Best. Christmas. Ever.
Brent | December 26, 2008
My daughter Casey is a 10-year-old horse junky. Fanatic. Single-Minded. Now, I know that most young girls have a fascination with pony’s or horses. But I don’t think most little girls research colleges in the United States that offer “Horse Ranch Management” as a major. I realized the intensity of her focus the day that she took every poster, everything pink or “princess-y” out of her room. She declared nothing but horses. So we have horse posters. Horse calendars. Framed pictures of the late Barbaro. Pictures of my daughter on horses. Nothing but horses, period. As a matter of fact, we have a street sign in our hallway on the outside of her door that reads “Barbaro Way”.
Don’t know where it came from. My wife and I are NOT farm people. We have never lived on a farm, lived near a farm, or ever visit a farm. Still, since she was 4 or 5, our daughter has been infatuated with them. And not just the idealization of the animal, but wanting to muck out horse stalls, sling horse poo, pick crud out of their hooves, whatever. Nothing glorious about it, but just anything to be around horses. So when she was 5 she had her first riding lesson. Her grandfather took her to a stable and let her ride. They (of course) remarked that she caught on very quickly, and asked “are you sure she’s never been on a horse? ”
So she would take lessons occasionally, until my wife Shellie and Casey were standing in line at a grocery store. Casey spotted the lady in front of her was wearing a jacket with “Circle B Ranch” embroidered on the back. Casey struck up a conversation with her. Her name was Cathy, and her daughter Lynde loved to give lessons. Well, that’s all it took. Casey was all-in. Casey and Lynde bonded quickly, and for a couple years took weekly lessons at their home and ranch. The ranch was home to about 20 horses, and it was Casey’s heaven.
So, from the time that Casey was 4 or 5, she has constantly asked for a horse. Ludicrous. She just did NOT understand. We live in town. She would argue that we could just keep it in the back yard. Ha, very persistent, to the point of argument. Relentless. She would sulk, pout, or cry. She did not understand. There was absolutely no way. No way we would have any means to keep a horse, or could afford to buy a horse, or afford to keep a horse. Nope. The answer was always the same, absolutely not. She just did not understand. Funny thing is, looking back, it was Shellie and I that did not understand.
Well about 2 months ago, Lynde and her mother Cathy approached Shellie and I with an offer. They wanted to give Casey a foal that had been born this spring, on the day of a freak earthquake in the Midwest. Her name was Shimmer. They said that they loved Casey, that Casey has a gift, and that a kid like her only comes along once in a lifetime. They wanted her to have a horse to raise and to learn how to bond and train a horse from birth. They would board the horse for an unbelievably generous rate, and Casey could even work off some of it working at the ranch. It was a deal too good to pass up, but we knew this was a very long term committment.
So yesterday, on Christmas, we agreed with Casey that we would put our Christmas dinner on hold so that she could take Lynde her Christmas present. She did not know what was happening….
The barn door was closed, and we had Casey stand there until we “found” Lynde. The barn doors opened, and Lynde was standing there, holding the lead of Shimmer, who had a big, red bow on her.
Casey stood there, eyes blinking in disbelief, with the realization of what has just happened. She pulled her hands to her mouth, tears started to come, and she just kept repeating “Oh my gosh, Oh my gosh, Oh my gosh…..”
I should just stop typing here, because there really are no words to describe a child’s dream come true. Casey said it was the best moment of her life. As her father, I would have to agree.
Look at her face in this picture. Complete and utter joy.
The Best. Christmas. Ever.