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Here’s an introduction to another one of the horses… Angel! It’s also important to note that she is a consistent daily thankful out here on the farm. She is my personal favorite.
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For some farm-life history, I became aware of this place when I first moved down to Knoxville. I was shadowing one of the STAR instructors (now more importantly my friend) Claire, whose family owns this farm. Angel is her horse, who she got maybe about 20 years ago. She was bred by a local thoroughbred racing family in Keeneland and spent the first four years of her life not making the cut as a racehorse prospect. Her owners decided to stop that training and work with her to hopefully find her a home as a hunter/jumper. She was listed for sale in a Lexington paper and was one of about 30 horses Claire looked at.
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I like how Claire remembers Angel being the 9th horse seen (your first horse is always a big deal and those memories will stick). No horse really mattered after that. She loved Angel’s ground manners, her smoothness, and also her overall gentle nature. She was 5 when she made her trip to Knoxville.
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Angel loves being groomed, and is always my pick when I need some quiet time with a horse. She stands the best and genuinely enjoys the attention. Claire has told me that even when Angel was younger she preferred the grooming and pampering over being ridden. She is a very relational horse, and I think just enjoys being in the company of others. Maybe this is another reason I have her as a favorite…she keeps me company. In the field she is always with the herd, usually attached to Jewel, whose blog post has yet to arrive.
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Being the oldest horse, Angel is the one I find myself checking in on more often. She has slowed down a little bit this year, needing some more grain to keep weight on. She still is the most vocal at dinner time, which makes me laugh. I think I also take more care with her because she Is Claire’s childhood horse. I understand how significant this is and how important she still is, even though her riding days are over.
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Angel reminds me to take time to enjoy the company of others. There is significance in simply being completely present with someone. Quality time can be simple company.
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Surround yourself with some good company today. Always move forward.