For the last three and a half years, Barney has been the fabric of Roanchar Ranch Draft Horse Rescue. It was not his size that made an impression on people, but his presence and outlook on life.
Most people who visited the ranch never realized that Barney was blind until they were told. He confidently walked around the pasture and acknowledged anyone who came to his gate with a tilt of his head. He rarely walked over to greet anyone, but he didn’t need to to make an impact on people.
One time during our Healing Horses program, Barney was able to reach a child who was totally shut down. The child would not speak to anyone, except for his Mom, even though he knew the other children. He would not even participate in any of the activities. It was not until we took him over to meet Barney that everything changed.
As soon as the child heard Barney’s story and learned that Barney was blind, you could see his demeanor change. He started asking questions, like how did Barney make new friends and how did he trust people that he didn’t know? He leaned into the gate to get a better view because the child was visually impaired too.
The child returned for several more sessions where he fully participated in all the activities. Each time, though, he asked to be taken to see Barney. He wanted to know how Barney was doing and about the adventures that Barney had been on.
That was Barney’s gift. To teach people that any obstacle, be it physical or emotional, can be overcome by taking whatever life gives you and embracing it.
While Barney’s physical presence at the ranch will always be missed, we know that he lives on in the lessons that he taught us all.
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