A Horse Sheds Light on Change

Dj's teenage mom was heading off for her freshman year in college and DJ was supposed to go with her. He had only been at this barn for a year and was still trying to overcome his multiple fears of various objects and circumstances. So...I decided to ask him how he felt about CHANGE:

"Yeah...it's scary. Do humans think they're the only ones who struggle with it? The unknown is frightening for us all. It give you a weird feeling in your stomach and your throat tightens. No one ever thinks, when they move animals from place to place, how we experience it.

We all must work so very hard to be accepting and flexible in the face of fear and the loss of what is known to be safe and comforting. It happens to us time and time again: first taken from our mothers and birth families and then each time we are leased or sold: we are moved around like objects

Even if we are terrified, we are not supposed to show it. We are not given any time to process, adapt and adjust. If JUST ONCE a human would look across at us and see what we're going through...say something supportive and give us a little extra time to get used to the new situation, that would change everything from our perspective.

Even if you don't know exactly what we're thinking, I can tell you, this will bring us so much closer. It will help heal our hearts, help us see you as family - in partnership with us.

Just because we don't sob and shake with fear doesn't mean it's not there. Please make the leap: assume we feel what you do."