The Littlest Horse Thief

"Kilee stole my horse!"

• Carol Pollock
  

The Littlest Horse Thief

There was a knock at my front door. I didn't hear the knock, but I could hear the result as a woofing sound roared from the member of my family covered in black, brown and white fur. I don't get a lot of visitors at my house so I was curious as to who it was.

As soon as I opened the door I saw a familiar face. I thought I was to be curious no more, but I was wrong!

Carol's face was serious. "We need to talk." She announced.

I invited her in. We had had lots of talks, but this was the first time she had walked next door to speak with me in such a formal way. My mind began to rampage its way through hundreds of possibilities. Yet, it was not prepared for the reality Carol was about to present!

"Kilee stole my horse!"

I could tell she was serious. Still, I could barely prevent a riotous laugh from erupting. Kilee was my wiry seven-year-old, horse loving, daughter who Carol had been teaching. I would say teaching to ride, but she was teaching her much more than that!

As soon as Carol had moved in with her horses Kilee had pretty much moved in with her. She was a sponge soaking up all Carol would kindly teach her. She wanted to learn about and ride horses so much that she had worked out an arrangement to clean stalls in exchange for riding lessons! Carol was a great mentor and teacher. Her knowledge was grand; her caring unmatched.

"I guess Kilee wanted to ride while I wasn't home." Carol continued. "She needs to understand that it isn't safe for her to ride when I'm not with her. My horse weighs more than 2000 pounds, is unpredictable, and Kilee is so small!"

I knew all that! Kilee knew all that! Still, Carol and I had no idea what Kilee thought she knew!

I called for Kilee to come in and face her worried mentor.

"Are you going to hang me now?" Kilee's timid voice queried.

I could hardly see the tear running down Carol's face through the welling in my own eyes. Her love for horses was greater than we had imagined!

We talked it out. Kilee had to work to provide restitution. Carol and Kilee continued working and loving horses together until Carol moved.

Is your passion moving you? Are you pursuing what you want in life willing to face real and imagined consequences just as Kilee, "the littlest horse thief"?