I’m back. Happy New Year a week into 2025!
Thank you to everyone who messaged me to check in and ask for proof of life.
My mind has felt the way Rock’s face looks in the pic. I caught him mid-itch as he was scratching his head on Lacy’s saddle horn.
I put myself in time-out and told myself I was staying there until I could be reasonable again. So let’s try this.
My last post was the one about Rock’s first turnout, the day after Christmas. That was meant to be a cheerful post that I’d spent quite a bit of time putting together, thinking people would enjoy seeing and learning about a Mustang’s first time truly stretching his legs and being a horse again.
Except that’s not what happened. The internet – and I don’t mean everyone, not even the majority, but enough people to make it painfully noticeable – descended on me.
First of, he’s a mule people were telling me with the conviction a 5yo has that Santa is real. I can assure you, he is not, in fact, a mule. My ears stick out further than they should and my dad used to call me Dumbo when I was a kid (ha ha 
), that doesn’t make me an elephant.
Secondly and more prominently, evidently I’m some sort of monster for turning him out with a halter on. A rope halter at that.
It said right in the caption that it was short-term, for the first little while of the first turnout only. And that he was being checked on during that time.
But no. That’s dangerous and how dare I and all of that.
I always carry a knife. So much so that the kids at school who know what I do with most of my week recently looked at me expectantly when something needed to be cut, and asked “Miss Stefanie, do you have a knife??!?” “Not here” I replied sheepishly, “I’m not trying to give Miss Kelli a heart attack” (Kelli is my friend/neighbor/admin/boss at the school…small town living for the win). That sucker is sharp. I can cut a rope halter in no time flat. Lead ropes too. I’ve done it.
Why the halter? The last time I turned one loose for the first time, he ran straight into the fence and I had to cut him out of it. By myself. If that happens it sure is nice to have control of the head to keep the horse from hurting both of us. Also, the ones that unexpectedly decide they’re wild again. It’s much easier to quickly clip a lead rope to a halter than to play catch me if you can with one that’s decided we’re not doing haltering in a big space.
What happened to asking questions, to voicing concerns in private, to “keep scrolling”, to “live and let live”, “agree to disagree”?
What’s the easiest way to deal with something you don’t agree with? Don’t do it! Don’t like a book? Put it down! Don’t want to support a business? Shop elsewhere! Don’t agree with someone’s political agenda? Don’t vote for them! Don’t like a certain bit? Don’t use it! It’s pretty simple, really. I don’t eat processed sugar and yet I don’t go around telling people they can’t either.
What do we need to do to make the world kinder again? We’ve normalized getting attacked on social media. Why? How about we normalize kindness instead? Normalize the need to learn and fail in order to succeed? Normalize asking questions instead of jumping to conclusions? Normalize that only those truly without sin should throw the first stone? Sure seems like there are a whole lot of perfect people out there. Maybe we need a walking on water competition for keyboard warriors.
I’ve done a lot of things I’m not proud of. And a lot that I am proud of. What I won’t do is knock someone else down so I can then stand on their shoulders to feel taller. Going forward, on my and Wild Horse Outreach & Advocacy ‘s page and posts, we will treat each other with the same or greater care and concern that’s afforded animals these days. Those who can’t play nice can go play elsewhere.
I hate the idea of deleting and blocking because I believe in freedom of speech and I value differing opinions. I also believe in treating others with respect. We can disagree and be kind. We can choose to disengage. (Cyber) bullying costs lives and I won’t stand for it.
We can all do our part to be the change we want to see in this world. Perfection not required 
