Camping

     We decided to go camping this last weekend. We went up into the mountains near us. We were pretty high, a little over 9,000 feet up. It was a beautiful weekend, 50’s during the day and 30’s at night, no rain only sunshine. We could hear Elk bugling and also were able to enjoy some wild horses that live up near that campground. 

    As we drove into the campground, we came around a bend to find horses. Quite a few horses eating grass at the campsites. We parked and got out of the car and the horses just looked at us and kept on eating. We were a little intimidated at first, not knowing much about horses. Then we decided that since they didn’t seem to mind us, we wouldn’t mind them. So we began unpacking the car and getting camp set up. Then about three horses wandered up to the site and just stood and watched. Two of them eventually lost interest and wandered around, but one stayed the whole time. Then I started making Ben and Rebekah a sandwich. The minute I opened the bread that mare walked closer and closer. She got so close she nosed the bread bag. I had to clap my hands like I do to get the dog’s attention. She backed off then. I think she must have realized that I was not going to give her food.

 

    We were also able to witness  “herd” behavior with these horses as well. We had three to four horses that kept wandering over to watch us.  Then from behind us, a loud whinny made everyone jump. Down the path came a horse at a fast walk. When he got past us, I noticed he was the stallion. Almost immediately following his call all the horses in the area walked over to him. There was the group, one stallion, 6 mares and 2 colts. He “talked” to them for a minute then walked a little ways away. All the mares followed him, and then proceeded to stay farther away from us for the rest of the afternoon.

     It was a beautiful weekend being away from everyday life. The trees were just beginning to turn colors. Birds were chirping and flying, squirrels were running up and down trees and there were even a few flowers blooming. I was reminded of Matthew 6:25-27 ²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?  If God cares for these horses, the birds, the squirrels, the flowers he will take care of me as well.