I believe in ghosts.
I’ve experienced freaky-deaky things my whole life. And they haven’t ceased since moving to the farm.
Mom and I bought the property from a sweet husband and wife. We’ll call them B and C, respectively. Unfortunately, B died of heart failure about four months before we assumed ownership. He passed away on his couch in what is now our living room.
Mom and I are convinced B thought we were nuts to become farm owners. He seemed to smirk at us with amusement the few times we met.
B was a MacGyver – he liked to fix things with binder twine, spit and really, really long construction nails. He told us he would explain how everything worked when we got here. But, because he left this earth, we had to figure stuff out for ourselves. However, his spirit came to visit us during our first years here. Probably smirking as he watched us carry on.
My first inkling B might still be around was the whistling. I’d be working in our white barn and distinctly hear a man whistling a tune. Thinking it was our neighbour coming for a visit, I’d peak out the barn door, but no one would be there.
We weren’t sure, but speculated it could be B … or my imagination.
Then, about five or six years ago, Mom was at a lunch with C. Mom asked if B had ever whistled. C initially said no, but quickly retracted that. She told Mom he’d whistle when approaching the barn so as not to startle the horses.
From what we knew of him, B was quiet but liked to tease. That’s totally in line with me hearing someone whisper my name loudly out the kitchen window behind me as I was putting clothes on the line. Maybe it wasn’t B but it was seemingly someone otherworldly because I was the only one on the farm at the time.
We no longer hear the whistles or sense B’s presence except now and again when the cats all stare intently at the corner of the living room, about a metre from where B died. Guy and I joke that they see “Ghosty.”
But are we truly joking?
The Great Mac From Beyond
I haven’t met any animal ghosts (exactly). But I believe they’re around in some fashion. My beloved old guy Mac has been gone about a year and a half. Together for 27 years, we were as close as a human and horse could be.
I have to admit I allowed him to get away with a lot of bad habits. Every time I took off his bridle, he would aggressively rub his head on me from heel to hairline. He particularly enjoyed when I wore my suede full chaps (which were a fashionable thing for a long time) and would be visibly disappointed in the smooth-textured rub quality of breeches and leather boots.
Mac would also turn in his stall and back up to the door so I could scratch and massage his bum and tail. Many training experts say if a horse turns his hind end toward you, it’s a sign of disrespect. For us though it was a butt-centred bonding exercise.
Larry has become my riding horse since Mac died. I love Larry but originally bought him as a riding school mount, which was his job for many years. And, honestly, moving on from Mac has been an emotional challenge.
Weird things started happening earlier this year when I was starting to open my heart to Larry as my main man. Now, when I remove his bridle, he rubs on me. He didn’t do this before. I wondered if I was allowing the behaviour but it’s the way Larry goes about it in such a Mac-like way – the same pattern and force, pushing me this way and that, using the top of my head to get the best jowl scritches.
And, Larry now also regularly requests butt scratches at his stall door. I used to get a kick out of how Mac exaggeratedly moved his tail from one side to the other for me to access the itchy sides. Larry started doing that too.
Just. Like. Mac.
I really believe my sweet old fella, from wherever he is these days, is helping me and Larry forge a strong horse-rider connection.
So you know, I’ve never felt threatened or spooked by any ghosts I’ve “met” in my life.
They simply are.
And they can hang with me anytime.
5 thoughts on “The Ghosts of Get-Away Farm”
A lovely story about the affection between you and Mac and Larry. If you have happy ghosts around your farm, then that is a nice addition. I consider horses to be God’s gift to mankind.
Spooky!!! Love this 👻
Loved this blog!
I love this story. How do I share this with others? Send me an email so I see the response. I know a few people who would love to follow 💕
Hey Audrey…Thanks for the feedback. I’ll email you soon!
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