Meet our Herd: Java

In our previous post, introducing this series, we described the concept of a heart horse: a horse that you develop a bond with that is unspeakable and unimaginable. A four legged soul mate and best friend.

It is only fitting that we start this series with the matriarch of the Knight School Inc herd and Jaclyn's original heart horse: Java (aka Java Bean).

Java was a 15'3hh paint horse. Jaclyn first met Java as a young teenager while learning to ride. In one particularly challenging lesson, Jaclyn was thrown 3 times in a row by a young, feisty pony named Frodo. The next week, still bruised and perhaps a little nervous, Jaclyn requested a different horse for her lesson. This is when she met Java. Java was a school horse who had been given to the school by her former owner, who decided one day that they no longer wanted her. At the time, Java was not connecting well with other riders, so when Jaclyn asked for a new mount, Java was offered along with a warning that she could be difficult. Turns out, a young teenaged Jaclyn was the perfect match for Java, desperately seeking a human of her own.

Jaclyn part boarded Java for several years while in school. Their favourite activity was to leisurely walk around the small pond on the property after a lesson. 

A few years later, when the school was closing, Jaclyn got the opportunity to purchase an aging Java, and the two were inseparable from that point on.

Java was in her twenties and considered a "senior" horse when Jaclyn took her in on September 29, 2007. Java lived out the remainder of her life with Jaclyn, and soon with her younger brother Target. 

Java was the kindest and gentlest horse. She would greet Jaclyn with a soft knicker and gentle nudge for treats. They would ride down an old country road to get to conservation trails and go on endless private rides together.  Java could somehow always tell what Jaclyn needed, be it a soft, pleasant hug, or an exciting gallop through an open field. 

Java emanated peace, safety and comfort. One time, while walking together towards the trails, a mother deer and her baby popped out of the woods and quietly walked alongside Java and Jaclyn. 

Java was magical.