Back in February, I started something called Trick Tuesday. Each week, I’d teach my horse a new trick and share the video on social media. At first, I thought it might be a fun way to raise a few dollars for the ministry. But it’s turned into so much more.
It’s brought me joy. It’s deepened my connection with my mustang, Matthias — the same horse I was actually trying to sell the previous fall.
Let me back up and tell you a little about Matthias. He’s a wild mustang I purchased just six months after my daughter, Anna, passed away. I was looking forward to having a project horse — a blank slate I could train and break to ride. His early training went smoothly. He was trusting and willing. But six months later, he came up lame.
The vet diagnosed an OCD lesion, which meant I couldn’t ride him anymore. It came as a huge disappointment, to be honest.
I continued working with him and training him at liberty, and eventually, I thought maybe I’d sell him as a liberty horse and donate the proceeds to Anna Roan Ministries. I was sure that was God’s plan — that our journey together was only temporary.
But these past twenty weeks have shown me something different. It’s become clear that God has a purpose for Matthias and me — even if I still don’t fully understand what that is.
On our last Trick Tuesday video, someone commented, “This made me smile.” And that’s exactly my hope—that our videos spark joy. That they highlight the possibilities between horse and human. That they reveal a side of horsemanship that goes beyond riding: a deep bond between a once-wild horse and a person.
I hope you love him too.
If you’ve enjoyed following along with our Trick Tuesday journey and want to help us continue sharing joy and hope through horses, you can support Anna Roan Ministries below. Every gift, no matter the size, helps us keep making moments that bring a smile.
And now, enjoy this special video highlighting the last twenty weeks of tricks!
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