Night Horse Treasure

WESTERN WISDOM, Season 5, Episode 5, "Night Horse Treasure" audio podcast by award-winning western author Stephen Bly. Sponsored by BlyBooks.com Legacy Series. 
"Don't Take My Night Horse!" blog post article found here:   https://www.blybooks.com/2023/01/night-horse/

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Transcript

NIGHT HORSE

Stephen Bly,  Circa 1995 

I suppose there are still some good night horses around. But frankly, I don’t know of anyone who needs one. There just aren’t many men in our country who have to work horseback at night, in places with no artificial light. 

In the old days on the cattle drives, every man had a night horse. This was a mount that was picketed so he could be instantly caught for night use. He would have been selected for his sure-footedness, good eyesight, and sense of direction. No snuffy, high-strung horse would do.  

What Cowboys Wanted

Cowboys looked for a gentle horse, unexcitable, and smart. On those big cattle drives this special mount was never used, except at night. They wanted to make sure their night horse remained always fresh and ready to go. 

During a night time stampede, the rider’s life depended on his night horse. The horse had to be able to see, run at a full gallop, dodge, and keep his footing around 3,000 head of spooked cattle. The night horse could find his way back to camp on the darkest night. 

A True Treasure

Cowboys grew so attached to their night horses that it was an insult to ask to buy him. To the cattleman, selling your good night horse would be equivalent to selling your wife or kids. 

In our day and age, we don’t need a night horse. But it sure would be great to have someone on standby ready to assist us when the emotional, social, economical, physical, and spiritual stampedes busted loose beneath us.  

Special Friends

Maybe what we all need is a special friend for the dark times in our lives. When a marriage is crumbling. When you lose your job or find out about a serious illness. Or when your kids get arrested by the police or storms threaten your faith. And when your public reputation has been destroyed by others. 

That’s when we desperately need a friend who is gentle, unexcitable, and smart. A friend who can run, dodge, and stand even against the blackest of threats. One friend who you can always count on leading you back to camp, back to your family, your faith, to your Lord. 

Pray About It

The Bible says, “There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24). 

If you already have a friend or two like that, give God the praise. If not, start praying for one. Maybe the best way to locate that type of friend is to begin by being one yourself.