Secrets of the Sandhills
A Nebraska Sandhills Novel
Of Dogs and Horses
Some of our best friends have four legs.
Asha
Last evening I had the good fortune to attend an Embracing Life Through Horses demo in Broken Bow. Kacey Finney, a real-life cowgirl heads up this neat program designed to bring emotional healing through interaction with horses. Marty Leggett, assisted by his son, Griffyn, demonstrated his horse training expertise inside the round pen and linked it to his own spiritual journey. At the end of the evening I considered the incredible amount of empathy that God bestowed on other living creatures.
Back in 2012 we adopted a puppy a couple months after my wife, Teri, found out she had cancer. The little white mixed breed came into our lives just before surgery and the chemotherapy ordeal. We named her Asha, which is an Indian word for hope. She lived up to that name as she slept in Teri's lap on the bad days. She seemed to know when her master needed extra love.
Asha stayed on the farm when we moved to town in 2019. She adopted a new family and tries to keep the place free from unwanted intruders, like possums and skunks. She's down to one eye now but still meets me when I drive in for a hug and a healthy scratch behind the ears.
Dogs and horses serve double duty in the Sandhills. First, they earn their keep by assisting the cowboys in their daily chores. It's amazing to watch well trained border collies work with horsemen as they round up a herd of cows. The whole process goes like clockwork. But just as important, a cowboy's horse and dog are his friends. They listen to their master's words with knowing eyes and caring hearts. They are the kind of friend that everyone yearns for.
