Cheyenne

A few years ago I was doing a shoot for a client at her lovely property. We ended the shoot with some shots of her horses at liberty in the pasture. Sharing the pasture was a striking Appaloosa horse that was being boarded there. Though I was being paid to photograph the other horses, my lens kept finding it's way to the Appaloosa gelding - I swear he was purposely posing for my camera. Of course, I got plenty of gorgeous shots of the horses I was supposed to be photographing, the Appaloosa was just a bonus. His image went on to grace the cover of a future calendar I produced, and I sold many notecards with his beautiful images on them.

I had a table set up at a Farm Open House a couple of years later, with one of those calendar's on the table, when an artist (who also was set up at the Open House) came over to talk to me. She was very surprised to see a photo of her horse, the same Appaloosa on the calendar. She had just taken over ownership of him. My sister and I always marvel at how small the "Horsey Wolrd" is. Here is Cheyenne's story as told be his present owner Pam Rawliuk:

"Cheyenne is my 22 year old Leopard Appaloosa gelding. The healing properties of horses are really awesome. I have a friend (and next door neighbour) that comes over to visit my horses. She has come a long way in terms of healing and she is feeling way better mentally and physically. She is now riding with me, working, cleaning the barn and grooming the horses. She's kind of like a second mom for me, and it is nice to have help too. You should see her face. Can't wipe the smile off of her either.

I have experienced the healing qualities of horses as well. These two are very special, I'm not sure why, but they were meant to be mine. I am totally in love with Cheyenne and Sultana (my chestnut mare). Might not get to ride them as often as I would like, but that is okay.

Cheyenne is a big suck, but he is also very demanding. I will come over and leave my truck parked next to the gate go inside to visit with people. Suddenly you can hear him give out a huge winny and when I look outside the door there he is standing at the gate. If I don't go over right away, well, you will hear another call.

One day I was just sitting around the fire and Cheyenne stood at the gate looking at me. Finally he let out a winny. What? so I went over and gave him a pat. Sat back down by the fire. Again he called to me. So I went in the barn and got a treat. Cool, now I can sit back at the fire. Not! Another call! What? So I went in and lay down on a huge tree that I was carving. He stood beside me, sniffed me all over. Then just stood with me. I guess he was lonely. I felt like I was part of the herd. Sultana also came over the check me out as well. Kind of neat to be part of their herd for sure!"

Congratulations to Cheyenne for being our July 27th, 2009 'Horse of the Week'.