Dear Mom,

Today we drove out to the Oregon Horse Center as a class to tour the facilities and get up close to dozens of horses. The place is on the outskirts of Eugene but it hardly feels like the same city at all. Instead, the Oregon Horse Center feels like a grand rodeo grounds set among desolate fields that stretch flat for miles. The main building rises high above any of the other small houses or barns around it. Inside, it feels like a hollow shell. As we stood there in the entrance of the center, cold wind lashing our backs, we watched a group of six miniature ponies trot around the ring. Behind them was a man hunched over on a tiny carriage. The whole scene was like some sort of hilarious caricature.

After walking around through the main building for a while, we headed outside to the open fields where we would trudge through damp and muddy grass. In one corner of the field, a pen of bulls grazed contently on grass. When we reached the pen, the horned mammals just stared back at the class with blank faces.

To avoid freezing in the frigid wind, we walked back to the big barn to see some horses. Inside, a loud clanging noise rang throughout the building every few seconds. Our guide Nikki informed us that it was the sound of a horse getting fitted with shoes. As we walked through the aisle of horses towards the action, the air was suddenly filled with a burning smell. At the back entrance, a man struck a glowing orange horseshoe with a hammer as a hazel colored horse and its owner stood by patiently. Once he was done molding the shoe he tossed it into a bucket of water, releasing a loud hiss and a cloud of steam. Then he lifted the horse’s leg and began to strike nails deep into the animal’s hoof so secure the new shoe. The whole thing was fascinating to watch. One student in the class even got to hit a nail into the horseshoe.

To finish off the tour, our guide Nikki showed us her own horses in a small barn nearby. Although she had several of her own horses, her favorite was a muscular stud named Torque. Nikki told us how Torque was raised in a pen of bulls and has a badass attitude, the type of attitude it takes to win championship competitions.

Then we followed Nikki and Torque back to the main barn where Torque playfully rolled around in the soft dirt. The tour was nearly over and many of my classmates needed to get back to campus for classes. But for a last treat, Nikki asked if anyone wanted to hop on torque for a little ride around the barn. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity. Standing on a small block, I leaped out onto the bare back of the massive horse and began a steady walk around in a circle. I was surprised initially by Torque’s pure power. Even a slow walk had me holding on tight as I bounced and swayed.

The trip to the Oregon Horse Center was not only a fun and memorable experience but a trip away from the stress and congestion of Eugene. Out there in the calm fields, the horses are so serene and peaceful. The smells are earthy and only the whooshing wind can be heard over the silence in the fields. It made me think of the times we rode horses together. We’ll have to do that again soon.

Love,

Adam