What Do I Do with That?

My husband and I moved from a city to a small 10 acre hobby farm. We made the move so we could live a more self sustaining life, and have room to keep the animals we always wanted. For him this was mostly exotic birds, like Pheasants and chickens. For me it was horses.

Well, a 10 acre farm is not going to sustain any city person who is unwilling to kill their pet chickens. So we both have jobs off the property. I was working in a store for a wonderful employer who had a house full of collectibles, and things I would refer to as “knick knacks”. One day she proceeded to ask me about what we do on our property. So I told her about our vegetable garden, and free range hens. Then I mentioned that we also have horses.

To which she relied, quite sincerely, “What do people do with horses?”.
I guess I never thought about it before, but I am sure some people really do not understand other peoples interest with equines. Especially since the ones I currently have are miniatures. Similarly, it never occurred to me what people do with knick knacks, but then I never asked them either.

I have horses because I love the way they look.

I love their ears, their muzzles, long flowing manes and tails. I love their perky ears, their soft eyes, and watching them canter around playfully on chilly days. I love the way they look in my pockets for treats or play hard to get when I need to catch them. I love the way they hold their heads and tails high when happy, and talk to each other, calling to each other to play.

I have cats too, they don’t necessarily “do” anything, other than be pesky when you are trying to work on the computer.

I own the kitties, because I know if I didn’t nobody would. Quite simply there are more cats born every year than there are homes for. All our cats are spayed or neutered, and two were actually left here by the previous owner. I guess they do catch mice, and provide entertainment. Heck they even visit the other animals.

Overall though, horses are my friends, they are the things that complete my life, in a that way my husband, and daughter, and job, cannot. Horses make me whole. I used to go to horse shows with them, I no longer need that feeling in my life, for now it is enough to look out the window and see them being happy. In my biggest of dreams we would have more land, and more money, and could rescue horses in need, but for now I am happy with the two we have, the cats, the birds, and of course the donkey!

Wonder what people do with their knick knacks?