A Horse Tale for Mother's Day

April 1945: A group of American WWII soldiers made a most unusual and notable rescue along the German-Czechoslovakian border. A regiment of enemy German soldiers knew they were hemmed in and faced eminent attack. But they were also caring for the highly valued and rare Lipizzaner horses—that had been seized by the Third Reich. With the Red Army advancing, and the anticipated annihilation of both men and the prized horses, the German leader surrendered to the Americans and asked for their help in saving these tremendous horses. Thus a group of GI’s, along with some emancipated Allied POW’s, and the surrendered Germans fought off attacks by the Waffen-SS troops as they made the rush to safety.


May 1952: An American teen girl had been forced to miss her senior year of high school in order to accompany her diplomatic father as he completed a project in post-war Germany. She’d left behind her friends and the excitement a senior year holds, to go to a country that meant little to her. Even her beloved horse was being cared for by a neighbor. 





The girl became sullen and bereft. Her mother tried to interest her in other activities. Nothing seemed to help. Then one day, outside their Berlin apartment, the girl heard the distinctive sound of hooves. Peering out the window, she saw six beautiful horses. She had read about the majestic Lipizzaners, but had never seen them. They held themselves proudly and trotted with such determination. She was enamored. 


Seeing the spark in her daughter, her mother arranged a visit to where the Lipizzaners were stabled. The girl watched in awe as these huge horses were put through their paces in the large arena. One of the stablehands gestured and asked in broken English if she’d like to brush down one of the horses.


For a girl, thousands of miles from everything she knew and loved, this Lipizzaner stallion became her friend. She’d visit twice a week and care for him. Leaving Germany the following summer, meant leaving the stallions, but they had filled her life with a new purpose and given her hope when she needed it most.


May 1991:  It had been decades since she’d thought about that special Lipizzaner stallion, but in the newspaper she saw that the famed Lipizzaner Stallions were putting on a show at the local fairgrounds. She wished she could go see them. It wouldn't be easy—her cancer had advanced to the point where walking was no longer possible.




Her caregiver carefully wheeled her to the car, and then drove to the stadium where the stallions would perform. Her wheelchair prevented her from sitting in the stands, but her caregiver arranged for a viewing spot where the magnificent horses entered the arena. Memories flooded back from her time in Germany. The show ended, and as she prepared to be wheeled back to the car, she noticed her caregiver smiling and a horse being led towards them. 


The huge Lipizzaner horse bent his head low, gazing into the eyes of the dying woman. They say animals have a heightened sensitivity to the suffering of others. It sure seemed so. Her caregiver quickly wiped away her own tears.


Later, when she was back in bed, weary from the outing, she couldn’t wait to call someone and tell them how special it was. That's when I heard her voice sounding young and excited again. 


As I’ve thought about it over the years, only God could orchestrate the way those Lipizzaner horses were saved in war time, then how a Lipizzaner stallion helped heal a lonely teen heart, and then how God brought about a dying woman’s sweet wish to see them one more time. As we celebrate Mother's Day, it gives my heart hope that we have a God who cares this much, and loves so well.


I’m wishing all the mothers, aunts, grandmothers, and those who love like mothers, a sweet day of honor and love.



photos in order of use: Horseinside, Date in History/Facebook, McCall, Facebook Lippizaner.

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