I read Kim’s first book, Hope Rising, on the plane heading to Oregon. (This book is on the reading list and I highly recommend it.) I found myself wowed, awed, and in tears on many occasions. The stories of each of these horses and children touch deeply into our souls with the inconceivableness of their suffering and the joy in their recovery, courage, and hope to step into life and love.

Reading this book was difficult and yet amazing and liberating. There are stories of draft horses almost killed by a bear, and starved horses who can no longer stand. Horses that have been left to survive on their own with no care, and others who have been so injured by unconscious humans or automobile accidents. Story after story reflects one message; they were no longer seen as having any value – an object, a disposable item. They were not seen as a living creature, a cohabitant of this world, a soul to share love in this world, but as something of no value, worthless, and little matter.

Kim and Troy would receive calls when neighbors would see these horses dying. Wanting to be respectful of the neighbors, to continue a relationship with them, and acting with urgency to save the horse, they often would buy the horse from the owner. They would work with the horses bringing them back to life, loving them back to living. They expressed over and over in their words and actions, to each horse, “you matter to me! You are of value.” Most of these horses, would recover and find the courage to trust again and receive the love they had been given.

You can read stories of the horses here:

http://www.crystalpeaksyouthranch.org/AboutUs/Meet+Our+Herd/Current+Horses/default.aspx