You all hear me speak of my very talented friend, Leslie Anne Webb, often.

Most of you think of her as an artist…

…but I know her as a Horse Whisperer.

She has a gift.

No question.

Because she has such a fine gift, I’ve asked her to train my Wrigley.  And, because she has a gift (and because she has a special soft spot for Draft Horses), I’ve also asked her to play with Bodhi.

BODHI AND AUNTIE LESLIE

Bodhi is my husband’s horse.  However, Hubby has no time for riding anymore.  Well, to be honest, he never really had the time to learn horsemanship and how to ride… I just wished it so.

Anyway, Bodhi is greatly loved here but his main job has been GroundsKeeper.  I let him out almost every day and he tends to the grasses around the ranch.

I know he enjoys this… but …

Bodhi’s weekly highlight was when Auntie Leslie would come to visit!

When Auntie Leslie would come over, Bodhi would get all up in his stuff and prance around and nicker his low rumble to her.

Leslie was charmed.  Of course.

And, as they worked together over time, Leslie fell in love with Bodhi.   The feelings were mutual, I could tell.

Knowing this, last year, when Leslie’s riding horses were having physical issues,  I offered for her to take Bodhi home and use him.

She jumped at the chance!

BODHI BEHAVED BADLY.

But, Bad Boy Bodhi fought with Leslie’s elderly TBs and he upset the applecart – badly.

So, he came home.

BODHI’S PLOT…

Bodhi hadn’t given up.

He knew Auntie Leslie had lost both of her beloved, elderly TBs this winter.

So, he hatched a plot.

When Auntie Leslie came around to feed for me and love on my horses recently, Bodhi had a little conversation with her…

Bodhi (smiling and winking):  Hey Auntie Leslie…

AL (smiling back):  Yes

Bodhi:  Aren’t I really cute and wonderful?!  Wanna ride me?  I’m incredibly smooth and I’ll do everything you ask perfectly.

AL:  OK…

Bodhi (whispering to himself): And if we get the Human to see how much AL loves me and how much I love her, she’ll let me try again – and I’ll be extra well behaved.

Auntie Leslie wanted Bodhi to come live with her and Bodhi  wanted the same.

I saw it.  I knew it.

 

BODHI’S NEW ADVENTURE

When Leslie approached the subject with me, she was very gentle.

She knew Bodhi was the horse that came when called and put himself away whenever I asked.

She knew Bodhi was the horse that played hide and seek with me in the darkness – all for fun.

She knew Bodhi was the horse who let me clean his wound twice a day, every day for 8 weeks.

But… as much as I love Bodhi, we both knew he deserved to be worked.

And who better than a Horse Whisperer who adored him?

So… she posed the solution:

Leslie knew I had something I loved that she coveted.  Leslie also knew that she had something she loved that I coveted.

Could we switch for a while?  Could we learn to live without parts of us that we we loved in order to have those parts in a better place?

I loved Bodhi but he wasn’t being worked – at all.

She loved one of her largest and most impressive paintings but because of its size, it was sitting in storage.

So… we made a precious entity swap.

I gave my blessing onto my precious Bodhi to live with Leslie.

She unwrapped her precious, heartfelt, massive creation and is allowing it to live with me.

And now, not only do I have the best person on the planet to work with my Bodhi, I have a piece of that incredible person gracing my wall.  In essence, her painting – of the silly, goofy, wonderful draft horse, ELMO – is the perfect combination of Auntie Leslie and Bodhi.

They will both live with me – as they live with each other… and grow.

And of course, if Bodhi ever wishes to return, the barn door will always swing open for Mr. Man.

Always.