This is the story of a horse and a girl.

A special horse, Echo, who has all the qualities of a fine equine. He is handsome, brave, talented and kind.

A special girl, Brooke, who has all the attributes of a lovely young lady. She is intelligent, beautiful, gentle, soft spoken, and courageous.

Together, they exemplify the best of the horse/girl relationship. Their partnership and love for one another is their story and it is a story shared around the world and through the centuries by people who find their special horses, and horses who find their special people. I know, because I have been fortunate to share that type relationship with my horse soul mate, Forty-one-- for 11 years, one of the great blessings of my life.

Echo started out as a race horse in Florida, then became my horse and "project" for a time. He showed great promise. I was impressed by his willingness to learn and his integrity. He took to foxhunting with enthusiasm and good sense. I felt this was the horse for my husband, John, to ride and the horse which was to gallop with me safely into my second half century of life. I was, however, wrong about that.

Late one summer I received a call from my dearest childhood friend, Terri, with whom I had spent countless girl-time hours lounging on plump bareback horses, discovering cloud images in the sky and four leaf clovers on the ground. Daydreaming and scheming were our preoccupations. We honed our riding skills galloping recklessly through woods and pastures (some invited, some forbidden!). Terri and I took a few spills, broke a few bones, laughed and cried, and made a million lasting memories.

Anyway, back to that phone call...

Terri said, "I want you to find a horse for my daughter."

I replied, "Because you are my friend, and I love you, I will not sell you a horse."

Her response: "Because you are my friend and you love me, you should sell me a horse."

Damn.

Okay, then, "Come on". I sighed, nervous about this daunting task, and their traveling several hundred miles to see horses I would choose. Perfect horses for fourteen year old girls do not come down the pike very often.

I scurried about finding beasts for Terri and Brooke to try. My own horse, Twist, was a possibility, so I arranged to take Terri and Brooke foxhunting. Terri rode Twist. Brooke, I entrusted to Echo, who was not for sale.

The rest, as they say, is "history".

Brooke had a blast hunting Echo. They clicked. Later she hitched him to the Meadow brook cart and drove him around the farm. The next day we set up a three foot fence. Echo and Brooke sailed over it. It was at that very moment, as they were airborne, with stinging tears and some regret, I realized Echo was not my horse at all, nor John's horse. Echo was Brooke's horse.

What a partnership they made! Completely in sync with one another! The other horses I had lined up for Brooke to try did not stand a chance.

Echo and Brooke were meant to be.

It was a bittersweet parting for John and me when we said goodbye to Echo, sending him on to his new home with Brooke. Not surprisingly, the pair have continued to bond and everyone who sees them together recognizes their relationship. We are so very proud of them both.

A few short months later, John and I serendipitously stumbled upon the opportunity to purchase, from a dear friend, one of the loveliest small farms in our community ---and we puzzled over a name. The land encompassed a quiet valley in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains-- its peace occasionally broken by the echo of hawks' voices. A small stream, unnamed, trickled from the mountain, through a grassy meadow, where horses grazed with tails swishing. A perfect home for horses and people to live their lives together. . .

EchoBrooke Farm.

We honored Echo by placing his silhouette in our logo. Brooke is there too, symbolized by the small strong stream winding through the valley. The actual stream we named for them both.

Life is good at EchoBrooke Farm. Thank you Echo and Brooke for reminding us just exactly what it is all about. I hope you have many years of bareback sky gazing and your fair share of reckless galloping (just don't tell your mom).

You are the best of horse and girl.

 

by Carla Hawkinson

 

 

Ok"

Carla, Echo and Brooke Summer '05