Shared by Grandma Greg
When I Am An Old Horsewoman
I shall wear turquoise and diamonds,
And a straw hat that doesn’t suit me
And I shall spend my social security on
white wine and carrots,
And sit in my alleyway of my barn
… And listen to my horses breathe.
I will sneak out in the middle of a summer night
And ride the old bay gelding,
Across the moonstruck meadow
If my old bones will allow
And when people come to call, I will smile and nod
As I walk past the gardens to the barn
and show instead the flowers growing
inside stalls fresh-lined with straw.
I will shovel and sweat and wear hay in my hair
as if it were a jewel
And I will be an embarrassment to ALL
Who will not yet have found the peace in being free
to have a horse as a best friend
A friend who waits at midnight hour
With muzzle and nicker and patient eyes
For the kind of woman I will be
When I am old.
-Author Unknown
Categories: Equine Rescue, Horse Health, Horse News, The Force of the Horse
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
I’m there…
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How fortunate we all would be to be in her shoes!!! Who could ask for anything more?
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I love the picture it speaks of goodness and a world unseen anymore around my area. I had to share on FB… ❤
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At 73 I can relate to the above poem. Even though I can’t gallop through the hills like I use to I can at least still ride with my BFF, Mac, who is 30 and is not a spring chicken either.
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Forget the diamonds, after my vet bills I can’t even afford turquoise. . As for wine, I prefer bourbon balls.
There’s another version of that poem too where all an old horsewoman can do is push a wheelbarrow and feed. That’s me now.
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Actually Barbara, I’m with you – no diamonds – what good are they? No wine – bourbon balls sound pretty good.
My vet bills are for my dog anymore – however, certainly did support my large animal vet for many years! And worth every penny, right? The ability to still push a wheelbarrow & feed – well, that I miss. Keep on keeping on!
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Going back out to feed again . It’s bitter cold here in KY. Wish you were here to help me. My hubby is carrying hot water to mix with the cold so the horses will drink more. All 5 dogs and 14 cats are in the house . Wish I could bring the horses in . Their old barn is cold. Falcon , the Arab, has on a blanket but the 5 mustangs are tough.
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Oh lady, I envy you so! Wish I was there to help. Its been 13 years since I had my boy put down – he was 28. I didnt have him at home – boarded at a great place – they put in a hot water heater there so we could warm our horses water in the winter – made a big difference. Its been really weird weather here (NY) but today – in the 20s & snowing.
January & its just now snowing!!!!!!
Keep up the good work!
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There is nothing like horse or burro breath to make a person knock diamonds WAY down on the priority of your bucket list.
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Love your comment Grandmagregg. That is what I did this afternoon both in the saddle and out of it. Love horse smell. You can’t touch and feel diamonds.
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I wish I could, being a quadriplegic, it’s only in my dreams now. That’s why I fight for the Wild Horses, not only do I love horses, I know what it’s like to lose your freedom. I love to watch the video’s of them running free, I dream of running with them!
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I did a little research and found out that the author is Patty Barnhart … see: https://dawnwink.wordpress.com/2014/02/13/when-i-am-an-old-horsewoman/ Horse to me are defined by another dimension that humans with egos have a ways to go … uncluttered, intuitive and wise.
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Beautiful. 🙂
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And some Old Horsewomen (& Horsemen) are still fighting to make the world a better place for Horses, Burros and Mules…whether they be domestic of wild. A lot of them were the kids who sent all of those letters to Congress and got the Wild Horse & Burro Act passed. THEY’RE BACK
10 Senior Activists You Should Know About
http://www.aplaceformom.com/blog/6-4-14-10-senior-activists/
Ask a senior activist why they’re still involved with the causes they support, and you’ll most likely get an answer along the lines of, “Being an activist is a lifelong pursuit.” In other words, even when you retire, you don’t simply stop working to help make positive changes in the world.
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Five Activists Arrested for Allegedly Blocking Roundup of Wild Horses
February 25, 2014
http://theirturn.net/478/
According to the Calgary Herald, five activists documenting the roundup of wild horses in western Canada were arrested and charged with mischief for allegedly interfering with the operation. The activists, two of whom are elderly, are accused of preventing the horses from entering the capture pen. But they deny the accusation: “Nobody was tampering with the site. But they told us that us being in that vicinity would prevent horses from going into his trap.”
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