Pony Power

I love this one!

“The Gift” is one of those paintings that just sort of magically happened.

I had been using another canvas to mix colors on, smearing paint together without much thought, when the faint suggestion of a person on a horse with wings suddenly appeared.

At the same time, I had the privilege of starting one of Silver Tail’s mares, Dhiaa.

The day finally came to trot off on her, and I remember feeling deeply grateful for every “school” horse that had come before her—the horses that patiently taught me enough to ride such a sensitive and beautiful mare.

The feeling of joy riding her made me feel like I had wings myself.

She became my heart horse, and this painting somehow grew out of that feeling. 🪽

Posts like this always make me feel especially grateful for all of you who continue to follow, support, collect, and encourage my work here. Being able to spend my time creating paintings like this is something I never take for granted.
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You can find “The Gift” and its full story on my website:
https://www.kimryjelen.com/warehouse-open-edition-prints/art_print_products/the-gift

I don't think horses are nearly as interested in being impressive as humans are.

They don't wake up wondering if they're successful enough.

They don't compare themselves to the horse in the next pasture.

They don't worry whether they've accomplished enough this year.

A horse can spend an entire afternoon standing in the sun, grazing with friends, feeling the wind move across their skin, and never once wonder if they should be doing something more productive.

And somehow we look at that and think they are the ones who need teaching.

The older I get, the more I wonder if some of our greatest lessons were never meant to flow from humans to horses.

Maybe they were meant to flow the other way.

Because horses seem to understand something many of us spend our whole lives trying to remember:

That worth is not something you earn.

It is something you already are.

A foal does not have to prove its value before its mother loves it.

An old horse does not become less worthy because they can no longer carry a rider.

A horse is not valuable because of what they do.

They are valuable because they exist.

Imagine if we truly believed that about horses.

Then imagine if we believed it about ourselves.

Perhaps that is one reason horses touch people so deeply.

In a world constantly asking us to prove our worth, they stand quietly beside us as if to say:

"You were never required to earn your place here."