I feel queasy when people say they love animals more than people – I hear that a lot. I learned the hard way that the path to happiness for me was to love people more than animals, or at least as much. I do not view animals a superior to people, they do not have the will to improve themselves. Humans have that ability, even if we often fail to use it.

I do admire animals for their acceptance. While humans engage in yet another raging storm beyond the borders of the pasture, life goes on there. Animals are always focused on the basic elements of life – good, attention, shelter and continuity. Animals need nothing more than what they have, providing it sustains them.

Every morning now, Chloe greets Maria and me with a kiss. The kiss is equine style, a touching of the noses or a chin or cheek will do. Chloe is both gentle and affectionate, and then, she wants to eat. I don’t personally care to have a life as simple as that, I love the complexity of human beings. And the soft noses of horses.

I have learned acceptance from all of my animals, it is one of the elemental lessons of the farm.