The Story of Charles, Ummm Well Sort Of

Charles is my sweet paint pony.  He isn't a shetland pony, he is a standard pony.  Not a horse, a pony and no, he will not grow up to be a horse.  He will always be a pony.  Four months ago, before Charles, I didn't know any of this horsey stuff.  I always thought a pony was a young horse or something like that....I didn't know what I did or did not know about horses, but it was not much.

Some friends of ours jokingly gave us Charles, or so I thought.  I agreed to take delivery of him in April and my life has never been the same.  He is patient, kind, not boastful, not proud....wow, he looks a lot like 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.  I can bathe him, hug him, ride him, brush him, lean on him, sit under him, slap him on the butt, braid his mane, almost anything without a halter.  My children, kittens, chickens and goats call him friend and he actually likes all of us, I think.

Shortly after Charles, Augusta Belle (his goat) joins the farm.  She was recently weaned and has spent her entire life with goats and chickens.  Her bleating is like the piercing cry of an infant in serious distress.  Every time I leave the barn my heart melts at the sound of her cry.  I leave her all alone in a double stall barn and pasture with a stranger pony.  I try running from the barn to avoid hearing her cries, but they still make my heart ache.  I remember one time being thankful I was not a lactating mother as her, " MAAAAAAAAA!!!!!"  would probably cause leakage.  Anyone who has ever had a child is familiar with that lightning bolt sensation followed by the release of warm milk at the sound of your child or any child's cry.

This post is really about Charles, but you need to know Augusta Belle to understand why Charles is a saint!

Charlie and Belle become fast friends and spend every moment together.  I even catch Belle riding Charles which make no sense AT ALL.  I will post a picture so you can fully comprehend the craziness of a goat riding a pony!!  Belle is very lovable and enjoys being around people, a social goat.  She is high strung and often has fits of running and leaping through the air whilst twisting her body.  She MAAAAAAAAs constantly and is very needy.  Wait, Belle sounds a whole lot like ME!!

Here's the thing, Charles is the sweetest gentleman of a pony in all the world and his best friend and soul mate is a high strung social butterfly.  He follows her sometimes, but takes the lead when it matters.  He lets her jump all over him and literally rides on his back, unless he has something important pending.  He lets her talk and talk and talk, unless he has something to say.  One time Belle heard another group of goats bleating next door and hurried to the other end of the property.  The thick brush prevented Charles from getting to her.  He came to my front door and neighed until I came outside.  He led me over to where she was happily eating alongside her new friends and gave me "the face."  I herded her out of the thicket so Charles could remain by her side.

Charles is so much like my sweet, kind, not proud, not boastful husband.  I am so very much like the goat.  Their relationship is such a beautiful reminder of the wonderful gem I have in my dear sweet husband.  A man who lets me be the woman I am while still leading our home.  He is a wonderful husband, father, and friend.  He can keep a secret for me and never judges me.  I think the song Lead Me by Sanctus Real(see below) describes my husband so perfectly.  I know I was supposed to write about Charles!!  Charles makes me see my husband for the man he is...when we got home from vacation Saturday night, Thadd walked up to Charles and put his arms around his thick pony neck.  My eyes filled with tears; he also loves my animals.



I look around and see my wonderful life
Almost perfect from the outside
In picture frames, I see my beautiful wife
Always smiling, but on the inside

Oh, I can hear her saying

Lead me with strong hands
Stand up when I can't
Don't leave me hungry for love
Chasing dreams, but what about us?

Show me you're willing to fight
That I'm still the love of your life
I know we call this our home
But I still feel alone

I see their faces, look in their innocent eyes
They're just children from the outside
I'm working hard, I tell myself they'll be fine
They're independent, but on the inside

Oh, I can hear them saying

[ From: http://www.elyrics.net/read/s/sanctus-real-lyrics/lead-me-lyrics.html ]
Lead me with strong hands
Stand up when I can't
Don't leave me hungry for love
Chasing dreams, what about us?

Show me you're willing to fight
That I'm still the love of your life
I know we call this our home
But I still feel alone

So Father, give me the strength
To be everything I'm called to be
Oh Father, show me the way
Oh Father, show me the way
To lead them

Won't You lead me?

To lead them with strong hands
To stand up when they can't
Don't want to leave them hungry for love
Chasing things that I could give up

I'll show them I'm willing to fight
And give them the best of my life
So we can call this our home
Lead me 'cause I can't do this alone

Father, lead me 'cause I can't do this alone