From Fear to Friend
Tammy Ammon

Of course I like horses, as long as they are on the other side of the fence from me. This was my typical response when asked if my avid love of animals extended to the horse world. My reaction was one that was rooted in fear. While I've always admired the strength, beauty, and spirit of the horse, I just simply couldn't get past their size. That is until one mustang moved my heart, entered my world, and absolutely changed my mind.

In September 2008, I was attending my second Extreme Mustang Makeover event in Fort Worth, Texas. Walking the stalls and admiring all of the mustangs, I came upon a little yearling being trained by a 12-year-old girl named Grace. Grace encouraged me to enter Willie's stall, to get to know him.

Are you sure? I asked, a bit hesitant.

As she opened the gate to let me into his stall, Grace assured me that it would be okay. As I took as step in, I began to connect with this amazing creature. There was something in his eyes, a gentleness, a kindness that touched me. As I began talking to Willie and letting him smell my hands, Grace raved about what a great little horse he was to train. She proudly displayed pictures of Willie under saddle with her Yorkie dog in the driver's seat.

Smart, gentle, and desperately in need of adoption, Willie made me consider something seriously for the first time getting past my fear.

I looked at my husband, Jake, and said, Do you think we could?

He smiled, knowing exactly what I had in mind. I was falling in love with this little mustang and my desire to know him and learn was overtaking my fear. Willie and I were connecting, and I wanted to give this gentle creature a forever home. With Grace's approval, it was settled, Willie was to become our new family member.

While our property was plenty big enough for Willie, we weren't yet prepared with the proper fencing and shelter. The desire to love and care for him was so overwhelming that we had to find a way. Grace's wonderful family agreed to board him for us for the next two months as we got prepared. Best of all, we could even come and visit him, getting to know him better before bringing him home. Adopting Willie was working out in a divine way, and we had just begun to be blessed.

We rushed to the adoption office to lay claim to Willie, but they had closed for the night. It would be a long night as we made our plans to be first in line on Sunday morning to adopt our precious mustang. While fears ran high, the connection I was making with Willie was growing and I new this was a journey we simply had to take. The next day all the details fell into place, we adopted our mustang and said farewell for a short while.

Two months later, Willie, now named Ranger (we already had one Willie in the family our 12-year-old cat) was to come home. My dad, an avid horseman who has a gentle giant of a quarter horse named Buddy, helped us prepare. Dad had been asking us for years to let Buddy come and live at our place, but I was never able to get over my fear.

He's too big and I have no idea what I am doing, I would protest.

However, we were now at a crossroads, a time when the fear was starting to go away, thanks to one special mustang. More importantly, we understood that horses need each other and Ranger would need a companion. Just in time, Buddy came to live at our place and waited a couple of days for his new friend. And then the moment of truth, we brought Ranger home. This little mustang, just barely 13 hands high, looked a bit a lost at first, but as we walked him to over to the fence to meet his new friend, we were privileged to witness an animal connection like none we'd ever seen. Within a matter of minutes they were nuzzling, looking as if they had both just found their long lost friend. We put them into the pasture and they began grazing nose-to-nose. Here I was, horses in the pasture, and fear starting to subside.

At first I hovered relentlessly. I checked on them at all hours of the night, calling my dad with each new movement or behavior, making sure that all was okay.

They're lying down. Are they supposed to lay down that much? I would ask nervously.

Over the coming weeks, I became more comfortable. I learned their movements, their expressions, their wants. I saw Ranger's playful side, as we he would paw at the ground when eating or kick at the fence if he thought he wasn't getting enough attention. I easily maneuvered between them feeding, brushing, and talking to them. And the bond I was forming with Ranger was amazing. I could approach him while he was lying down and sit with him. And me, this girl who had once been terrified of horses, was the one who could approach him, the one who could put his halter without him trying to walk away. He was letting me know we had something special. This amazing little mustang was stripping away my fear and firmly planting his hoof print in my heart.

And then one warm late fall evening, we got our first thunderstorm since they had come to live with us. Texas-sized lightning lit up the sky and thunder rumbled. Home alone, I wondered what would the horses do? Would they be scared? Would they run? I know how silly this must sound, especially since Ranger came from the wild, but I was only used to animals that lived in the house and had no idea what to expect.

I went to sit on the back porch and look out over the pasture. Just then a huge clap of thunder sounded and as the sky brightened; I saw them. Standing out in the mesquite grove, there were Ranger and Buddy, standing perfectly still. Waiting for the storm to pass. It was like I was getting a sermon from God delivered by his majestic creatures. They were patient. They weren't scared. Their God-given instincts told them what to do. And as with many Texas storms, as quickly as it blew in, it was gone. Ranger and Buddy went back to grazing and meandering through the pasture.

I was touched beyond words. These creatures that I was so afraid of had so much to teach me. They weren t scary or mean or stupid. Rather, they are filled with a gentle spirit, a calmness, a serenity that only comes from God. I had officially moved from fear to friendship.

As I walk through the pasture today and bond with my mustang, he continues to teach me so many things. Patience. Persistence. Love. As we prepare to work with Ranger on riding and trails this winter, I look forward to new adventures.

Recently my husband said to me, I bet a year ago you couldn't see yourself feeding and caring for two horses. Look how far you have come.

He was absolutely right. I had no idea what a friend I would have in my mustang, Ranger.

NOTE: Special thanks to Grace and her family for giving Ranger such a wonderful start. I will always be grateful for their kindness and their inspiring faith.