The Cow Horse

This is Gideon.

 He's one of the horses at Strong Tower Ranch. He's a tall, black-and-white paint often referred to as"The Cow Horse". He's curious and clutzy. He's a lover; all he wants is to be with you, even to the point of being on top of you. He's stubborn to a fault, and just a little infuriating sometimes.

Gideon has one crystalline blue eye. And the other? It's blind. 

When Gideon came to us, he was extremely underweight, with a broken heart and a fearful spirit. He had just been rescued out of an abusive situation, and he was kind of crazy. He had two eyes then, but he was a big project. 

Then, here at the ranch, something completely unwanted occurred. Accidents happen even when you're paying close attention, and through one, Gideon lost the sight of his right eye. He had to have a surgical procedure, but that's another story, actually; involving my favorite horse, Spirit. 

Anyway. You want to know what's crazy and super amazing? Through the blind eye, Gideon has become much more calm. We use him for camp and programs now, and he and his story is touching so many people. This is the story of redemption, y'all. God takes what is broken and wild and useless and makes it whole and beautiful and useful. Gideon's limitations do not stop the power of what God can do; they only enhance it. 

Gideon's still a little nuts. He smells every pile of poop he comes across. He's "one of those horses" that will literally push into the bit to turn opposite of the way you want. He's the lowest in the herd, and all he wants is a friend...so he tries to sit on you. 

But here's the question; am I crazy or brave? Because I think he's fun to ride. Sometimes people think he's dumb, but he's not dumb. He's a little crazy sometimes, but let's face it, isn't every horse? What's a ride without a little risk? Just be smart, be careful, and enjoy the adventure.

also if you're a horse person, don't judge how high my stirrups are in these pictures. i know they're not long enough for me, but i was riding in a show immediately after a much shorter girl, and hey, if you can ride with different lengths, you can actually ride. 

So yeah. This is Gideon's story.