Hope Filled Faith: A Journey through Life & Horses

By Natalie Cooley

This writing includes Natalie’s personal reflections on life, faith, and horse stories lived. A relatable read that just might connect the dots as to what makes horses so special to begin with!

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Aug 15, 2023
• ISBN: 9798385003808

Natalie Cooley

Natalie Cooley is the proud owner of three acres in central Iowa that includes an old farmhouse, an indoor arena, a garage, a tree grove, and a barn. When she is not working in the banking industry, you will find her teaching horse classes at the local community college, giving riding lessons, judging horse shows, or attending horse shows herself—often with a bunch of students in tow. Natalie has a dear love for her animals on the home front, firm appreciation for old-school values found in rural areas like central Iowa, and a deep sense of family ties despite living more than five hundred miles from her closest blood relative. She loves to travel the world yet enjoys the simplest things found in life. Natalie will never turn down coffee with a friend, a hike in nature, or a competitive card game.

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Copyright © 2023 Natalie Cooley.

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This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author

and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of

the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of

people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

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and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

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Exterior and Interior Image Credit: Lydia Dawn Photography

ISBN: 979-8-3850-0381-5 (sc)

ISBN: 979-8-3850-0382-2 (hc)

ISBN: 979-8-3850-0380-8 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023913684

WestBow Press rev. date: 08/10/2023

Scripture quotations marked CSB are taken from the Christian

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Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are

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Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible,

New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale

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CONTENTS

Preface

Dedication

Introduction

When Fate Meets Passion

What Is Good Living?

Just Not for Everyone

The Weight We Carry

The Stories That Shape Us

Understanding and Trust

Pride

Lazy and Offended

Respect and Motivation

Struggles

Aha! Moments

Relationships

Faithful

Letting Love Win

I Wonder

Love—A Powerful Force

Courage in Action

Tuned In

Pivotal Moments

Dreams that Comfort

Doing What It Takes

Working Toward a Goal

Growing to be Average

Just Amazing

PREFACE

I hope this book opens your eyes to wonder a little more. Whether you are a horse lover, the horse lovers’ family and friends, or people just wanting to expand their knowledge, I hope all of you are better able to connect and understand each other. May this work drive home the point that community can happen, souls can heal, and life can be beautiful—no matter what story is behind us or yet to come.

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to the three men that have grounded my life the most.

The late Scott A. Cooley never failed to believe in people, could share words of wisdom through a good story, and approached life with a positive outlook—as if there were no other options to choose from.

My dad, Kevin Cooley, is one of the toughest, most empathetic, and caring people I know. He is always one to stand by his word and hold to his convictions. He is forever with a strong personality that he will not admit to having.

Apache is the guy that has been my rock through more seasons than I can count.

INTRODUCTION

My current life includes the influence of several horses and people, and I hope it is always centered in Christ Jesus. When I am not working full time at a bank, I am teaching equine riding at the local community college, judging horse shows, taking youth to horse shows, training horses, or—my favorite—giving riding lessons. I also try to stay active in my church and keep up with family members who are hundreds of miles away. Throw some friends in the mix and living life well is definitely a balancing act!

I originally moved to Iowa to ride horses full time for Gregg Reisinger. I thought that was all I wanted from life—just to ride. Giving lessons had been part of my story from the time I was fifteen to eighteen years old. Then I went to college, and I focused on my own education. I enjoyed teaching, but life was moving so fast during those seasons that I hardly noticed I was not pouring into others. However, I do recall being a college student and really missing young children being around in my daily life.

I have probably ridden over a thousand horses in my career. Some were backyard pets. I rode everything available at my jobs and fancy horses in college. Some I personally owned, and I had the occasional random adventure. I have learned my fair share from all those experiences. But the horses I want to introduce have had the most influence on my life, career, and ultimately my view of horses in my most current season. I have owned five of the six I am going to introduce, and I have in fact only owned seven personal horses total. I never owned Samara, but she is included here just because she was a special one.

STAR

Star was my very first pony, the one that got my dreams off the ground and instilled a deeper root of fear in quick order. She was green and we were supposed to learn together, because that is how everyone learned back in the day according to my dad and grandfather. I was nonathletic, fearful, and quickly bucked off in the driveway. Star and I liked each other, just not enough to figure out how to communicate. We had needs that neither one could fulfill for the other until later in our journeys. She needed someone to teach her, and I needed someone to show me how. She bounced around in ownership a little bit within the family, but the two of us would reconnect later in life, and I still own her to this day.

BLAZE

Blaze was the old gelding my grandfather purchased on a whim simply because he thought he was pretty. My grandpa was campaigning for a position as a township trustee when he spotted the horse in a pasture and offered the lady two hundred dollars without knowing anything about the horse. Blaze had recently kicked someone, and it was prime time for my grandfather to make the purchase. The first four years we owned him, I thought he was scary because he was scared. Being hard to catch, rearing, and pulling back were common issues. Surprisingly, on day three of me working with him he walked toward me, and I never saw him run from a person after that warm summer day.

I think we were just two scared souls that needed the patience of each other to steady us on through the next season of our lives. I eventually traded Star for Blaze when I thought he needed extra care that my grandfather felt was too expensive. I spent a good percentage of my high school cash buying Purina Mills Senior Horse feed, which was the only grain my picky old horse would eat. The trade may not have made the most sense financially, but it certainly paid off on an emotional level.

Blaze was the sweetest old horse that filled the roles as my first show horse, first lesson horse, and gentlest boy to be around. He lived a good life until he was thirty-one, when we decided it was best not to make him go through another harsh Ohio winter. He went down so easily, so smoothly, and I never regret making that call for him. His body was ready to say goodbye, and I think that is why I rarely think of the hurt of him being gone. He served this purpose with grace, and I will forever be grateful! When it was time to let go, we both gave each other that space to live the next leg of our journeys, him in heaven with my grandfather and me on this earth for as long as God sees fit.

CHEROKEE

Cherokee was born and raised on the family farm. He was a loud-colored bay paint that looked as wild as he acted the first year. He became a big puppy dog that loved attention, kicking up his heels when he went to lope off, and gave me my best west pleasure class ride to date. He knew the sound of my spurs as I walked, which I found out when he came to college with me my first semester of senior year. He would snicker when I walked toward the barn, which amazed me given there were more than a hundred other students. How did he pick up on the sound of my walk so well?

He was a hoot! And my dad would probably still say Cherokee was his favorite regarding personality. I decided to sell him my senior year of college because I could use the money, and he was talented enough to sell for a decent amount and good enough to meet the needs of a large segment of people. Plus, he was smaller and finer boned, at just 14.1 hands high, and only weighed eight hundred pounds. I really did not need a horse of his size at that time. He was special, but he served my life during that season, and it was time for both of us to move on. I hope that he is still making someone happy today.

REO

Reo was my dream horse with all the charm, attraction, and speed that I could ask for. I have always been a lover of a big old classic bay mare, and she did not disappoint. She was as opinioned as she was confident and as high strung as she could be rude. I refined my riding skills on her and learned how to better control my emotions. Together we played the barrel racing game. She was everything I dreamed about, minus the control, and had an extra-flamboyant personality. She was a lot of horse, but she was mine, and I never thought of losing her or letting her go. The fifteen months that we shared together were life changing.

APACHE

Apache has been my most challenging and yet most personally fulfilling horse to date. The first year or two he demanded all of me and made me work for every ounce I got. Our story was rough, it was tough, and it has been very fulfilling for both of us.

Never one to back down from a challenge, Apache is competitive and yet only so talented. It is unusual for Apache to win a halter class, because based on the things that can be measured, he lacks the conformation to win at life. He has a pretty head and a good butt, which are both nice for pictures. However, there is a lot lacking, bone-structure wise, in the middle. He has never taken a lame step, refused to work, or acted like anything is below him. When judging a horse in a halter class, there is no way for a person to measure heart or mental toughness, both of which are Apache’s greatest assets.

Because of Apache I got my first paid horse training gig, took on more lessons, went to college, moved out of state a couple times, and learned to keep stepping forward. Financially, he has made me more money than any other horse through his dependable and strong work ethic. Mostly, he has been the love I never knew I needed, and his sometimes rude but always predictable personality keeps me on my toes.

SAMARA

Samara was a big black mare (but turning gray like her mother) that was the most independent horse I have ever had the privilege of working with. She led with such grace and never seemed worried about what boxes other people needed to define her or themselves in. She was not competitive with other horses but would walk to the beat she chose for herself. It was weird to ride a horse that was both enjoyable to work with and yet not able to be defined with any labels.

Generally, she was a fast walker that wanted to cover ground at the walk, could jog in a frame all day long, or would lope for hours. Samara liked her riders to sit still and not give too much feedback one way or the other. She loved to work and wanted to be ridden. However, she would quickly decide if she was being confined too much, and the need for more space was a call for an attitude that included things such as slamming a foot on the ground or rearing up.

Her registered name was Dancing Notions, which might fit her personality more than I can describe. She was a cool mare, but one had to take the time to get to know and really understand her to find that out. She danced to the beat of her own drum yet felt like a solid partner all in one. There was just something special about her, and I am grateful for the thirteen months I had her in training with me.

Image1.jpg

A casual afternoon at home—Pam/Mom pregnant

with Jacob, and Zeke, Natalie, and Daniel

WHEN FATE

MEETS PASSION

O h, horses. Where does one begin? They have blessed me with some of the proudest and most wonderful moments of my life. I have loved them and found love in return. They have provided a sense of security when sicknesses, natural disasters, and a pandemic have threatened to destroy what little security I knew. These same creatures have kicked me, bucked me off, stepped on me, and bitten me in the back—literally. They have filled my life with more satisfaction than one person deserves to enjoy in this life, and yet they have complicated my life more than I will probably ever fully admit. From where I live, to what vehicle I drive, where I work, whom I date, and what friends I keep, horses have played a central role.

When I really stop to think about it, what even is it about the big animals? What makes horses so special? Why do little girls grow up dreaming of ponies, and little boys grow up playing cowboys and Indians? For me, it all started on a family vacation out west when I was four years old. I am truly not sure what I sensed in them that summer, or what attracted me to horses, but it was definitely love at first sight.

Maybe it was their power as they