Never Fear

“Never Fear! The Farm is Here!”
By Nicole Miglis

In life, sometimes we have to step outside of the box and do things that we wouldn’t normally do. We only get to live once, so why not try new things? You never know if you can end up absolutely loving it! It seems as though as we get older we get sucked into the routine of life. It also from time to time appears as though there isn’t much time for fun anymore due to the mundane rituals of life. Let’s be real, how can you honestly say you wouldn’t like something if you haven’t even tried it yet? That is where I decided to make one of the best decisions of my entire life.
I have friends at home who love horses. They absolutely live, breathe, eat, and sleep everything HORSES. I never really understood the hype because I didn’t have the chance to be around too many horses in my lifetime. Not until I came to college did I finally understand what my friends were talking about for the many years that I had known them. A few months back, I was talking to a friend who mentioned to me that she was looking for a place to volunteer where they had large animals on the premises. I told her that I had come across this place online called “Brook Hill Farm,” and I proceeded to tell her that their website had shown that you can learn about horses, get acquainted with them, and even learn how to care for them. We agreed to go out to the farm on a Sunday.
This is where my adventure officially began and that Sunday which was very much anticipated had come very quickly. It was my first time in a long time being around horses. I had done some riding when I was younger, but that was so long ago I couldn’t remember a thing. I forgot how to even approach a horse! Yet, I was interested and curious, but still a little intimidated at the same time. I mean, you would be too if you weren’t used to being around a 1300 pound animal! JoAnne Miller and Tracey Russler were so friendly and welcomed us with open arms. Brook Hill Farm is one big family that works together for the greater good of the horses. This is what attracted me most to the farm.
Brook Hill Farm has truthfully changed my life from the very first day that I decided to go. I feel as though there are times where I feel like I do not fit in with others, but not at Brook Hill. All of the girls there welcomed me with open arms and did think twice about it! I honestly feel like they accepted me into their family and allowed me to just be me. They didn’t judge me, they helped me. Their knowledge about horses far surpassed mine, but they didn’t stick their noses high in the air. They wanted to help me and show me all the things that they knew. If I did something incorrectly they didn’t scold me, they would simply show me the correct way of doing it so that the next time I would do better. Brook Hill Farm really has a fantastic program going on here. I am learning at an exponential rate and I truly am learning how to refine myself.
I just recently became a college intern at Brook Hill. JoAnne and Tracey matched me up with a horse named Solomon. He is a beautiful thoroughbred cross, standing at a whopping 17 hands. I feel like I fell in love with this horse because he is so special to me. He teaches me responsibility, accountability, and most importantly patience. I can see a huge difference in my day to day attitude, as I am much more patient since working with Solomon. Being from the North, having patience doesn’t come very easily, but he changed my demeanor when it came to that specific area of my life. I also honestly feel like he is my buddy. He’s more than a “pet,” he’s a companion.
Being a beginner when it comes to horses can seem nerve-racking or even intimidating, but in reality it’s not bad at all! Brook Hill Farm was amazing, as they were patient and very helpful. Once you understand the basics, it seems like learning anything else! I must warn you, you may fall in love with these majestic animals because they can easily win your heart!