Buckskin Jesus Rides Again

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There are those who have stepped forward for us and answered a call to duty that so few of us have ever faced. There are many who will deal with the memories of battle and of loss without noticeable issues; unfortunately, there will be others who suffer from wounds both psychological and physical, some of these will battle with addictions to alcohol and illicit drugs, while they continue to patrol a narrow path between life and death. These are the ones who put their lives on the wall, while we and our Liberals, who rarely show an inclination to serve, have lived in relative comfort and safety back here in the United States, for these last ten years.

We who have lived and prospered owe them so much; especially, those who bear the scars of combat, scars that can be external or internal.

These returning heroes who bear the scars will need help and treatment; unfortunately, the treatment is rarely successful and the veterans often feel they are ignored and forgotten as they try to cope with modern life outside of war. All too often, an early death is the only reprieve from their personal Hell that the war and multiple deployments have inflicted upon them. These men deserve so much more than the counselors who took pysch classes because they were easy. Sometimes the friend who isn’t a trained specialist can provide help or the will to overcome obstacles; sometimes, a horse can provide the therapy.

Now, as a horseman, I have seen the unexplainable healing effects of a horse. They have a unique way of helping lost and damaged souls; they can do it just by using their simple compassion, love, and basic communication. Many people without options find a way to cope, when they look into those eyes and feel the compassion and love that a horse has to offer. For unfathomable reasons, some horses take it upon themselves to befriend certain troubled humans and offer them friendship. I have spent a lifetime communicating with horses and there are some people claim I am one of the best, but honestly, I don’t have a clue why some horses will take on a troubled child or a damaged adult.

To me, it seems as though those who approach a horse with the innocence and naivete of the children who approached Jesus will gain the confidence of a horse and in return that horse will give his life for that particular human.

Years ago, I knew a good hearted outfitter who took handicapped children into his mountain camps during the summer, to help get ready for the hunting season. These weren’t the usual problem kids; no sir, this guy insisted on the most severely challenged. The kids often responded to the remote camp life and advanced in ways that schools and therapists through the years had failed to accomplish. I was proud to have known this man and I can honestly say that a man never stands taller than when he stoops to help a child. These kids had severe emotional and physical problems, but the outfitter had no reservations about trying to help these unfortunate children.

These were often the most severely handicapped children, but the outfitter took them into the mountains and gave them an opportunity they had never had before. One kid adopted an old tractor, took it apart, put it back together and got it running like a sewing machine. Another kid started fishing and provided the camp with the fish for dinner that we guides usually enjoyed catching in the evening, but no one complained about not being able to fish. Another kid started sewing the leather and fixing all the saddlery, most of them did this on their own with no instruction or help and many of them found a vocation for the future or gained the confidence to realize that they could accomplish something in this life. Most of the kids adopted a horse as a friend; and there was interminable brushing, grooming, and riding, the horses responded as if they were taking care of a foal and the horse-human friendships were enough to make old hunting guides and trappers get a lump in their throat

Outfitters usually have very well broke horses and cowboys who can ride a greased pig if they can get a rope around it, but this outfitter had a horse known as Buckskin Jesus and he was a bonafide outlaw. He had come by his name honestly; he was a Buckskin color and the cowboys often said, “Jesus” and other much worse things when they were bucked off this renegade. Usually, a horse like Buckskin Jesus meets an early demise, but for some strange reason Buckskin Jesus was still around.

There was a group of kids that came out for the summer and one of the kids had never spoken a single word. As luck would have it, this particular kid developed a fascination with Buckskin Jesus. At first, the cowboys tried to get the kid interested in another horse, but Buckskin Jesus was the horse he wanted. The horse responded to the kid and allowed himself to be brushed until he was as sleek as a race horse; without permission or supervision the kid climbed aboard and rode the horse all around camp to everyone’s amazement. The kid broke out of a shell he had been in since he was born and this horse became his main motivation in life. From the time he woke up, until it was time to go to bed, this kid was riding or grooming Buckskin Jesus. Eventually, it was time for the kids to go home and it was a tearful goodbye between the kid and Buckskin Jesus; suddenly, the kid said his first words in this life, “Goodbye, Buckskin Jesus”. Needless to say, there were tears even on the cheeks of the most hardened cowboys.

It is this magical healing ability of the horse that I know will work on our wounded vets. I recently met a pair of guys with a dream; Johnny Higginson and Andrew Mikiel, they run the Shadow Hills Riding Club, they have already helped perform miracles like the one mentioned above and many others. They are also working with vets who have Post Traumatic Shock Syndrome and having success. I am afraid this is a disease that we will be seeing a lot more often in the near future.

For those among our readers who have read the bulk of my writing, you know that I support our vets and their benefits. I will always try to help our vets and their causes, but these guys have a good idea and the ability to make a difference. I stand with these guys and their efforts to help our returning warriors. I have already contributed, but they need serious financial help and I am hoping some of you will consider helping these guys to help our vets. Keeping enough Buckskin Jesus type horses is expensive and they need help with feed, shoes, and hired help. If you can help with a check, it is a worthy cause that will be providing critical help to many of our vets in the near future. If you are unable to lend financial help, read about their dream and send them an encouraging email, tell them ol’ Skook referred you.

They are a tax deductible charity and have gone through the requisite training to be “official” horse therapists for the disabled. Let me tell you straight out, these guys have something you can’t learn in a classroom, it is called Love and Compassion.

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As the wife, mother, sister and aunt of AF, Marine and Army vets, I’ve watched as they all came home with physical and mental problems. So, I support WWP, DV, HHV and Vietnam vets. They give so much and sometimes get lost in the crowd. For all veterans everywhere, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your service to our country.

What I do Skookum is keep in touch with the PPCLI Regiment in Edmonton,Alberta. Any widow and siblings that live in Calgary gets 100 bucks after the ceremony at the cenotaph. No strings attached and I do it forXmas. They don’t have to know who I am. I’m just an old hard azzed engineer. They get a brown bill and a card from the Engineering Regiment. I’m still pizzed at the Engineers moving to Petawawa,Ontario, the PPCLI moving to Edmonton and the disbanding of the Airborne Regiment. Last year I took 3 widows to the smoker at the Armory.

So many people look for self worth in others . . . they seek value of their lives by thriving on what they assume to be their “implementation” of self actualization of others . .. but you must remember to the “self actualized person” everyone else is irrevelant. Thus you reduce yourself to self actualized irrevelance . . .

Thus the warrior who returns home does see the value of his sacrifice . . . but only to realize that the living death to which he has committed himself is irrevelant to the people to whom he has given his life.

Skook;

To return home after a long abscence is a dream for it is that imaginary world of home that we long for. Yet as dose abscence make the heart go fonder . . . so does the duration of time change the people we so remember with such fondness. Only after getting home does come the realization that those for who the yearning was so great are no longer there and that those that did remain no longer want you to be there. For they have seen the irrelevance of the yearning that was in their heart and minds for you. The gap in togetherness is a physical pain compareable to a war wound.

Thak you Skookum
Once again you have touched me and made me tear.
I will donate to Shadow Hills.

Your link to Shadow hills does not work, try this: http://shadowhillsridingclub.org/

@Al Cooper, thanks for the heads up on some broken links. As Skook may be out on the range, or on the road, I took the liberty of correcting.

To say who say that ones who support of veterans psychological need are “counselors who took pysch classes because they were easy”, simply display their own ignorance.

@Liberal1 (objectivity): You read that entire article and all you could do is call the author ignorant? You need to quit smoking marijuana….

Skookum to Liberal1: I have ignored your witless diatribes in the past, but since you have come on this particular apolitical post with your negativity and manure slinging, I will make it a point to humiliate you at every opportunity in the future.

Oh my! Must make an emergency trip to the grocery for POPCORN!

great group, I would say however, it probably would be best to leave politics out of a post like this. The military is made up of all types of people, races, religions and political beliefs.

CJ brought this same issue up in an article a while back, its good to see it again. While people are arguing that professionals need more this and more that(wisconsin) the average person has forgotten about the silent professionals in the military. I for one was shocked to see the wages and benefits of teachers who risk nothing and complain we are ruining democracy. Then look at the true heros of democracy, what do they get? Being a professional is about the money despite liberal1’s objectivity’s, recent events have proved it (wisconsin). Nowhere else on the internet have I seen this particular issue brought up. I’m glad to see a few people willing to bring it to the surface.

@Skookum:

I plan to make the veterans a focus of my writing in the future and I will avoid politicizing the subject.

It might be possible, but I doubt it. And I don’t mean that as a slight to you at all.

@ Skookum

These are the ones who put their lives on the wall, while we and our Liberals, who rarely show an inclination to serve, have lived in relative comfort and safety back here in the United States, for these last ten years.

This is what I was referring to as the political thing.

The group sounds real good, I know a buddy who did riding as a form of therapy. It was really good for him and sort of gave him 4 legs instead of none. He loved the horse and lived for getting in the saddle. Sounds like a really great group.

Skook;

Ah, I knew it . . . the “backwoods rustic” . . . I submit that this attitude is simply one of the founding fathers . . . for it is found in that attitude the exteme driven personality of self preservation and self actualization. For there is no other person who so realizes his mortality than one that has faced the demons of death. For the liberal I find a person more inclined to include death as a viable alternative, an individual who will spout the fanatic speech of obligation of OTHERS to give their lives for others . . . yet the liberal is more the hangman than the savior, for as time to put up or shut eventually does come, so shall the liberal spout the words “the other guy” or “You all should” . . . never do they realize that the empowerment of self will absolutely include the willingness of self sacrifice.

In this country driven to its own demise by the voice of entitlement we are facing a dire circumstance. As a population the care of no group will be recognized as superceeding the needs of the collective. Even those who have actually given arm or leg for the protection of the collective will never be recognized as deserving of the care of all who they have given so much for.

I give you my support and respect for who and what you are so dedicated, never let the voice of a single werid individual sway you from the success of your life goal.