Do Not Distress Yourself with Dark Imaginings Framed Print
Features HoofPrints owner Gina Keesling's horse Billy along with Max Ehrmann's quote from Desiderata: "Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune, but do not distress yourself with dark imaginings."
Overall size is 13" x 19", image size is 11" x 17" frame is composite wood with shatter-proof plexiglass protecting the print.
The horse in the picture is Billy, taken some years after he accidentally earned a cushy retirement by carrying HoofPrints owner Gina Keesling on that enjoyable South Dakota trail ride. He was a hard-working ranch and rental trail horse; he earned not one dime for me, but I was happy to pay it forward and give him his due reward here on our farm in Indiana
Billy is a bit of a poster child for the quote I've paired with his picture. He is an old horse; he's worked hard throughout his life. He's been badly hurt multiple times and his body has the scars to prove it. He's been minorly hurt thousands of times - when the light hits him just so I can see scars from bite marks over nearly every square inch. He's obviously been the bottom of the pecking order in every herd he joined, mine included.
However, for a horse, he has remarkably nurtured strength of spirit. His mind is not full of the things that hurt him in the past; he's not continually distressed that the water hose on the ground will cut his legs like something else once did. He's not worried to go through the gate, though on this very farm that act did hurt him badly once. He's not afraid of his herd-mates now, even though they bit and chased him ruthlessly when he came here.
Billy was cheerful and optimistic, even though he had every reason to be the opposite. Something we all should take inspiration from. I know I do.
After over a decade of green pastures of comfort here in Indiana, Billy's big story has ended, you can read more about this remarkable horse here
