My name is Bodhi, and I call For the Love of Aria my current home. I am a tribal horse who was rounded up on the Warm Springs Reservation just outside of Portland, Oregon.
In 2019, I was selected to be gentled in a wild foal gentling course that took place in Bend, Oregon, with a group of students organized by Reach Out to Horses. I remember coming off the trailer that first day. I was so scared. I knew that I had to stick close to the other youngsters who had been rounded up with me because they seemed like my only safety.
Once we were at the location of the course, we were allowed to settle into a larger area that we would call home each night. We played as a herd, ate together, and, my personal favorite, slept together in the sun. During the day, we were moved into “classrooms” or smaller rectangular pens that were where we could focus on the new skills we were learning and the people who were there to work with us.
That course was a most wonderful introduction to the world of working with people. I absolutely loved all of the people who were there working to help teach us the ways of humans. We had all been introduced to people on the reservation, but this was different. Everyone understood what we were saying by what our eyes were doing, what our ears were doing, what our breath was doing, and what our energy was doing in response to the environment. While we were encouraged to keep learning and growing, we were never forced into anything. We took our time, stayed in the moment, and weren’t traumatized by the new learning that was taking place.
At the end of the course, I was one of the horses who had yet to be adopted by anyone. I was afraid that I might not make it home with any of the good people there, and in the moment, I didn’t know if I had or not. It wasn’t until a few weeks later that Gina and her family came to get me (along with Mesa and Cali) from Oregon and bring us home to Colorado. We were much smaller then. I don’t think they expected any of us to grow as large as we did.
My life at For the Love of Aria on the ranch in Kiowa has been amazing. I have a great herd with me as Mesa and Cali are still here. It was helpful to have my herd mates from Oregon to keep me company as we moved. While I can be independent when I need to be, I really like someone to be there for me, to bond with me, and look after me. That is one of the reasons that I most adore people: they love looking after me.
I see myself being a trail horse, out in the wilderness, managing obstacles, and demonstrating my sharp skills as a navigator of tough terrain. As a youngster, I always enjoyed playing in places that other horses did not, like soggy wet areas and rocky outcroppings. I enjoyed maneuvering my body around those places and still think that would be something that I would be good at, even with a person riding me.
I am a lover of people, not simply because they have always wanted to take care of me, but because I have only had people in my recent life who have been exceedingly kind and generous. If your life was full of people who adored you, wouldn’t you adore your life?
When I have to think about my favorite things, it’s hard because I feel like I enjoy so many things. I would have to put eating and sleeping toward the top. I am not lazy, though, so don’t be misled. I just enjoy simple things. The feeling of warm sunshine on my face as I lay with the cool dirt beneath my body is one of the most comforting feelings I know. I love that balance of the cool earth and the warm sun. It amazes me how simply beautiful life can be.
I love smells and sights and sounds. I am intrigued by what goes on around Stormie Acres Ranch but not totally preoccupied with it all. It is my home, so I like to know what is going on, but I never worry or try too hard to keep track of the comings and goings.
Gina was telling me that we are having a day for people to come meet me and get to know me in an effort to get me adopted. While I am not totally looking forward to leaving my herd, which I think is natural, I have endless possibilities in mind for what my future holds. I am not scared or afraid of where I will end up. The humans here made a commitment to me to ensure that I am taken good care of, and I expect nothing less will be the case.
I am looking forward to meeting everyone and finding my perfect forever home. It is so exciting to think of where I came from and where I am possibly going.
I do want to say one last thing, though, as I leave you all with a note about me. My name. If you aren’t familiar with the Bodhi Tree, it is the tree under which the Buddha took a seat and refused to move until he became enlightened. This name suits me so well because my ability to stay in the present moment and to be full of awe and wonder about the beauty surrounding me is evident. I am a healer. People feel better after they spend time with me, which is something I enjoy giving them.
I really like the compliment of being a simple soul. So much can be understood when we take a step back and stop making things so very complicated. I tend to remind people of the beauty of simplicity and what a gift each and every moment is. I’m not gifted or anything; that’s just who I am and what I enjoy about my relationships with people in this life.
On that note, I sincerely hope to meet you at the A Home for the Holidays adoption event. I will dearly miss my herd when it is time for me to move on, but I know, with all my heart, that I am moving toward a future that belongs entirely to me and one for which I am ultimately destined.
See you soon,
Bodhi
