Lessons From Buttercup

I have two horses that serve as symbolic mirrors that reflect society’s biases and prejudices.

I rescued Buttercup from the “Killer Lot”. For those of you who are not familiar with this place, it’s the next-to-last stop for horses that no one wants. They’re killed and ground into dog food, or whatever else a packing plant makes of a horse. The other horse is Whitey, which I got for free, but had I not taken him, he would have also been doomed.

Buttercup is a smaller, sorrel-colored horse, with very refined features. Whitey, as the name may suggest, is white, and unlike Buttercup, is a large, kind of awkward-looking horse with a really big head. Both of these horses have huge hearts, and they each have souls with a determination that defies whatever you may glean from their appearance.

While these horses are opposites in size and color, they are both good with cattle, I can perform roping maneuvers from both their backs, and there is not anything I can imagine I couldn’t do with them.

Like we do with humans, it’s easy to judge these horses superficially. Again, Buttercup is smaller, and it would be easy to discount her and her abilities because one could surmise she doesn’t have the size and power to do what is necessary. And, one could discount Whitey, because he has such a large head, and he isn’t the prettiest horse to look at. I don’t know their bloodlines, nor do I know their history. I only know what they have done for me. The fact that they came from the Killer Lot is no indication of their value or purpose.

I have worked hard to avoid judging something because of the way it looks or doesn’t look, or by its heritage or history. Instead, I try to see the potential of something through its heart, head, determination, and grit. Ultimately, I have found that I couldn’t care less about the visual factors. Instead, I value the intrinsic factors that make something what it is. In this example, someone had concluded that these two horses had no more value to society in their living existence, but instead, only in their demise and subsequent transformation into dog food.

As with all of my stories, this story carries a significant message that goes beyond the surface level. It's not solely about horses, but rather about how we should not judge others based on their appearance, background, or culture. Instead, we should focus on their character, intelligence, drive, and perseverance. We should give everyone a fair chance to reveal their value. With a little faith, guidance, inspiration, or leadership, we can improve not only our own lives but also the lives of others.