he was bringing me to meet her as an “Anniversary Present”.  I was confused to say the least, we were at a horse ranch, and I had never had a horse. I thought we were going for a trail ride, and truthfully it was so hot outside I wasn’t thrilled about it. Well the story unfolded when Susan told me she had been talking with Mike for a couple of months, and they had arranged this meeting. He had been in contact with a different local horse person, but quickly found out that the person was a known criminal and not an honest person in the horse world. By chance, he had talked to a local boarding ranch and was given Susan’s name. The rancher told my husband that she was the “Horse Whisperer”, and would be the best person to teach me how to ride horses, and also find me the right horse to own. I was so surprised to say the least, but so excited. I started taking private lessons with Susan two times a week with some of her ranch horses. They were all so very calm, gentle and I felt so safe as a new rider. She eventually told me of a horse that had been with her for a couple of weeks. The horse was a “ranch horse” most of his life, but was sweet, and gentle, and was needing a good home. I started to take my lessons with Boomer and fell in love with him right away! It took a while for him to warm up to me, I think because he was probably not given so much attention in his past life as I had been giving him. He would rather that I didn’t fuss over him- brush his mane, tail, or just give him kisses, but I believe he just wasn’t used to it. Well, now, he LOVES it! He enjoys all of the primping and apples I bring him. My favorite thing he lets me do is, if he has some dried drainage around his eyes, he lets me meticulously care for it and clean it away (I usually take a lot of time to do this so he learns to trust me, the eyes are a very precarious area), then he lets me kiss his eyes when they are closed afterwards. They are the sweetest moments I share with him and I can’t imagine my life without him. Susan has a love for these animals that I have never seen before. I feel that my horse is loved and looked after above and beyond what any boarding ranch could provide. She has texted me when she saw that he had a small injury and when I couldn’t be there she would update me on how he was doing. I believe God had a plan for me to meet Susan and bring me the perfect horse. She will always be a special part of our family.    Lindsay Simpkins   2018