By Melissa Deal
Dear Lord,
Guide my hand with each horse I touch,
Help me offer only what the horse needs
never more or less.
Let tough love be a rare occurrence,
and allow the theme of my training to be gentle and kind.
I pray for willing
souls in my horses.
Ones that will graciously accept guidance
and forgive my mistakes.
Every day I arise grateful for the gift of the
horse in my life.
It is my unending prayer to be worthy of the horses’ grace
and my hope to be all that they need.
With your help, may
I rise each and every day to the challenge
of being a better horseman than the day before.
For the horse is your creature…and it is
my duty to honor it
in all that I am and all that I can be.
Your humble servant,
The Horseman
The Horse's Prayer
I'm only a horse, dear Master,
but my heart is warm and true,
And I'm ready to work my hardest,
for the pleasure
of pleasing you.
Good corn, and hay, and water
are all that I wish to ask.
And a warm dry bed to rest on,
when I've finished my daily
task.
Don't strike me in needless anger
if I'm slow to understand,
But encourage my drooping spirits
with a gentle voice and hand.
Finally,
O my master!
When my health and strength are gone,
When I'm getting old and feeble,
and my long life's work is done,
Don't sell me to
cruel owners,
to be slaved to my latest breath,
But grant me the untold blessing
of a quick and painless death;
That, as you have always
found me
a patient and loyal friend,
The years of my faithful service
may be crowned by a peaceful end.
I plead in the name of the Savior,
Who cares when the sparrows fall.
Who was born in a lowly stable,
and knows, and loves us all!
- Anonymous
An Equestrian's Prayer
with a special love of these animals.
Let me never lose sight of it.
My soul
you have gifted with a deep need for them.
Let that need never lessen.
Always let my breath catch as the sun gleams on an elegant head.
Always
may my throat tighten at the sound of a gentle nicker.
Let the scent of fresh hay and a new bag of grain be sweet to me.
Let the touch
of a warm nose on my hand always bring a smile.
I adore the joy of a warm day on the farm.
The grace and splendor of a running horse,
The
thunder of its hooves
makes my eyes burn and my heart soar.
Let it always be so.
Dearest Creator grant me patience,
For horses are harnessed
wind, and wind can be flighty.
Let me not frighten or harm them.
Instead show me ways to understand them.
Above all, dear Creator, fill
my life with them.
When I pass from this world,
Send my soul to no heaven without them.
For this love you have given me graces my existence
And
I shall cherish it and praise You for it for all time.
