Let Go, Cowboy ... 'er Cowgirl ...

Frank T. Hopkins, was an American Horseman who is "reputed to have won more than 400 long-distance races" (Wikipedia). A movie named after his beloved mustang horse, Hidalgo, was made into a feature length movie of the same name. Hopkins told tales of many horrors he witnessed, including the massacre of the American Indians at Wounded Knee. This was especially hard on him considering he claimed to be half-Indian himself. It was reported he also traveled with the circus and wild west shows across the globe, with his greatest adventure being a 3,000 mile long-distance horse race across the Najd desert region of Saudi Arabia.

There are differing opinions as to what in this movie was actually true, and what was made up for the sake of good box office ratings. But, as I watched this man process the loss of his mother, the later death of her people, and his own journey of wondering aimlessly through life ... surviving one heartbreak after the next ... chasing one adrenaline rush to the next ... I couldn't help but see a little bit of him in all of us.

This man would let someone talk smack about him, but if they talked smack about his horse, he'd lay them flat on the floor. I am no different. I've let people talk smack about me before, but the second they go after one of my kids, I deal with them in one way or another. Most of us parents can relate.

There have also been other "wild horses" or outcast individuals I've loved in years past. I fought hard for them, and I'd do it again.

Hopkins had a soft spot for the "wild horses" of the world, and I suspect a soft spot for those people like him who were a bit renegade, a bit vagabond, a bit self-destructive, a bit good and, perhaps, a bit worth fighting for.

This THREE THOUSAND MILE desert journey he embarked on (approximately the same distance from New York to Los Angeles), for the hefty prize of $100,000, risked life and limb. He battled bandits, an arch nemesis and temptation all along the way. He and Hidalgo survived a fierce sandstorm, fell into a spiny pit that injured Hidalgo, circumnavigated boiling hot quicksand, fought and murdered bandits, and fought and killed his nemesis in self defense. Finally, near the end of the race he almost killed himself and Hidalgo when they each reached a point where they simply could not go on.

It was in this moment of despair Hopkins removes the weight from Hidalgo's back, taking off his saddle and provisions. He pulls out his gun, cocks the trigger and readies to call it a day, saying (I paraphrase), "We've known Heaven, Hidalgo, and we've just ridden through Hell. Good a place to die as any, I guess."

Just then, two other competing riders taunt him as he writhes on all fours in the sweltering desert heat. It's in that moment -- SURPRISE -- Hidalgo gets up! The other two riders take off for the ocean, which is now barely in sight. Hopkins looks at Hidalgo, and the two make an unspoken agreement to give it one last run. Covered in dirt, injured, bleeding and dehydrated ... with nothing left to lose ... these two begin gaining on their competition.

Hidalgo, a once wild American mustang, broken for good use, now has an opportunity to prove himself wild and free against the most expensive and well-trained, well-bred horses in the world. He succeeds. Hidalgo and his trusty rider, Hopkins, cross the finish line first, plunging themselves into the cool relief of the ocean waters.

The win, no doubt, had to do with the fact that not only were these two both very stubborn and determined ... the types to endure almost anything ... but also Hopkins had unloaded Hidalgo's back from the weight of the saddle and supplies they had been carrying with them!

12 1-3 Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down [lay aside every weight], start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!

-- Hebrews 1: 1-3, The Message Bible

I cried. Of course, I cried! They won because they laid aside the extra weight!

But, hold your reigns my friends, it gets better! Not only is it important that we lay aside every weight as we prepare to run the race before us, but...

SAVING SOME, LETTING GO OF OTHERS:

If the win itself wasn't great enough, when the duo returned to America, Hopkins purchased and saved many wild mustangs the government had hoarded up to be slaughtered. My mind was immediately reminded of the "wild" people of the world Jesus loves. He loves them when they're still. He loves them when they're running away. Why is this significant?

Countless horses were actually murdered by the U.S. government during that time. In fact, this coming weekend, September 8-9, 2023 marks the 165th anniversary of the massacre of 800 horses between the Washington and Idaho borders. This was not the only time the government has done this. One account of one such massacre was so traumatic for the soldiers who did the killing, it was reported some of the soldiers committed suicide following the event.

News reports state as recently as 2018 the U.S. government was talking about decreasing the population of 75,000 wild horses in America by 75%. Nonprofits were working to save them. This personally makes me livid as horses are, by far, my favorite animal.

Just like I can get attached to a horse, I can get attached to a person, a coping mechanism, addiction, idea or dream. Today, I feel Holy Spirit telling me it's time to let go of some of those types of things and people I've held onto.

Some of those weights included false hopes that have kept me going through the lonely, hard years. Some of those weights were people I hoped would "come around" someday. Some of those weights were dreams and plans I'd made, and deadlines I'd been angry at God for missing.

DESERT COMPANIONS:

I found this interesting: Today, Hidalgo's descendants roam free "in the Gilbert Jones herd of Spanish Mustangs on Blackjack Mountain, Oklahoma." How did this come about?

If you believe the movie, when Hopkins returned from across the ocean, he then saved the hoard of mustangs, AND he let go of his desert companion, Hidalgo. He released his trusty steed close to the Oklahoma territory to join his wild band of brothers and sisters. Hidalgo had served his master well, and was rewarded with his final days being free to roam the plains.

Who or What has been your "desert companion" during your dark, lonely years? During your desert race?

Hopkins, and for a time his horse, a duo who experienced and conquered more than most ... were very alone the first 44 years of Hopkin's life.

We all have that one thing or that one person we cling to when we're living the lonely, desert life. When we grow up experiencing trauma, or when life is impossibly hard, we develop coping mechanisms to get us through our own race. For Hopkins, Hidalgo was his coping mechanism, his life-line as he faced his personal, unforgiving desert. Hidalgo filled the void in Hopkins' heart and gave him something to fight for during years where he had nothing and no one else to fight for.

There came a time when Hopkins had to let go of Hidalgo, the one thing that had kept him going all those years, SO THAT he could embrace the potential happiness and challenges of the next 42 years...

Hopkins finally married in New York City (1929) at the age of 44, and went on to compete in races well into his sixties. He died at the age of 86.

SUMMARY:

1. Do you want to win your race?

2. What weights do you need to lay aside so you can run your race well through your own hellaciously hot desert?

3. What coping mechanisms, addictions, ideas, dreams, timelines, objects or people have you attached yourself to? They may have helped you survive your impossibly hard life or season, but that doesn't mean you're meant to hang onto them forever. Who and What are they? How can you begin to let them go? It may be time for you to let them go run free with the other mustangs!

4. Once you've survived your desert, you may not know what comes after you've said your goodbyes to your "Hidalgo." That's okay. All things will unfold and reveal themselves in time. By letting go of your life-line, and trusting God with your future, you're giving yourself a chance to embrace a new beginning.

5. Just because the last 44 years or so included war, thirst, famine and storms ... that doesn't mean the next best season of your life has to be filled with more of the same. You have brighter days ahead. It doesn't always have to be this hard.

Selah. Amen.