I can sum up my life in two words: I BELIEVE. At the age of 8 I believed that I would have a horse, black with white stockings or at least socks, and some white on its face. The horse would live in the neighbor’s vacant lot: my parents had the audacity to say no. Well, not yet…
After I graduated from high school in Cloquet MN in 1970 I went to UMD, majoring in Really Good Times. I learned many very useful things I won’t go into here, but it wasn’t always fun... I quit college at age 20 and married my daughters’ father after he finished college. I believed I could make a marriage work all by myself. My oldest daughter was born when I was 26, my twin daughters two years later, and at 31 found myself divorced. I had 2 years of dubious college credits, no way to support my children, my house was on the verge of foreclosure, and I was scared to death. I believed I could work hard enough to make it: I went back to school, studying physics, chemistry, and Brit Lit after putting the girls to bed. I graduated and began teaching science in 1986 at Superior’s East Junior High School. I even kept my house.
My best friend got a sports car from her husband for her 40th birthday: I received the frightening diagnosis of breast cancer for mine. I believed I could beat it: I have been cancer-free for 13 years after a second bout. I kept my belief that I could survive with the help of wonderful angels who lit my path when I lost sight of it.
I believed there was more somewhere to fill the empty spots in my world, including a loving man with whom I could share my life. After being single for over 20 years I married Gary Niemi, also known as the Barn Engineer, and finished my Masters Degree in Education. We sold our houses and bought our home on a lake south of Superior WI; we live there with our black lab, golden retriever, and a sweet little black kitty. My daughters are all successful in the business world, and are rescuers of animals as well. I now knew why I’d kept believing: I was waiting all those years for this wonderful man.
Last February I read the heart-wrenching story in the Duluth News Tribune about a colt the owners of the Raindance Farms had rescued that was hanging on to life by sheer will and the help of his rescuers. I loved watching their horses every day as we drove by, and though we had little experience with horses, offered our help. We became part of WindChill’s daily care team, and would have done anything for him. Through his devastating physical weakness and pain, he so believed in us, and happily tried so hard to be a normal little horse. Our hearts were broken when he left us: he touched me in such deep places there is still much about which I cannot talk. It is these things that drive me to do whatever I can to make sure no other horses suffer as this baby did.
I am by nature not at all brave, yet in May I began taking riding lessons. I had a secret: I’d fallen in love with WindChill’s 2 year-old sister, Kisses. I needed to learn to ride well quickly: everything I read said a novice rider should never have a novice horse. And she was a show horse: how could I ever be the owner she needed?
Kisses is now my horse: I still can hardly believe those words! She lives at Raindance Farms where she will be trained to be safe for me to ride. In the meantime, I continue to take lessons and do ground work with Kisses. My teaching career will end with my retirement this spring, June of 2009, and I look forward to having time to devote to horses, both my own and furthering the Legacy’s goals. If anyone had told me a year ago what I would be doing now, I would have thought that person to be crazy. However, I believe that what is easy is not always right, and what is right is not always easy. And I believe in the power of good-hearted people working together to do the right thing. I am so drawn to this path I know it is the right one, and I believe together we can help make sure WindChill’s death was not in vain.
