Emotions...

One of the best things about horses, is that they give so much joy and happiness to the people who love them....not to mention they can also instantly break our hearts and have you crying your eyes out...day in and day out, our horses drive us crazy, and that is why we love them. In the 2 hours I normally spend at the barn each time I am there, I run through all the following emotions, not in any given order: love, happiness, proud, pissed, bonkers, frustrated, ecstatic, determined, angry....etc. And yes, I do get frustrated with Chester and yes I do get angry with him, but more often then not the cause of those negative emotions is because I did something wrong which made him behave wrong.
Jen B. (barn owner) experienced herself last night a very similar range of emotions...mostly happiness and joy because: She is the proud new owner of one of the BIGGEST (seriously, he is 17.2 hh) most BEAUTIFUL black 3/4 tb-1/4 perch geldings I have ever seen. I will try to remember to take a picture tonight so I can show you just how beautiful he really is and I am not making it up....He is an absolute doll. In the first 10 minutes he was there he managed to have everyone gawking at just how gorgeous he was, freak out getting off the trailer, freak out at the goat, step on Jen's foot, break her big toe, cause her to hit the ground hard and consequentially, bruise her knee. And his name, is Moseby (or Moe, or I might just call him Moose). Imagine the range of emotions going through her head all within those first 10 minutes....however, I am sure her emotional range also included PAIN...her toe is now the same colour as her horse.
When I first got there, I went out to get Chester and then over to the field where 'Moe' is being housed...I looked at Chester, looked at Moe and went "OMG, he makes Chester look like a midget!!" Jen's response to that was: HE makes him look like a thoroughbred. Ha. I stood there looking at Moe - who is just unbelievably HUGE (but, not drafty at all, he is simply perfect) and then over at Chester and I couldn't believe the difference...Chester looked like fine china compared to this beast that was in the field...as a reference, I would need to be a solid 2 inches TALLER to see over his ass...
Then we got into this big debate about how big Chester is. They had just sticked Moe, who is seriously 17.2hh and I went, Oh, Chester is probably like 16.1 or mayyybe 16.2....and they all said I was completely insane for thinking that....so, we sticked him too...and he is (KEEPING IN MIND HE IS A VERY UPHILL TB WITH A HIGH WITHER) 17.1/2hh...I basically freaked out...lol Let me tell you, I am not used to looking UP at another rider, and I am going to be looking UP at this beast for sure. So, after I was finished riding (he was great...but we are talking about emotions here), Chester was eating his dinner and I went out to the paddock again where Jen, her brother and Moe were hanging out. We were all talking about him (he was calmly eating hay and could have cared less about anything that was going on) and I said to Jen - he really is beautiful -I cant wait until he starts to get more muscle... And she said one of the best things I think I have ever heard someone say about their horse; "I had this picture of him in my head and every time I see him again in person, he is just more beautiful then I remember"...
If that isn't Unconditional Love, I don't know what is.
Go Love your horse.