.Roanie: The Boyfriend Horse
Faithful. Gentle. Honest. The horse who carried my family.
Some horses come into your life like a storm — wild, fast, unforgettable. Roanie came in like a prayer — steady, quiet, and true.
He’s a 30-year-old strawberry roan gelding, with a freckled red coat and the softest eyes you’ve ever seen. He’s the kind of horse who leans into you just to be scratched. He’s the one I trust around the kids, the only one I let in the backyard, because unlike the others, he doesn’t eat the roses or knock over the furniture. He just walks up to the pool like it’s his porch. And honestly? It is.
We call him the “boyfriend horse” — the kind you can put anyone on. Total beginners, kids, nervous riders. He carries them gently, without question, like it’s his God-given duty to keep them safe. My boys learned to ride on Roanie. He’s not flashy, not fast. He’s just true.
When I went through my divorce, it was Roanie I ran to. I’d stand beside him, crying into his mane, brushing him until I felt stronger. He didn’t move. He didn’t mind. He just stood there and held space. That old horse helped me build back better. Not with words — just with presence.
Of course, even a boyfriend horse can teach a lesson when needed. My niece Alyssa once learned the hard way that you can’t run a horse straight into a fence. Roanie did what any smart horse would do — he turned sharply right. She, however, went left — straight off the saddle and onto the ground. It wasn’t a wild moment. It was a learning moment. One that sticks. And that’s Roanie. He won’t hurt you, but he’ll make sure you remember the rules.
There was another small incident with my stepson too — but again, it wasn’t Roanie’s fault. Sometimes humans bring chaos to the saddle. Roanie just stands there and waits for us to figure it out.
Now, people ask if it’s time — if I’ll have to let him go soon. And the truth is, I don’t know. Not yet. Not today. He still walks the land like it’s his to guard. He still meets me at the fence. He still teaches me what it means to be trustworthy.
Roanie is the kind of horse you get once in a lifetime. Maybe. If you’re lucky. And I am.
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Want to meet Roanie? Come spend a weekend at Elmwood Place Pilates (https://www.elmwoodplacetx.com), our farm studio in East Texas where Roanie still grazes by the pond. Whether you're booking a Pilates retreat (https://www.elmwoodplacetx.com/retreats), a wedding (https://www.elmwoodplacetx.com/weddings), or a few nights in the tiny home (https://www.elmwoodplacetx.com/stay),
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