The Story Behind the Blue Horse

I was working at the hospital one day back in  2005 and it was rather slow. So we were having a" WHAT IF"  discussion. One of the younger MRI techs was talking about how she  was going to move on to another career. She asked me if I had thought  about moving on. Since I was near the retirement years, I thought it  was an absurd question. I made a sarcastic remark about working at a  therapeutic riding stable being the only thing I could envision. I  guess it's like a lot of things, we say something and later come back  to think on it further. I had seen a Quarter Horse magazine cover  showing a Special Olympics child who had won first place in dressage.  He had people walking on either side, just in case the horse did  something crazy. He could not contain his joy and I was overjoyed for  him. Wouldn't it be great if I could be a part of that, I thought.  But working full time and being guardian to my seven year old grandson made it impossible.

It was about the same time that we stumbled onto the Airlite animal bedding website. A fellow from England had brought a machine over that cut cardboard into small pieces, dust extracted it, and baled  it.We got about 32 bales from a distributor in Chicago and tried it out. I talked with my husband Dave about making it available in our region and we decided to look into it. I attended some seminars put on by Indiana Small Business Administration and bought a book about starting a small business. Next thing I knew, I was on the internet starting an s-corp. Then we designed  a business card and picked the logo. The blue horse with wings seemed to go well with the name "HorseFeathers".

But, as things progressed, doubts and fear would haunt my mind. Who  did I think I was anyway? I had no formal business training!! Yet I always knew I wanted to operate a small enterprise after I retired. I'm not the type to sit around watching TV. Listening to my Christian radio station, KLOVE, a song by Casting Crowns seemed to spur me on. It was called "the Voice of Truth" and spoke about how David slew Goliath with a stone and a slingshot while the rest of the army stood by shaking in their boots. And Peter got out of the boat and walked on water with Jesus, until he looked down and lost site of Jesus. Basically, the voice of truth encourages us to believe in what God can do and not look at our limitations.  The lyrics go on to say that we can soar with wings like eagles if we'll stop long enough to listen to Jesus encouraging us through his Word, the Bible. I knew I had listened to the other voice most of my life, the one that says "don't take chances, you'll never win". I had this desire to combine children and horses with the goal of raising their self esteem and 
empowering them to dream big. So  what if they were born in a city and never dreamed of spending time in the country with "the most beautiful creatures on the earth"!

We were in a small study group at church that met weekly and we studied a book about knowing God. One thing that stood out to me was not to launch out on a quest to do something new for God, but join in with others who were already having some success. That's when I called Agape' Therapeutic Riding Stable and volunteered as a side walker. Next, I became a horse handler. I even got my grandson Ty enrolled to ride as an "at risk child". It wouldn't have been possible if I had not started the business and worked part time. One administrator at work called it gutsy, but I just call it faith.

The blue horse with wings took on new meaning when the cost of cardboard doubled and the cost of diesel fuel skyrocketed. A new song on KLOVE by Lincoln Brewster spoke about how our strength will rise when we wait upon the Lord.  It became harder and harder for people to get shavings as the housing industry slowed. People were actually looking for alternatives. At the end of that song, a child quotes Isaiah 40: 28-31 "  The Lord is the Everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He never grows tired or weary, and no one can fathom the depths of his understanding. He gives strength to weary and  power to the powerless. Even youths will grow weary and young men will fall in exhaustion;  but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will  sore on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.