You can kick your tire...

My wife read a portion of a chapter from her current book to me just recently - it was talking about the differences between a horse and an automobile.

Now, most of us have grown up with the auto being just a regular part of our lives - and we know that it has not always been that way. When these new inventions rolled out, there weren't all that many who could afford one - or wanted one! So, the makers came up with some ideas.

- Your auto won't run away from you.

- The auto won't throw a shoe or break its leg.

- Autos don't get cranky about the food you give them.

- Autos don't kick.

- Autos won't get old and have to just be taken care of until it finally dies.

- Autos don't bite or get fusy when you want to use them.

- Autos don't get sick.

Right! However, when I have an auto, I have Auto Problems, and when I have a horse, I have Horse Problems. Looking at it this way, I am simply exchanging one set of problems for another.

Another point in the book was how modern science extracted from the horse all that we wanted - something we call horsepower. But what is the difference? We know some of those answers right off the bat: Autos can go further in one day than a horse. Autos can haul more (well, some can). Autos can be left outside or in a shelter - your choice. Autos can be repaired by someone else.

Now here's something that just dawned on me. You can kick your auto, but try kicking your horse and see how well it comes to you when you need it (of course, kicking the auto may break your toes too); You can be mean and say rude and vile things to your auto, but should you do such a thing to your horse - it will remember; You can forget to clean your auto, but if you don't take care of your horse it will tell quickly.

What it comes down to, I think, is relationship. Not that the horse is a wife, son, or a daughter or a relative, but it is, essentially, part of your family. It will go through the lean times with you. It will help you with your work. It will provide the pleasure of riding. And one thing they forgot to extract with the horsepower, the horse is a wonderfully created beast. It is strong and beautiful.

And all these things makes a horse shine better and brighter than the noisey, plastic, computerized auto.

And yes, I am planning on getting some... one day... after we get chickens, and maybe some goats, and perhaps some cows :)


Po~