Angel Animals Story of the Week, 5-15-05, "I Owe Everything to a Horse" -- Angel Animals Story of the Week

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Date Posted: 06:28:12 05/18/05 Wed
Author: Angel Animals Network
Subject: Angel Animals Story of the Week, 5-15-05, "I Owe Everything to a Horse"

Angel Animals Story of the Week
May 15, 2005
Visit us at www.angelanimals.net

Dear Friends of Angel Animals,

Welcome to the Angel Animals Story of the Week.

Most of you heard the BBC News story about Red, the dog at Battersea Dogs Home in the south London. He learned how to use his nose and teeth to unlock his kennel at night. Then Red would set about releasing as many as nine of his favorite animal friends.

Liz Emeny, a staff member at the shelter says, "He [Red] only ever chooses his mates to let out, with Lucky, the dog who he was found with, being the first to be freed." Then Red and his posse raided the food cupboards. In the morning, the staff would arrive to find a mess. It wasn't until they had a film company set up cameras that they were able to catch the dog burglars in the act. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/england/london/3712960.stm

We've always marveled at the friendships among our family of animal companions. When we find out cat Cuddles sleeping curled up between our dog Taylor's paws, it's a sight to behold.

What causes certain animals to become friends? What unlikely friendships have you seen forming between your animal companions or animals in nature?

Today's story is about how a horse gave a young girl a reason to go on living.

We welcome your stories for possible future publication in this newsletter or in one of our upcoming books.

We invite you to e-mail this week's newsletter in its entirety to others who might enjoy it.

Animal blessings,
Allen & Linda Anderson

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STORY OF THE WEEK

I OWE EVERYTHING TO A HORSE
By S. Bishop

When I was 13, my mother remarried, and we moved from Ohio to southern California. I had been through a lot with my previous stepfather, so the move was especially hard for me. To make the adjustment easier, my new stepfather gave me a job at the track where he had his racehorses.

I found the racehorses were very much like me. They didn't trust anyone since they were handled roughly. Even though the racehorses have been well cared for, no one seemed to actually care about them. I understood and spent many quiet hours in their company.

I gave them time to get to know me instead of forcing myself on them. Slowly they began to get over their distrust of people. My stepfather was very impressed with what was happening. He said he never saw anyone have such a way with horses.

Not long afterwards, a truck pulled up one day with a huge bay gelding named I. C. Stars. He was rocking the trailer and trying to rip apart the lead. When the poor truck driver finally got him off the truck, the horse tried to rip him apart! I.C. Stars drug his handler around the yard, kicking, biting, and smashing him against everything along the way.

The handler finally got the horse into the paddock. I.C. Stars was kept in his stall for the first two months simply because he was dangerous. Stars lunged at any human with his teeth bared and a loud snap to follow. According to the driver, the horse had done quite a bit of damage to many track workers. Obviously my new "Dad" had little regard for my safety by giving me Stars, but I didn't care. I was grateful to have a horse of my own.

Things did get better. I would sit for hours by Stars stall until he stopped trying to bite. Then I could feed him treats by hand. After four months I actually could walk him around the yard without dirt-skiing.

We graduated to walks around the trails. Stars would spook at everything, which sent me flying. (He assumed the giraffe-drinking pose when he spooked.) Then he would let me lean on his back from the fence, eventually allowing me to sit on him while he grazed.

We even played games. Tag was the favorite. I would run, and Stars would charge at full gallop, touching me with his nose, then running off. I would chase him around the yard until he felt I got him. We would repeat this until I was tired or my mother saw it.

Stars was too tall for me to saddle him, so I rode bareback. We would sneak onto the swim ranch and I let him run full blast on the track until he couldn't anymore. On weekends the local kids gathered at the car wash and Taco Bell. My friend and I would go through the drive-thru on our horses then hang out half the night. Weekends, we would race along the wash. During summer, I slept on a blanket by Stars's stall. Each year we grew closer and closer.

During this time, my family problems continued to get worse. In my mind, that horse was the only thing that made life tolerable. When I found out that Stars was going back to race, I lost it. I decided I couldn't take the abuse at home without my best friend. I just didn't want to live anymore.

I was in the house alone and was just about to make the final move to end my young life when Stars made ear-piercing screams. Without thinking about myself, I ran outside to see what was wrong with him. He was frantic, but I found nothing out of sorts. He was nuzzling me, checking me, and softly nickering. He was trembling, sweating everywhere, completely worried. Then I saw my blood all over his nose.

I broke down in tears and used the horse bandages to dress my self-inflicted wound. I fell asleep, sobbing on the blanket by Stars's stall. My faithful guard stood over me all night.

I realized a lot after that day. Trying to end my life was not only stupid but also selfish. No matter how bad it seems at that moment, it won't be in a week, a month, or a year.

I found out a lot of people would have been hurt if I had succeeded. I thought I had no love in my life but realized that wasn't true. I was never alone. God sent me the love I was lacking at that time in the body of an amazing horse. God taught me by example of that horse that I could learn to trust. I learned that love will find me and love will heal even the most broken heart.

Mostly I realize twenty-five years later, that I wouldn't have had my children or experienced volumes of wonderful events in my life if it weren't for Stars. I will never question how that horse knew what was happening while I was in the house that day. I just know he not only saved my life but a few others too.

This was a hard time in my life that's long past. I know now that it's the lessons we learn along the way that make us who we are, and it's important never to give up hope. Sometimes all we need is a friend we can relate to. I dedicated my life to animals after the experience with Stars.

That was the day I looked back in the sand and saw only a set of hoof prints. I didn't have to ask the Lord what they meant.

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

Has a horse or other animal given hope to you when all hope seemed to be lost?

ANGEL ANIMALS QUOTES OF THE WEEK

"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better."
--Albert Einstein

"I'm a vegetarian - I think there's a strong possibility, had I not become a vegetarian, I would not be working now. I became a vegetarian about 25 years ago, and I did it out of concern for animals. But I immediately began having more energy and feeling better."
--Bob Barker

"People always joke that "dog" spells "god" backwards. They should consider that it might be the higher power coming down to see just how well they do, what kind of people they are. The animals are right here, right in front of us. And how we treat these companions is a test."
--Linda Blair

"Some people are uncomfortable with the idea that humans belong to the same class of animals as cats and cows and raccoons. They're like the people who become successful and then don't want to be reminded of the old neighborhood."
--Phil Donahue

"I love that quiet time when nobody's up and the animals are all happy to see me."
--Olivia Newton-John

* * * * *

ANNOUNCEMENTS

BOOK COACHING
Visit www.angelanimals.net/bookcoach.html for details on how Linda helps people write their books and proposals with any combination of coaching, mentoring, editing, and ghostwriting. With her 25 years of experience in writing and publishing, most of the books and proposals Linda worked on were sold to publishers and did well.

ANGEL HORSES
We're looking for stories for ANGEL HORSES: Divine Messengers of Hope, the next book in the series. If you or anyone you know have had a spiritual connection with a horse, send the story to angelanimals@aol.com. Visit www.angelanimals.net/angelhorses.html for details.

NEW CLASS
Allen and Linda Anderson and Doug Munson are teaching a class every Wednesday in May, 7:00-8:30 p.m., based on the inspiring stories and wisdom in the new book by Harold Klemp, ANIMALS ARE SOUL TOO! This class is open to the public and people can attend one or all of the sessions. It is at the Temple of ECK in Chanhassen, Minnesota. For more information and directions, call (952) 380-2200.

ANGEL CATS: Divine Messengers of Comfort, GOD'S MESSENGERS: What Animals Teach Us about the Divine, and ANGEL ANIMALS: Exploring Our Spiritual Connection with Animals are available at online or regular bookstores and at many gift shops that sell animal books. ANGEL CATS is also a selection of One Spirit Book Club.

Visit our other Website: www.writingontherun.com and subscribe to the free online Writing on the Run Tip of the Week. The May '05 Writer's Digest magazine named Writing on the Run as one of the 101 Best Websites for Writers. Writer's Digest E-Newsletter recommended the website (www.writingontherun.com).

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OTHER INFORMATION

The Angel Animals Network is devoted to collecting and disseminating original, true stories about the spiritual connection between people and animals. You can learn more about the Angel Animals Network at www.angelanimals.net.

If you send this newsletter to others (and we hope that you will), please don't change it in anyway and include the information above about the Angel Animals Network. Thank you.

This newsletter is sent to you by the Angel Animals Network. Copyright 2005, Allen and Linda Anderson, Angel Animals Network. All rights reserved. Nothing in this newsletter may be reproduced or published without the written permission of the individual authors and/or copyright owners. Angel Animals(r) is a registered trademark.

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