A Horse Named Destiny

In a place along the shore lived a herd of horses. Among the herd, there was a new foal. She loved the beach; running along the waves was her favorite activity. She played and ran with the other foals all summer long. As each month passed, she grew into a beautiful, graceful mare. Summer turned to fall when the storms would hit. The herd started moving inland.

Mr. and Mrs. Farmer had driven to the East in search of mules. You see, they were mule herders. As the horses passed by, Mrs. Farmer said “Honey, look at them horses. They are beauties. I want one.” At that moment, the little mare stumbled on a log in the road. She hadn’t been paying attention and misjudged the height. Mr. Farmer swooped in with his lasso and got the mare around the neck. “You know Mrs. Farmer, this ain’t no mule.”

“I know. I just think it’s beautiful and I want that animal.” declared Mrs. Farmer.

The Farmers’ packed the horse up in their trailer along with the mules they had rounded up. The mare was scared. The mules were trying to let the mare know it was okay. They were so accepting of being taken from their home. The mare looked out the little peep window to see if she could get a last glimpse of the shore. Unfortunately, the shore was long gone. The Farmers’ were heading west with the new additions to their herd. They drove for hundreds of miles. The mare watched the landscape change from greens and browns, trees to open spaces; away from the adoration and community she loved. When the mare didn’t think she could take the rocking any more, the trailer stopped. In the distance, the mare could hear the content snorts of mules.

The Farmers released the mare and the mules out into the field. The mare was excited to finally run free, well kind of free. The mare skidded to a halt at the parameter fence. Since the mare fell on the log, she was very hesitant to jump over the fence. She looked around seeing her confinement and felt very lonely. She wanted so much to run along the ocean again with her family and friends.

After a week, Mrs. Farmer looked out into the field. She saw the mare at the edge of the fence, away from the herd. Mrs. Farmer said “What is wrong with that horse? I want her to be like our sweet mules.” With that she marched out into the field with a lasso. Mrs. Farmer roped the mare and forced her to where the mules gathered. “See how sweet and well-behaved the mules are. I will make you see how to be.” Mrs. Farmer moved her hand down the mare’s back. The mare’s skin crawled at her touch. Mrs. Farmer tied the mare to the post.

Mrs. Farmer made it her number one job to train the horse to be more like a mule. Her cruel ways slowly broke down the horse’s spirit. The mare became like a mule. She just followed along with the herd, conforming to the will of her master. Mrs. Farmer was so proud of her work; she never noticed the mare’s head now slumped low. She didn’t notice the horse shy away from her whenever possible. Mrs. Farmer showed off her prize horse to the town. Each night, she pet the mare and told her how proud she was and how lucky she was to find her. Every time Mrs. Farmer brought that up, the mare would think about how she was taken from her home. She had wanted to forget that day. She wanted to remember times before when she would run along the beach or nestle with her loved ones.

The mare pictured the beach in her mind as often as she could. The feelings were losing power, the image fading. The mare needed to hold on to these images, even if she felt as if they never happened. Once in a while she would have dreams of racing in the waves. She felt the excitement, the sand in her hooves, the water splashing on her fur. The abruptness of being snapped back to the farm, made the dream sprinkle into sadness. Having those dreams was often harder to bear than losing the feelings all together. The mules were kind to the mare but she didn’t fit in. She didn’t understand their acceptance of the Farmers’ treatment.

One day a wind whipped past the mare. She knew that wind, the storm winds. The lead stallion used to say, “Run, get as far away from the storm.” The mare warned the mules, “We need to get out of here NOW! Our lives are in danger!” The mules looked over uninspired. “Mr. and Mrs. Farmer will let us know if there is danger. We trust them.” The mare would not stand still anymore. She fought to get out of her bridle and rope. She knew that she couldn’t give up. In the distance, the clouds were turning dark. The winds picked up, sending dirt swirling around the corral.

Mrs. Farmer looked out to the corral and saw her mare scratching at her bridle, stomping her hooves as if the mare was trying to get loose. “Silly”, thought Mrs. Farmer, “The horse is not that clever.” She went out to secure the horse. As Mrs. Farmer was fighting to tighten the strap, she was hit in the head by a flying object. She looked up and noticed for the first time the tornado heading towards them.

“Mr. Farmer, we need to hunker down, Now! THE TORNADO IS HEADING STRAIGHT FOR US!” Mrs. Famer let go of the strap and ran to fetch from the house as many prize possessions she could carry. Mrs. Farmer, Mr. Farmer, and their dog headed for the underground shelter. Luckily for the mare, Mrs. Farmer left the strap partially un-hooked. The mare was able to release herself from the bridle. “Follow me!” she said to the mules, who were running chaotically around the pen. Meanwhile, the mare didn’t have a lot of space but she was determined to clear the fence and get out. She thought the mules would follow her, as she followed them so long. She pressed herself against the far fence hoping the mules would stay clear until they could follow her lead.

This was it, the moment for the mare to save herself and find her freedom. With all of her will, the mare shot off. Like a miracle, the mules stayed out of her path. She focused all of her energy on the fence. She imaged herself clearing it right before she actually did. The mare soared through the air as if she were Pegasus, the flying horse. She pranced a little dance and looked behind her only to be disappointed the mules didn’t follow. The storm was coming up fast. “FOLLOW ME!” she cried. Just then a truck dropped from the sky and landed on one of the mules. As if it never happened, the other mules kept racing around chaotically. The mare needed to leave. The truck left a break in the fence but the mules stayed put. The mare ran as fast as she could. Her legs raced away from the storm, away from confinement. When her legs could go no further, the mare found a safe, secluded place near a stream and rested.

The following day, the mare was woken up by the sun. The storm had passed. The mare was safe and she was FREE! The mare’s excitement was washed away by remembering she was lost and a long way from home. The mare started crying. She had no idea which way to go. She certainly didn’t want to head back to the Farmer’s house. The mare heard an eagle’s cry from above. “What is wrong, child?” said the eagle.

“I am lost and so far from home. I want to see my beach again but I don’t know how to get there.”

“May be there are other delights for you; delights that you aren’t able to imagine. There is a wide world out there for you. Which way would you like to go?” asked the eagle.

The mare remembered another piece of wisdom the lead stallion used to say, “When you feel lost and unsafe, follow the sun.”

The eagle thought that was a brilliant idea. “I will accompany you, if you don’t mind.”

“I would love that. I have been so lonely for so long.” Together the two companions headed into the afternoon sun. They played and soared and rested along the way.

“Let me fly ahead to see what I see over that ridge.” The mare was content to graze for a bit while her friend scouted the path ahead. “Come quickly! Just ahead there is an amazing sight for you to see!”

The mare galloped ahead, trying to anticipate all the possibilities. Her heart could never have imagined the sight. She stopped, seeing the beautiful red mountains in front of her. A dust cloud was heading towards her. The eagle nodded confirmation that all is well. As the cloud approached she saw it was a herd of beautiful horses. The colors dazzled the mare’s eyes. This place, these horses were like a dream come true. The lead stallion approached the mare cautiously, unfamiliar with her markings.

“Where are you from?”

“I am from far east where the land meets the waters. The waters greet the land with crashing waves. I was taken from my herd. I since escaped and here I am, guided by my eagle friend.”

“Eagle is our friend too. I trust eagle’s judgment with my life. Please, join our herd.” The rest of the herd nodded in agreement.

“I would love to.” The horses nestled together caressing and sharing stories. The mare looked up to the eagle and said “Thank you”. The eagle circled and called back with a “you’re welcome” cry.

The next spring, the mare watched her foal prancing around, enjoying his surroundings. The mare now remembers fondly of her previous herd and her days along the beach. Meanwhile back at the farm, Mrs. Farmer cried wondering why the horse left her. The mare rarely thought about the farm. The mare would never have guessed her life would become so much more. She nestled her stallion and relished in the feelings of adoration and community once again.