Ah, 2023 is about to start. Turning the page on a new year is always exciting for me. My head spins (more than usual!) as I conjure up plans and projects to begin, and hopefully complete, in a timely manner. Of course, the ongoing fence building/repair job is never-ending. Horses, especially blind horses, are really hard on fences. But the BIG project is the building of (drum roll, please!) THE NEW HAY BARN. The old hay barn where we store the rolled hay, tractor and assorted implements, has seen better days. It is a typical tobacco barn that was a common sight on farms across Kentucky when I first moved to Warren County in 1974. There’s a part of me that would like to keep this grand old barn, but I worry that soon it will just fall down, destroying everything in it. So, this spring we will take the big step of having a new barn built. I’m excited and can’t wait to begin the project.
This year is also (another drum roll!) the beginning of my 38th year on this farm. It sounds like a long time, but it is not. Those years have passed in the blink of an eye. I moved here after my husband passed away. He was 32 and I was 31 with two small children. There was nothing on this farm but that tobacco barn. No house was ever here so there were no water lines, no electricity poles. Nothing. Just 185 acres. I brought my hopes, my dreams, a used mobile home and my children. The children are grown and gone but the dream lives on. There are many buildings on the farm now. Two more big barns, miles of fences, run-in sheds for every horse, automatic waterers, and I did have a house built for myself. I can get up every morning and look out my windows and see the horses, 52 of them. Every one of these beautiful animals was discarded, thrown out like trash, because they were imperfect. I don’t see their imperfections. I see their beauty. Their intelligence. Their grace. Thirty-nine of these horses are blind but I never see them feeling sorry for themselves. They are all so inspirational. When I witness how they go through their days I feel like I can do anything!
If you would like to help us care for these amazing horses, we would feel so blessed. It was a very dry summer, making hay hard to find and very expensive when found. We feed hay year ‘round so you can imagine how many bales we go through. The price of a roll is $35 and up, and a bale is $6 and higher. A donation of any amount will help lighten our load and we would so appreciate your help.
I hope everyone has a happy and healthy NEW YEAR! And may I thank you in advance for any help that you may provide.
-by Karen Thurman
Rainhill Equine Facility
11125 Ky. Hwy. 185
Bowling Green, KY 42101
270-777-3164
