Emma and Caroline with horses Pink and Ivy loading their horses for a horse show.
Julia Richard teaches lessons on a cold winter night on her property in Battle Ground.
Julia Richard’s daughter, Bronwyn, stands with her horse of three years Hello at their farm in Battle Ground.
The barn is a magical place.
There is a circle of energy that flows through every board and nail, every piece of years-old equipment and every animal who calls the barn their home.
You can’t see it, but you can feel it and you can hear it.
I’ve had the privilege to experience this since I was a little girl.
Horses offer something that you don’t come by every day. Young riders find horses non-judgmental, able to keep secrets and uncaring of what brand of clothing you wear, they just want you to be fair toward them.
You learn respect for something bigger than yourself.
Responsibility, accountability, courage, kindness, discipline, hard work and leadership are only a handful of the traits children learn when working with horses.
Horse shows teach grace under pressure, teamwork, sportsmanship and how to lose and win gracefully.
The sleepless nights caring for sick horses, the countless hours spent in and out of the saddle, and the long-lasting friendships made when spending all that time. It’s about finding that happy place to go to when days turn bad and you walk into the barn hearing nickers, smelling the hay and leather and seeing those fuzzy noses looking for treats.
My wish is that everyone gets to experience this magic at least once in their lives.
The gifts a horse will give you don’t come with a receipt and can’t be wrapped in a box.
They are forever, and if you don’t know what I’m talking about, ask a horseman or woman.
They can tell you.
