ALLEE

Allee is a beautiful Bay Tobiano Paint. Allee was the first equine friend that God shared with Kathleen and Roger. Kathleen fell in love with her when she was just a foal and four years later, when the Harris’s decided it was time for a horse of their own, Allee was first on the list. Allee is the sweetest girl, and loves to be around people, especially children.


Allee is takes great care of her students. She intuitively reacts to their communication with her, understanding verbal and nonverbal cues. Allee has also grown to be a very good horse for independent students. She tests them and takes care of them at the same time.


Allee's general care is sponsored by MIKE & SANDY SCHREIER. THANK YOU!

Allee's veterinary care is sponsored by the TOM & KATRINA ENGLISH FAMILY. THANK YOU!


Allee

~ Bay Tobiano Paint Mare

~ Born 1999

~ Became Kathleen's partner in 2003.

A Four Year Wait

I have always wanted a horse, or a pony, I would have been ok with either. Until I got too tall for a pony, and then, it had to be a horse (of course). I rode when our family visited the farm in Iowa that was owned by a great aunt and uncle. No saddle, just me and the pony, and a cousin on his horse. Off we went, into the woods. It was the greatest adventure ever!


Jump forward thirty years and there she was. The most beautiful foal I had ever seen. Brown, with white markings and long white stockings that went all the way up her hind legs and part way over her back. I drove by that farm every day on my way to work, and I'd never seen her before. I'm positive she wasn't very old. It might even have been her first day out of the barn.


I was reading a book at the time and the main character's name was Allegro. The perfect name for that little foal. I wasn't even sure it was a filly, but I chose the name all the same. When I arrived home I told Roger I found my horse. 


The year was 1999. There was no Jeremiah's Crossing, no land, no therapeutic riding, but I knew that horse was going to be mine.


The day arrived when we went to the door of the farm where she was living and knocked on the door. A woman answered and we inquired about the little horse. A filly she told us. $2500. Firm. We didn't know if that was a fair price, what we did know was that we didn't have $2500 for a horse that would need to be boarded and cared for. We thanked her and went on our way.


In the years that followed, we did some riding, took a vacation to the Diamond L Guest Ranch, and slowly began to hear God telling us that he had more for us to do in the world besides raising our children and doing our jobs. We were slowly preparing for whatever ministry we were being called to when we took another trip to the Diamond L, this time with our son, Terry. 


Terry and Roger went back to the Diamond L a year later, in 2003. While they were there, I had occasion to call them and one of the wranglers posed this question, "So, Roger, what's it going to cost you for being here without Kathleen?"


I answered without hesitation, "My horse."


Roger came home, God showed him that a friend had a space open in her barn, Allegro (Allee for short) was still available, and we were in a place where we could manage all of the expenses. Four years later, Allee became my horse. Roger trained her and she and I have had an amazing, interesting, complicated, loving, "wouldn't-trade-her-for-the-world" relationship ever since. 


When I think back on how God planted that seed in my heart and brought it to pass four years later, I'm in awe. He prepared us so she could be in our lives and has used her in a mighty way. I am grateful.

                                                                                                                                                                  ~Kathleen Harris