Although we have been honored previously with several marriages taking place in the barn at our ranch, never before have we had one performed on a hill overlooking Live Oak Valley. The fact that the groom, Colonel Tom Norris, is my best friend and his bride, Danese Dunaway who has become a close friend, made the occasion truly special.
Tom and Danese
Tom and Danese first met when I was driving Danese and my daughter’s mother in law and Danese’s best friend, Pam O’Neal, around our ranch. We drove through Tom Norris’ ranch and found him working on his property and stopped for a brief introduction and chat. Later that afternoon we invited Tom to drop by our house for Happy Hour at which time he and Danese struck up a lively, largely two person conversation. As they say, the rest is history.
Two years later Tom and Danese asked if they could have their wedding on our ranch where they had spent much time exploring in Tom’s ATV, a John Deere Gator, and enjoying many lovely Texas sunsets. Trudy and I were thrilled by their asking.
For both Tom and Danese this marriage was late in life. Danese had been divorced for over twenty years, was fully independent and happy. Tom had tragically lost his wife to illness about three years earlier and had suffered through tremendous grief only to accidentally find a new and beautiful life with Danese who redirected his emotions to a much happier state.
From left to right, yours truly, Colonel Tom, Danese, Pam O’Neal, and Bruce O’Neal (all photos courtesy of Trudy Hutton)
Tom and Danese chose to have a private ceremony with the Reverend Bruce O’Neal officiating, Pam O’Neal as matron of honor, Trudy as photographer, and me as best man. They wanted to be married on a hill I’d named LOV Lookout (LOV is taken from Live Oak Valley) or as the original Germans referred to these hills (as well as Danese) as mountains, hence, LOV Mountain. They chose late afternoon for the ceremony when the light is softer and appears magical followed by the traditional cake cutting, champagne toasts, and finally with the end of day being blessed by a Texas sunset.
Cake cutting taking place in the back of a Gator
Rings exchanged
Champagne toasts and laughter
The bride and groom standing at ranch entrance
Colonel and Mrs. Norris departing the ceremony in their John Deere Gator
While Trudy and I may be a bit prejudiced, we believe this was the most unique and joyful wedding we have attended. Congratulations Tom and Best Wishes Danese. We are so glad you found each other and thanks for sharing your excitement and happy times with us.
Having a Paint Horse, the typical Indian pony, on Medicine Spirit Ranch seems highly appropriate. Native Americans believed that Paint Horses would protect them from death or injury during a conflict. Paints were deemed to have magical properties especially those with “medicine hat” markings.
Meet Fancy–
Fancy, our filly Paint horse
We bought Fancy, our Paint Horse, from a riding stable where my granddaughter Ramsey had learned to ride. Fancy was a gentle riding horse that Ramsey loved so that when the opportunity arose, we purchased her for our ranch. Fancy like other Paint horses is gentle, intelligent, and has a good temperament. Paints are valuable on ranches for riding, roping, racing, jumping, and stock work. These versatile horses will do about whatever its rider wishes, making its flexibility and good nature valued traits for ranch work.
The question arises as to where did paint horses come from? In the 1500s the Spanish Conquistadors brought horses to the New World. The predecessors of the Paint Horse were likely Barb, Andalusian, and Arabian breeds and sported distinctive spotted and two tone coloration. Inevitably, some of the horses escaped, bred, and dramatically increased in number. Large herds ranged the prairies for many years before Native Americans learned to capture, train, and utilize the horses for hunting and warfare. A mounted Native American warrior proved an intimidating and effective opponent such that the Comanche, Kiowa, and Apache all became excellent horsemen and the dominant Indian tribes in Texas.
The terms Paint and Pinto are often used interchangeably but technically Paint refers to the breed and Pinto to its color. Fancy is black and white but many different colors may be found in Paints including brown, bay, or red. Fancy is Tobiano, meaning two colors, and because she is black and white referred to as a Piebald Paint horse.
What is there about a Paint Horse That Makes Them Special?
As noted above Paint Horses with “medicine hat” markings were especially deemed to have magical properties. These horses have predominantly white heads with pink noses and mouths, and blue eyes. No, our Fancy does not have a “medicine hat.” Below are two examples of a filly Paint Horse and her foal, both of whom have “medicine hats.”
While descended from the same stock as quarter horses, Paint Horses have their own registry, the American Paint Horse Registry. This separate registry connotes a special status for the breed. Due to the popularity of the Paint Horse breed, the APHR has now grown to be the second largest equine registry. These smart and versatile horses are well muscled, beautiful, colorful, and in high demand.
Native Americans, in addition to the magical properties they saw in Paint Horses, also chose to paint designs on their horses, providing even greater protection and boast of the warrior’s prowess. Painting a warhorse for a battle or hunt was a sacred act that held power, not only in the Paints made from Nature, but also those with painted symbols as well. The act of painting a horse was viewed as serious business, as it could mean life or death for the rider.
According to a February, 2020 article in Notes from the Frontier, the painted symbols had specific meanings. The symbols were mostly drawn from nature such as a hand printmeant vengeance against an enemy or sometimes indicated success in hand combat. Zigzags represented thunder that symbolized speed or stealth. Hail markings predicted the enemy’s defeat and misfortune. Circles around the horse’s eyes or nostrils were believed to strengthen its senses for battle. Painted horse hooves symbolized successful raids or sometimes the number of horses stolen. A cross meant the rider had escaped an ambush. Slashes of color across a horse’s face indicated the successful defeat of an enemy village. Additional symbols with their interpretation may be viewed below.
One of the benefits gained for Trudy and me by living on a ranch is that we continue to learn from both our animals and our surroundings. I’ve tried to document the delights that I’ve encountered on Medicine Spirit Ranch and hope that you the reader have learned something as well and have enjoyed my efforts. Wishing you a wonderful 2024.
I’ll close this blog piece with a few famous horse quotations.
“The air of heaven is that which blows between a horse’s ears.”
“Blame it or praise it, there is no denying the wild horse in us.”
“A horse doesn’t care how much you know until it knows how much you care.”
“If you have gained the trust of a horse, you have gained a friendship for life.”
If you have not had the chance to read my latest book, Hitler’s Maladies and Their Impact on World War II: A Behavioral Neurologist’s View (Texas Tech University Press), I invite you to do so. The book explores an important aspect of the Hitler story and World War II that has not been well studied. Many of Hitler’s catastrophic errors including the premature invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, the slowness of German forces to counterattack at the Battle of Normandy in 1944, and the highly risky Battle of the Bulge in late 1944 into 1945, can be better understood, knowing the sizeable impact that Hitler’s physical and mental conditions had on these vital battles.
Also, consider picking up a copy of my earlier book, Carrying The Black Bag: A Neurologist’s Bedside Tales (Texas Tech University Press). Please join me on my personal journey as a physician and meet my patients whose reservoirs of courage, perseverance, and struggles to achieve balance for their disrupted lives provide the foundation for this book. But step closely, as often they speak with low and muffled voices, but voices that nonetheless ring loudly with humanity, love, and most of all, courage.
Views From Medicine Spirit Ranch 