Plain Brown Package - Why the Name?

          One of my favorite gifts came in a plain brown package.  My little sister gave it to me, wrapped in a good old grocery bag.  She didn't have the money to buy wrapping paper.  In fact, I was ashamed to be receiving a gift from her at all, money is always a struggle for her.  What made it memorable is that she had drawn little snowmen on the bag.  I don't even remember what the gift was, but I still warm up remembering the package.
          Every horse I've owned has been packaged in brown of one shade or another.  From sorrel to chestnut, flame red to buttery brown, one of the most common horse colors is brown.  None of my horses were particularly striking to look at, but every one is memorable.

Photo courtesy of mytexasnest.blogspot.com

          On the outside, horses are unassuming and quiet.  On the inside horses are special creatures, and they touch me with their magic, leaving me more than I was before I knew them.  Horses are engaging, willing, and beautiful to watch.  Their grace challenges me to reach deep inside to a better person.  I will never be as graceful as a horse, but when I ride, I feel like I am sharing in their magic.

The essential joy of being with horses is that it brings us in contact with the rare elements of grace, beauty, spirit, and fire.  ~Sharon Ralls Lemon