Without a horse in my care at the moment, moments of direct application of what I’ve learned at work–aha moments–probably don’t hit as often as they will hit when I have The Mare out here. But sometimes these moments do happen. When they do, I’m thankful for the perspective.

Last week I took a vacation out West with a friend of mine to visit some other friends, get some fresh air, play in some snow, and gaze at some mountains. These friends we were visiting have a gorgeous ranch near Bozeman, Mont., with a small herd of Percheron crosses: several half-siblings that not only share the same solid, calming presence, but also a joyful, curious demeanor.

Along with their love of horses and carriage driving, my Montana friends also have a heart for the concept of community, and they have been working with at least one person in the younger generation to teach the importance of responsible horsemanship and husbandry. Their young neighbor has a Quarter Horse that he is learning to ride and care for, and my friends–an experienced veterinarian and his wife, a talented horsewoman–are tireless in their enthusiasm to help him understand and enjoy his horse.

Their ranch is a place of happy solitude with stunning views of hills and mountains all aroundÑthe quiet is delightful. My first afternoon at the ranch there was a stir about the place and it turned out that the boy’s gelding was having an episode of what appeared to be HYPP (hyperkalemic periodic paralysis). The big sorrel was sweating profusely, seemed reluctant to move, and showed muscle spasms along his sides from his shoulders to his flanks. His third eyelid was visibleÑthe young man said his horse looked like he had a “pink eye.” My friends weren’t sure of this horse’s HYPP status, so my friend drew some blood and off to the diagnostic lab in Bozeman I went. (My friend who was along with me had never been to a diagnostic lab and isn’t a horse person, so it was entertaining that our first stop on vacation was the Bozeman diagnostic lab!)

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