Only Remembered By What We Have Done

I cringe when I hear the word "appearance" or its root, "appears." I have no interest in how things appear. I am only interested in how things are. Plato's prisoners chained in the cave were experts on appearances and knew nothing of reality. I do not want to live in the cave at all, much less by choice.

Sweet Medicine, the wild Corolla colt shown above moments after his first saddling, is sprinting around the round pen although he has a little stifle problem. When the joint locks up for a moment or two it appears to be a horrible problem. In fact, the first time that I ever saw a horse in that position I had no doubt that the horse would surely have to be euthanized. It appears to be horribly painful. In reality, it does not hurt at all.

Sweet Medicine only needs what every other couch potato adolescent in America needs, some exercise. As the muscles around the joint strengthen he will be fine. Some Colonial Spanish horses appear to have problems in their joints simply because they can flex and bend in degrees and in directions that modern breeds cannot. The same traits that produce this limberness contribute to the appearance of having a horrible stifle condition. The reality is otherwise.

How flexible is a Colonial Spanish horse? Yesterday Red Feather got a bit irritated with his rider and gave her a little kick with his hind leg to the back of her leg, WHILE SHE WAS ON HIS BACK. Such a feat appears impossible, but the reality is otherwise.

Tradewind was crippled with founder and could not walk with out discomfort. He is only about 12.2. It appears, no even more, it is obvious, that such a crippled little horse could never be rehabilitated and made strong enough to carry a 215 pound rider over 160 hours in 11 months over the rough trails, with only about fifteen hours of that amount being at a walk. Such a feat appears impossible, but the reality is otherwise.

I will never be one of Plato's guardian kings but I have had the opportunity to look outside of the reflections seen from the cave to see a bit of reality that contradicts appearances.

Lido was born with cerebral palsy. His right arm was of little more use to him than a wing is to an ostrich. His right leg was short and weak. It would appear that at age 10 such a person could not be the first person to get on all of the wild horses and colts that we trained. It would appear that such a person would never be strong enough to carry a 50 feed bag on his shoulder while opening gates and doors with the one hand that worked. It would appear that such a person would never be able to push his body hard enough so that by age 16 he could run five miles faster than nearly anyone in his school. Such feats would appear impossible, but the reality was otherwise.

It would also appear that such a strong life would surely be a long life, but the reality was otherwise.

What matters is not what it appears that we can do, but instead it is what we actually do.

Now here is the reality that we are faced with in seeking to preserve the Corollas. Sweet Medicine is a wild young stallion with as gentle a nature as a basset hound puppy. He is will have endurance and intelligence beyond the imagining of people experienced only with modern horse breeds. He will eat little more than a billy goat and will make someone a solid, lifelong mount and companion. He can be adopted for a pittance. During his lifetime he will be capable of creating hundreds on foals that will share his attributes.

That is reality.

The unfortunate reality also is that at this moment there are parents all over this nation looking for a "bomb proof, dead broke former lesson pony, at least 20 years old that is sound at walk and trot and can be yours for only $5,000.00." The unfortunate reality is that they will pay for such a horse and within three years either have him put down because of his lameness or will advertise him for sale as having become "sadly outgrown" as their child seeks to move on to a horse that will win ribbons of a different color.

That is the reality of the established world. That is the reality that will always result from relying on appearances.