The Herd | Previous Challenge Entry

how it works

TITLE: The Herd | Previous Challenge Entry
By Pamela Reed
11/18/13
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Evening was on its way and dinner time was eminent. This farm’s seven horses were on their way to the barn, well six of them were. Missy didn’t care.

The barn and pasture were on 10 acres of grazing land. We had added seven acres behind the pasture in an attached paddock. The herd knew the routine and they meandered out of the paddock and into the pasture. We’re not really sure which one of them has a watch, but they are very accurate. On this particular day, Missy didn’t seem to care what the others were doing. Missy is our oldest mare. At the age of 21, she is still full of beauty and speed. She is a quarter horse and ex-barrel racer. When she puts her mind to it, she will kick it in gear and pass up our young ones as she gallops to her destination. But today, she stopped at the far end of the pasture and began to eat. What I watched next was nothing short of amazing.

Tiny, our 2000 pound Belgium draft horse, is the alpha horse. That means that he is the boss of the herd. They are supposed to obey him. When he arrived at the barn, he turned and realized that only five other horses had followed him. He wasn’t happy with this, so he loudly whinnied. Nothing happened. Missy didn’t care.

Number two in line is Zoe. She is a beautiful Tabiano paint and is the alpha mare. Only one horse has more authority than her, all others bow to her wants and wishes. When the late quarter horse didn’t arrive, she went into action. She loudly whinnied and expected results. Missy didn’t care.

The herd hierarchy is very important and all involved know exactly what it is and what it means; the horses know, and the humans who care for and love them know. Our hierarchy is Tiny, Zoe, Luna, Missy, Bella, Lillie, and Dudley. It is important for us to know this fact so that we act accordingly, but I digress. Zoe turned to Luna and whinnied. Luna immediately took off at a gallop to the end of the pasture and with some head tossing, they both returned. Missy followed Luna back to the barn.

Being a horse owner for several years, I had never seen anything like this occur. Sitting on my golf cart at the end of the pasture, my mind began wandering as I considered the chain of events. Was there anything in God’s Word that correlated with what I had just witnessed? I grabbed my Bible, and found a valuable gem.

Matthew 8:5-10. Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, saying “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.” And Jesus said “I will come and heal him.” The centurion answered and said “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I am also a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!”

Vs. 13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour.

I noticed that the servant was required to do nothing to be healed. Missy didn’t care, but ended up at the barn. Because of God’s plan of hierarchy, if we follow it and put Him first, all is well.

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