Dear Friends of WHR… Happy Belated Thanksgiving!
Well… spring & summer and autumn 2020 has officially come and gone! Finally… I’m back! sharing long overdue WHR updates here on the website!
One night in mid September, the winds were blowing down the Eagle Creek Canyon like gangbusters, cottonwood trees were tested to their limits of flexibility, just as we all have been tested this year. The Covid 19 “experiment” on our health, civil liberties and sanity have been a test of everyone’s faith in the American system and more importantly … a test of our faith in and our closeness to our Creator, God Almighty our Lord Jesus.
To us, like many, we found re-establishing one’s life priorities and relationships and the focusing on that one relationship with which is most important, with our true King and His kingdom, is all we really needed to concern ourselves with anyway. This world and its leaders will always bring disappointment to one’s expectations as long the "darkness" rules, and will, till all is remade anew when Christ returns. Resting in that truth is so refreshingly freeing. "Let not your heart be troubled."
That September morning, as I had long awaited the creative juices to flow and my ability to write again… the country moved past the final chapter of summer with Labor Day weekend and we woke to a very cool 40 degrees after the windstorm, which followed the weeks of 90-100 degree traditional summer weather here in our Garden of Eden in Eagle Valley. We are so very Thankful, secluded and buffered here from the mayhem that ensued elsewhere in the country, though we did not escape the smoke from the devastating wildfires that ravaged the west for a month. Facemasks served another purpose in our parts. We could only stay home, and pray fervently for our country.
After years of wrestling with the idea of slowing down, after 20 years of trekking southward with the horses to Arizona, this year, with the selling of our SW OutPost property in Cochise, AZ Covid 19, has been a year full of change.
We now have been experiencing a new norm of contentment and simplified "home life" here in NE Oregon void of the frequent traffic of students and horse clients we have deliberately, promoted and attracted here for the past 28 years. Wil has had his 79th birthday and has been quite happy to be holed up here, with our quarter mile of river frontage, lush pasture for the horses and cattle, a flourishing vegetable garden, he enjoyed gleaning from, and frequent jaunts to the mountains with me, his wife and life partner of 43 years.
Life is good…it always has been, through it all and even this year... the strangest of them all! Though I have heard Wil prophesize these crazy current world events since I met him over 4 decades ago…things are truly coming to pass. Those that know Wil up close and personal know of his extreme faith and unique ability to see things simply as they really are, although his views were not always understood, these life truths prevail... "As we are not of this world..."
I feel gifted to be along for this ride, as he promised me all those years ago “ If you’d just walk through that door , I promise you life wont be a bore!” and to that, Wil has kept his word!
As we currently embrace the simple life, contemplating the new challenges and freedom ahead in our life, the chapter is turning and reshaping. The absence of communication the past 9 months has not been anything other than our choice to lay low below the radar & social media and focus on life in the present, be it watering the garden, irrigating the pastures, connecting with community here or spending time in the Word and with each other…as we’ve grown pretty used to, since we’ve been side by side for nearly 44 years!
We do, however, miss the activity of horse folks coming and going, entertaining, sharing our good geldings and teaching, so in our plans we will always keep space in our life for those of you who choose to join us as we’ve been doing the past couple years by “appointment only” for instruction and coaching training sessions and highly encourage you to come visit, with or without your horses. In times like these do join us for fellowship or horsemanship. Beverly is always game to teach and haul to the mountains, work cattle and encourage you on your journey with your horse/s. Wil too is always ready to put things in the “Proper Perspective” and offer his timeless pearls of wisdom to those seeking. It's who we are and what we do...just not full time! LOL!
Wintering at Home Ranch this Year....
With our remote area, and secluded location, we are set up for easy “social distancing” and most rural folks have done so out here for years! Nothing new to us! We are sticking around the Home Ranch this winter with a possible exception of a break in February... goin' south? LOL We'll see! Though winter is closing in, we are actually quite mild, with little snow out here, with lots of sunshine in the Hells Canyon Country near the Snake River, which lends well to riding even throughout the winter. I'll be heading for the ridgelines to seek big views I miss from AZ.
Those who have talked to us earlier this year about coming, be it soon, just bring your Carhart coveralls or next year, make your plans now for 2021! Be spontaneous, as we are, and just do it! We’ll try to accommodate your dates. By the day or week, our fees for instruction have nearly stayed the same as they have for 10 years. Rekindling your roots of horsemanship leads to deeper results with meaning and purpose to the ride, and relationship with your horse. Rekindling the camadarier of friends you met here at the WHR also nourishes the soul. Watch for group /class dates available and contact Beverly to schedule a session.
WHR 20-21 Winter Gelding Offering …
The longer a horse sticks around our camp, the better they get. We presently are setting on 3 good geldings we have had the privilege of training and refining for the past 2 years. We love the opportunity to own and ride a horse over a period of time, taking it through our program slowly that allows us to really mold and develop a super- nice horse. Like good wine or whiskey, we’ve always said, aged to perfection, our geldings just get better with time, at least in our hands! Check out Whiz, CapNJack & Jasper. All three are our kind of “ALL AROUNDER”. Ultimately versatile...what more can we say!
Now finally, video is available on these boys, thanks to our new videographer Teresa Bateman, of Lakefork, Idaho. Wil has been at the helm of the camera since 1988 videoing every horse we’ve ever sold up until the past few years. Now that he’s self proclaimed “officially retired” from traipsing around after me through field, stream and wood, toting a camera, Teresa did an outstanding film job last August. Check these 3 horses out on our Wil Howe Ranch Youtube Channel along with many previously offered, sold, WHR Geldings. For more info & appointment arrangements... Contact Wil & Beverly at 541-893-6535 at the ranch or if necessary, cell/text 520-820-1096.
With much Gratitude and Thanksgiving to all our customers new & old and fans who “stalk” our Gelding pages for years and have to wipe the drool of their computer screens! Thank you for your support and interest in solid good horses and sound, pure horsemanship... may you be blessed as we have been by the relationship. Lets all keep the Hope alive and keep a horseback!
Blessings...Beverly & Wil
and Katie Ranch Dog, Rifkin- Wil's Tractor Riding Cat & Petunia Party Pony