You Gotta

SERVE

Somebody

"But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."

(Joshua 24: 15, NIV)

I've owned many horses over the years, and have loved them all. But of all those horses, none has served me more faithfully than my horse, Samson.

One of my favorite songs is the old Bob Dylan Classic, "You Gotta Serve Somebody". Dylan wrote the classic when he became a born-again Christian years ago. Later, he would go on to denounce his religion, but the words of his song were a lasting modern-day testament to the fact that whether it's the devil or the Lord, we're all going to serve somebody. Todays newsletter begs the question, "Who do you serve?" Before we look at it from a biblical perspective, let's talk some horse sense. 

Check out this YouTube video of the awesome and incredible Suzannah Espie, along with the Melbourne Mass Gospel Choir, as she sings Dylan's

"You Gotta Serve Somebody".  

Gotta Serve Somebody by Melbourne Mass Gospel Choir

WHO DO YOU 

I've been blessed to own a lot of horses over the years. And every one of those horses were unique individuals with their own strengths and weaknesses. When teaching or working with horses, I've always tried to take in to consideration their different horsenalities and "individualize" their training. At the same time, I've also tried to maintain a balance by keeping my specific purpose for the horse in mind. Nevertheless, as good as my intentions have been, I've had some horses who were determined to do their own thing, instead of mine. Let me give you an example...

 I once owned a palomino paint horse that I named Jesse James. In many ways, Jesse did all he could to live up to his renegade namesake. On one memorable trip to Loretta Lynn's ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, Jesse turned my entire trail-ride vacation into a nightmare. In less than a week, he had managed to take me off the side of a cliff, run me up a mountainside at a full gallop (yep, it is possible for a horse to gallop up a mountain), and jump me across a deep ravine with no warning, landing us both flat as pancakes on the other side. Having said all that, Jesse wasn't a mean horse. In fact, if he had been a mare, his theme song for life would have been Cyndi Lauper's tune, "Girls Just Wanta Have Fun". But I quickly surmised, it really didn't matter that he was just a free-spirit looking for a good time. Fact was, I was the one that was always getting the bad end of the deal. Alas, several more years went by, and no matter how much groundwork I did with him, or how many trail rides we took, Jesse James remained true to himself. And the true Jesse was simply looking for a place to show up and show out at my expense.

Then there was my bay quarter horse, Cheyenne. I should have known the challenges that lay ahead with this outlaw. After several bad experiences with other owners (including auctions), my bleeding heart decided to try and make him my miracle child. But no matter how well I fed him, or how many expensive "hoof manicures" I provided, or how much groundwork I did with him, or how many trail rides we took, Cheyenne had a mind of his own. And his mind was always to do his own will. One day I decided to ride him down to the local rodeo grounds that were near my house, and lope him. Whatever possessed me to do such a thing, I still don't know. But, suffice to say, I must have thought I sensed a vulnerability in my horse that day. Something that made me think he had changed his ways. WRONG! With the broad expanse of freshly drug dirt and rodeo ground spread out before us, I gently cued my horse to lope. He didn't move a muscle, so I cued him again. And then again. Finally, he took a few strides forward, and I was thinking excitedly to myself, "Yes, Yes!" And then suddenly, he bucked. Instinctively, I grabbed the saddle horn and tried my best to sit deep in the saddle. Again, he bucked harder, and then again. At that point, everything went into slow motion as I grabbed a handful of his mane in a futile effort to ease my quick descent to the ground. I hit the grass hard with a thud that rattled my brain, and my teeth. As for Cheyenne, he ran off into the wild blue yonder like a bandit, headed straight for the comforts of home, and he never looked back. As for me, I made a serious decision that day. My love affair with dangerous, self-serving horses was finally over, once and for all.

I once heard an old redneck cowboy say, "You can feed a good horse just as cheap as you can feed a bad horse." It took a few years before I really understood what he was saying. Then I interjected the word "serve", and his words took on a whole new meaning. I suddenly realized that I could feed a horse that was willing to "serve" me just as easily as I could feed a horse that wasn't willing to serve me. Simple as that conjecture seemed, it was an eye-opener for me, and it revolutionized the way I would look at horses from that moment on. Instead of coercing or demanding that every horse I owned serve me and my purpose against their will, I decided to give every horse that I owned a choice. And their actions would quickly let me know which choice they had made. If they chose to serve me, then I would provide for them, feed them, shelter them, and take care of them in every way. I would love them, and train them to the best of their ability, be gracious and merciful towards them, and ride them respectfully. On the other hand, if the horse did not choose to serve me, then that horse would no longer remain here on my dime. The choice was theirs.

From the outside looking in, it may have seemed like a cold, hard attitude to adopt. But in fact, it was ultimately the best thing for me and for those horses. As a result of my decision, I eventually ended up with respectful and obedient horses that desired to serve me and my purposes, and not themselves. As for the other horses that had their own agenda, they went on to live with new owners. And eventually, they would all end up serving somebody. 

Now let's talk about you and me, and what it means to serve, and be a "servant". For some people, the word "servant" brings up ugly connotations, especially if you view it in light of man's inhumanity to man down through the ages. But keep in mind that we're not talking about the subject of indentured servitude here. We're talking about serving Christ with our whole heart, and with our life. With that understanding, let's look at the word "servant" as described in the dictionary. To be a servant means a state of subjection to an owner or master. It also means a lack of freedom to act as one chooses. For many people, that last sentence is the rub, or the thorn in their flesh. Just like those horses that are free-spirits, or those horses who have their own agenda, some folks aren't willing to give up their rights to live and act as they choose. And the truth is, people do have rights. Not because they say they do, but because the Creator gave them those rights. He gave people the right to choose for themselves whom they would serve. 

Okay, let's get right down to it. How many people do you know who have completely given up their own right to freely live their life as they choose, in order to serve Christ? Unfortunately, the number is probably small. That's because, in large part, many people have rewritten the Word of God and adapted it to fit their own self-serving lifestyle. For example, take the 10 commandments. Today, those commandments (orders) are treated more like the 10 suggestions. Every where you look, people who profess to be servants of Christ are freely living their lives according to their own set of standards and rules. In fact, studies conducted by Christian author and pollster, George Barna, over the past several decades, have shown that there are very few remaining differences in cultural lifestyle habits between those who profess to be Christians, and those who profess no faith at all! I don't know about you, but that's absolutely alarming to me! I can't help but be reminded of those free-spirited and often dangerous horses I used to own. Those horses who were more than willing to eat my food, and enjoy all the fringe benefits of being my horse, but who were unwilling to submit their life fully to me. Today, you and I have been given a choice that we're all free to make. It's a choice that demands an answer. The choice is simply, "Who are you gonna serve?" 

OLD COWGIRLS

AND

HORSES

A blog/diary of my life with horses, and a few other adventures along the way.

If a horse has "heart and try", he's a champion in my eyes. 

I'm just now coming to realize how important the value of real "heart and try" is in a horse. No matter how gifted a horse is, if he just doesn't have the "heart" to succeed, and if he doesn't have much "try", then there's not much you can do to help him reach his fullest potential. No matter what their bloodline is, or how naturally gifted they are, or how many trainers you hire to coach them, you can't produce a champion out of a horse that doesn't have the heart to be a victor, and who doesn't give it their all.  

This morning, those thoughts were on my mind as I brought Samson and Montana out to the arena for some ground-work. In so many ways, my two horses are alike. They both have nice, 

temperaments, they're respectful, and they act like gentlemen. But when it comes to their gifts, they're very different. As I asked them to move off in a circle this morning and collect up in a nice pleasure kind of lope, the differences were stark to me. Montana is a natural-born mover. Without really trying, he always exhibits that graceful, sweeping stride of a good western pleasure horse. But the problem is, because it comes so naturally for him, he seldom puts in much effort. Samson, on the other hand, isn't nearly as graceful a mover naturally. He doesn't have the sweeping stride, or the obvious attributes that would make him a winning pleasure horse. And yet, he rose to be not just a winner, but a champion. Whatever Samson seemed to lack in natural-born gifts, he made up for it with a willing heart, and lots of try. It's a crazy thing how I often see a reflection of everyday life by watching my horses. Today, I watched Samson work extra hard, putting all his heart and soul into performing at his best. Then I watched the natural grace of Montana as he seemed to just float effortlessly around the arena without really trying, or caring. One horse was putting all his heart and try into it. The other horse didn't have to. No matter what natural gifts or talents we have going for us, I still think it's the "heart and try" that's the real difference maker in the end, and it's the only thing that can produce a real champion.   

Q & A

Each month I receive emails filled with interesting and great questions. I try to answer each email with a personal response. In this segment of our newsletter, I will share some of the special emails I've received. All names have been changed to protect the individual's privacy. 

Hi Susan,  I just wanted to say thanks for your newsletters and for being the real deal. One of the things I like about your newsletters is your quality of horsemanship. I have a question for you. What level would you say your horsemanship is? I've seen a few other cowboy style ministries but nothing quite like yours. It seems to me for the most part it is a man's world where most of them seem to put on sort of a colt breaking demonstration while preaching some. I like that you use your own trained horses to teach rather than using someone elses untrained horse to try and demonstrate something or get preachy. I also think its darn cool that a woman has a strong horse ministry when most of the time these days it seems to be all about the men and whether or not they can tame a wild horse and then wax poetic about it. I think I read in one of your newsletters one time that using your trained horses instead of following the typical horse ministries out there with unbroke colts was a choice you made on purpose. If so then my hats off to you for being brave enough to stand up and stand out in the crowd. Thanks Susan and keep being a blessing.  

(Joe, Texas) 

My Response To Joe

  Hi Joe,  Thanks for taking time to write. And thanks for all those pats on the back. We can all use them! As for my horsemanship, I would say I'm an advanced rider in the specific discipline of western pleasure, which is where all my training is. However, just in everyday riding ability and horsemanship knowledge, I would consider myself to be an intermediate student. Since I consider myself to be a lifetime student of the horse, I try to learn as much as I can and add to my horse knowledge everyday like most horse owners and riders. As for my choice to conduct my horse ministry using my own trained horses, you are exactly right. I wish I could tell you that it was a "voice from heaven" that led me in that direction. But in fact, it was a very personal and deliberate choice. Truth is, I have neither the skills, nor the "want-to" to work with unbroke colts at my age! Furthermore, I strongly believe that when God calls you to a life of specific ministry, he equips you ahead of time. I've been an ordained minister for more than 30 plus years having worked in church staff ministry, and traveled all over the nation doing mission work and evangelism since 1979. I also spent years ministering at cowboy churches on horseback. I've also owned horses for most of my life, and trained with some of the best over the years. That doesn't mean I'm the best minister, or the best horse person out there. It simply means I'm called, anointed, and experienced to do what I do today because God equipped me ahead of time. And I've also got the good sense to stay in my lane! Make sense? Thanks again, Joe, for taking time to write. God bless you, and keep reading those newsletters!  

Natural Horse

Faith-Man-Ship

(Teaching biblical faith using horses)

ARE YOU READY FOR THE FAITH RIDE OF

 YOUR LIFE?  

To Learn More... 

WRITE or EMAIL

Susan Klaudt Horse Ministry

P. O. Box 4994

Cleveland, TN 37320

or  

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