Great Horse Stories by Rebecca E. Ondov Page B

blue tent with an awning where she’d be working, she glanced over at her 34-year-old son. A few strands of his bleached-blond hair poked out from under his white baseball cap that he wore turned backward.
    Kathi chose her words carefully. “Joe, you need to stay close to me.”
    Joe nodded.
    Kathi nervously repeated, “Remember, just stay by me.”
    She was taking a risk. She’d never been a photographer at a high-end horse show. Her adventures in photography had blossomed after a local newspaper had published a photograph she’d taken of a horse. A few months later, the owner of a fjord horse farm called and asked if Kathi would be the photographer at the Combined Driving Event their farm was hosting. The event drew contestants from miles around. After saying yes, she asked if she could bring her son as one of her helpers. They’d met her son and knew he was talkative and a bit different. Yes, that was okay, he’d said.
    Kathi had omitted one fact. Her son was mentally ill, having been diagnosed with bipolar paranoid schizophrenia. Parking the car, she nervously wondered, Am I doing the right thing? This is an important, top-of-the-line event. Will Joe act appropriately? Or will my plans be crushed again?
    â€œHopeless.” That’s what the world had labeled Joe. Even the doctors had said he would end up living on the street, in jail, or in a mental institution. Joe’s life had been peppered with years of despair, suicide attempts, hospitalizations, and homelessness. But he had never been violent toward others. His personality toward his friends and family was like a big teddy bear. Joe was always giving hugs. Rather than expecting presents to be given to him on his birthdays, he celebrated by giving presents to his friends and family. He was polite. Often when he wanted to talk with someone he’d raise his hand and wait to be called on. He hadn’t asked to be struck with this disease, and Kathi’s heart grieved for him. She never thought she’d be the mother of a mentally ill child.
    Over the years she’d hoped and prayed that Joe would be able to lead a fulfilling life. But so far most of his experiences were components of rejection and emotional pain. Society seemed to only have room for good-looking businesspeople who achieved goals. Not many people would accept a mentally challenged man. Yet Joe needed love and acceptance perhaps more than others did. His heart was as big as the state of Texas. She’d thought that perhaps he could help others. When she mentioned it to him, Joe had responded, “I don’t have anything to offer.”
    Tears welled up in Kathi’s eyes as she remembered the exchange. Maybe the world had given up on Joe, but she held on to a thin thread of hope that there was a seed of greatness in every person God created—no matter what difficulties he or she faced. After she’d been asked to be the photographer for the horse show, an idea clicked within her. Through the viewfinder on the camera, she’d chased away the feelings of hopelessness that had plagued her. Photography made her focus on the beauty of where she was. It helped her look outside of herself. Perhaps the same could be true for Joe.
    Kathi and Joe got out of the car. The air seemed charged with electricity. This Combined Driving Event, sanctioned by the American Driving Society, was one of the main shows in the country. Row after row of horse trailers lined the meadow. Contestants brushed sleek horses. Folks unloaded wagons, buggies, and carriages from flatbedtrucks and then polished off every speck of dust until the vehicles and leather shone in the morning sunlight. Kathi’s nervousness grew as the horse competition got ready to start. After getting her equipment ready, Kathi and Joe sat in camp chairs under the blue tent awning on the sidelines of the driving course.
    Tucking a dark strand of hair behind her ear, she pointed. “Joe, do