Photo By Sgt. Laurissa Hodges | Pfc. Messiah Middleton, an Army ammunition specialist assigned to 24th Ordnance...... read more read more
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Soldiers manage a list of things in their lives other than work from keeping up with finances to attending college. Having an outlet maintains resiliency not only to cope, but to learn, grow and thrive.
Ever since he could remember, Pfc. Messiah Middleton, an Army ammunition specialist assigned to 24th Ordnance Detachment, 87th Division Sustainment Support Battalion, 3rd Division Sustainment Brigade had a connection to horses.
As a four-year-old boy, he would mimic his uncle Wayne by wearing matching coveralls and a white shirt while they tended to his uncle’s horses. His uncle would even put him in the saddle and allow him to ride with him.
After a long day at school, 14 year-old Middleton came home, did his homework, and headed down the street to his uncle Wayne’s house.
He walked up to his uncle and told him, ‘Uncle Wayne, I think I’m ready.’
From that point on, Middleton was hooked on horse riding.
“I’ve never really been a people person, so I just always love to be with my animals in the country,” said Middleton. “That’s where I spend all my free time.”
Now, Middleton an 18-year-old Fayetteville, North Carolina-native, feels the connection he has with horses helps him in his Army career by providing a positive outlet for his free time.
“When I came of age, I started riding on my own and it was just a sense of freedom because I didn’t have to have my uncle help me or somebody watching over me to make sure that nothing happened to me,” said Middleton.
Middleton views the relationship he has with his horses as long-lasting friendships with someone he trusts and an escape from stress.
“Everything goes away,” said Middleton. “I can tell my horses my problems and I know they won’t tell anybody. It just really clears my mind and lets me focus. It relaxes me.”
His bond with horses not only provides an outlet, but it also provides comfort knowing that his horses can pick up on his emotions and provide a sense of security.
“Even the horses that I didn’t raise, that I’ve been around for a long time, have always been very loyal, caring and knowing,” said Middleton. “Your horses can sense your energy and read your body language. There’s been times I would be sad and my horse would come and nudge me on my shoulder and start giving me kisses and it would just brighten my mood.”
Growing up as an equestrian, Middleton had a hand in raising his uncle’s horses.
“From birth, I would say I raised three horses,” said Middleton.
Now Middleton owns five horses in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and one horse in Beards Creek, Georgia.
“At home, I have Jack, Nikki, Gea, Magic and Coco, and at Beards Creek, I have Dice,” Middleton said.
The love from horses provides Middleton with resiliency to persevere in stressful circumstances because he knows during the weekdays he can end his day caring for his horse.
“I like to spend my time doing something I love to do,” said Middleton. “I would go out to feed them and just spend time with them after work and let them know I love them.”
On the weekends, Middleton tries to ride whenever he is afforded the opportunity.
“In the horse riding community, we have these things called trail rides,” said Middleton. “You pull your horse on the horse trail and there could be 200 to 500 people out there and you stay out there for the weekend. Saturday morning, everyone that brought horses will get up early in the morning and we’ll go on a really long ride.”
In the future, Middleton would like to create a virtual video blogging channel to show people “a day in the life” of things he does on a farm, and pass down his family’s legacy to younger generations.
“I would love to have my own farmstead where I can keep all my horses,” said Middleton. “I want to keep the Holiday Stables name alive as long as I can and pass it down to my future kids.”
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| Date Taken: | 07.30.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 08.02.2021 09:40 |
| Story ID: | 402139 |
| Location: | FORT STEWART, GA, US |
| Web Views: | 32 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, A Provider and an equestrian, by SGT Laurissa Hodges, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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