Joe's Prayer

Joe's Prayer
Boss, I am your chosen steed to walk and trot with you.
But when each day of trek is done,
Please feed me, give me water and care for me.
Leave me in my stable, with a clean dry bed
and space enough to lie down and doze.
Otherwise, let me munch the grass and breathe fresh air
and be with friends whilst you’re not there.

Be kind, be gentle and talk softly with me;
Your voice means more than reins alone.
Stroke me sometimes that I may gladly carry you
and thereby come to learn your secret ways.

Do not jerk the reins, there is no need.
And do not whip me when the way is hilly.
Never beat or kick me, especially
after I did not sense what you meant to do,
Give me second chance to follow you.

Don’t shout; give me comfort when I feel fear.
This world is full of noise and not as once it was
when my forbears lived here.
I must find my role in life and often that’s not clear.

Watch me, and if ever I fail to do your bidding,
first look to see if something is amiss
Perhaps with bridle, saddle, or my shoes.
Do not draw straps too tightly.
Leave me free to move my head.
Don't force a cold bit twixt my teeth,
but please warm it first as best you can.

I always try to do in good cheer
the work you ask of me.
And day and night I stand for hours
waiting for you to reappear.
My day is yours to order.
An apple here, a carrot there,
A snatch of weeds from off the verge.
That’s not much to ask for.

Please don't demand of me too much.
Don’t leave me tethered in the rain.
Keep me well shod, the farrier to visit when due.
Examine my teeth when I do not eat.
Don’t take away my shield against the flies
by cutting short my tail.
Nor hog my mane which otherwise would divert the rain,

I cannot tell you when I feel thirsty
so please allow me fresh cold water freely.
Do all you can to shade me from the sun.
And when I am to stand out in the cold
a thick dry coat put over me.

And finally Boss, if I am in pain or
when my useful strength has gone;
Do not turn me out to starve or freeze
or send me on to owners new;
They did not know me in my prime.
You did, my Master, you should end my life
when the day has come,
in a quick and painless way.
.

(Barry Godden from inspiration by AE Fisher of Benwick)

Truely touching. I'd like to print it out and share with some of my horse friends if that is all right.

Thank you for sharing.

Please do print out and share.

B G

AMEN! Absolutely. Loved the part about looking for nothing amiss when he acts up. How many times does the horse get blamed for a humans ignorance? And we're supposed to be the smart ones.

The stage in living with a horse which I find the most difficult, is when I can sense that the horse has no quality of life. It is not like with a dog - even a blind, or deaf dog you can defend. A horse you can't defend 24 hours a day and there comes a time when it is kind to say "good bye". Even if sometimes the horse is walking about.

The problem is you are not quite sure in you own mind about how the horse is feeling but you are only too well aware of how you are feeling.
You don't want to make the final decision - but the caring owner should.
It is as much a part of the cost of ownership as the feed bills.

If you look thru the Forum, you will see numerous examples of young people coming to terms with this type of problem - loss of dignity & quality of life.
There is really little you can do to ease the pain in yourself.

The horse - well nowadays, it feels no pain, the needle sends them on the way. But we have the memory of it all.

However this poem says it all.

Barry G