Why Horses?

Can God speak to a man through horses? The bible is full of parables that help readers understand a concept that would otherwise be difficult to grasp. Often in the course of a few sentences volumes of wisdom may be gained by interpreting biblical metaphors. God has impressed upon me that the horse is a living, breathing parable of God’s relationship with man.

It immediately became apparent to me the first time I worked with a horse in a round pen. It was a young, highly energetic, undisciplined, self-centered horse. As the dust flew and the horse ran in incessant circles, I realized this horse that was of little value simply because no one had taken the time to love this discarded, dangerous horse.

He reminded me a lot of myself. Just like this horse I had “been around the block”. I had had relationships with many kinds of people. Either they hurt me or I hurt them. I had a concept of what love was, but never truly experienced the life that comes from transformational love.

Transformational love possesses the power to change a life. It is not a kind of love that is always in agreement with temporary wishes and desires. It is a love that moves someone toward a destiny they could never dreamed could be so bright and so beautiful. Along the way to that destiny there are some very difficult lessons to be learned in that round pen of life. There are fears that must be conquered and pride that must be relinquished. The most important lesson deals with the fact that the more we give up of ourselves the more valuable we become to our Master.

As I stood in the center of that round pen and watched that horse run in circles trying to escape from the only person that cared enough to envision a better life for him, I saw myself running from a God that loved me so much that he would stand in the center of my life and wait patiently for me to finally acknowledge him and experience the connection and peace I had been desperately searching for.  

From these first lessons God has shown me that most of us are on the same well-worn path, running around the round pen, looking outward. We know we should look toward the center of the pen and ask God for relationship and direction for our lives. My work is to provide a parable by which people may view their relationship to God. By demonstrating transformational love between a horse and a trainer I hope that I may give a glimpse of the relationship God wants to have with us.