A Horse, A Horse Trailer, and a Peppermint Candy

Smarty Who is now a retired racehorse from Turf Paradise here in Phoenix. She and her stable mate, Thinkin' Bout Blake, had finished their racing careers and their owner was ready to send them down the road, most likely the slaughter road to Mexico. Fortunately their trainer couldn't bear the thought of this and through a series of contacts these two Thoroughbreds found their way to Luv Shack Horse Rescue. And better yet, they've found a great place to rest and recover from their racing injuries in southern Arizona.

Everything from the human side had been planned and the pick up date was at hand. Thinkin' Bout Blake loaded first into the trailer, ready to leave his racing career behind. However, Smarty Who was unsure and put up a fuss about loading. Now, Joey from Luv Shack has loaded many a wild horse, and after a few tries was afraid of Smarty Who hurting herself. So the decision was made to come back with a larger trailer that would be a better fit for this big, beautiful mare.

I was asked to send distance Reiki to Smarty Who to help her load into the trailer when they went back for her. She easily accepted my invitation and we had a good session. During my connection with her I explained what was happening, where she was going, and why we would like her to load up and go with Joey. As we neared the end of the session I kept getting the message that she wanted a treat. Not just any treat, but specifically a peppermint. I let her know I would pass her request on. When I told Joey about her request, she smiled and said that when they were trying to load her the trainer mentioned she liked candy. ;)

When the day came to go back and pick her up I had some extra time and asked to ride along. I wanted to meet this beautiful spirit in person. We arrived at the track and Smarty Who was brought out by her trainer. Her eyes were big and her head held high as she spotted the crowd of various people from the track that had gathered to load her into the trailer anyway they could. Not the optimal energy this already scared horse needed. As her nervous and wary energy met the forceful and "do whatever it takes" energy of the gathered "helpers" she of course began to resist. All the pushing, yelling, and arm waving that came at her from behind did anything but calm her. Standing off to the side I again offered Reiki to her and the entire situation at hand. It seemed to be the calm spot in this whirlwind of drama.

When Smarty Who finally loaded into the trailer I think she was grateful that the trailer door shut behind her. It safely separated her from that group of loud, pushy people. As the group finished patting each other on the back and final arrangements were being made to take her I went to the side of the trailer where I could see and talk to her. With peppermint in hand I told her what a brave horse she was and again re-affirmed that she was going to a wonderful place to heal. A place where she could simply relax and be a horse. The peppermint was gingerly nibbled from my hand and she eagerly smacked her lips together as she savored the treat. It was as if this was the reassurance she needed that all was going to be well.

The rest of the trip to her new home was peaceful and uneventful. We delivered both horses to a facility near Tucson where they waited a few hours to be picked up by their new owner. Smarty Who easily unloaded from our trailer and we were told smoothly loaded into the trailer of her new owner. I can sense the happiness and gratitude in her heart as she begins life anew.

I always find myself in a place of wonderment and thankfulness for the flexibility and adaptive nature of Reiki. Sometimes the situation is critical, like so many in the world of animal rescue, or simply an animal seeking peace, love or comfort. Regardless the energy always flows for the highest good of all. Whether my path with these animals is a few peaceful moments sharing Reiki or one that we walk together for a time, I've learned much from Reiki and the amazing animals I'm honored to work with. And in Smarty Who's case, I'm thankful for peppermints!