One of the first things I noticed about the new barn is that several horses have wooden stall signs hanging on their stalls. I’ve always liked the wooden signs that are handmade or handpainted… it might not look as uniform or professional as a traditional engraved plate, but there’s something very personal, genuine, and loving about them. It’s easy to buy something, anyone can do that… it’s a lot harder put your heart and soul and time into something that you’ve made with your own two hands. Maybe it’s because my mom used to paint a lot when I was a kid, and was always crafting, so stuff like that reminds me of her in a way and holds a lot of sentimental value.
I painted my first stall sign a decade ago. I was trying to come up with Christmas present ideas for all my barn friends but of course, as a 20-something horse owner, I was low on cash. I went to Hobby Lobby, bought some wooden plaques, a couple different paint colors, and spent the next few days handpainting those things in our barn colors. It was a labor of love for sure, because I soon found out that I was not a naturally gifted painter. After much cursing and even more trial and error, I was finally done.
While I was happy with the results, I swore up and down that I would never make another stall sign unless it was a) for myself, b) for a horse that I had no intention of ever selling. I’ve owned a lot of horses since then, and I’ve stuck to that. The only horse that has ever had a “fancy”, handpainted-by-me-with-love stall sign is Sadie.
So when I walked into the new barn and found myself smiling a little at all those signs, obviously handmade by people who loved the horse inside that stall, I started thinking about Henry. I had a lot of time to ponder our relationship while he was away at rehab… he was never meant to be a keeper. He was a project, a flip, something to keep me busy. Yet we all know that he’s a lot more than that by now.
I was talking to a friend a couple days later about his rehab process… how it’s gone so far, and what we still have left to do. I explained how I was taking the longest, most conservative route that the vet laid out for me, and what that entails. If it means we miss horse shows and clinics and all sorts of other fun things, so be it. This horse owes me nothing. He’s been giving me 110% of himself since day 1, and it’s my job to do right by him. And there it was, with those words: my lightbulb moment.
I went the very next day and bought a wooden plaque, some paint, and new paintbrushes. Last night I spent two hours (I told you I’m not very good at this) painting his stall sign. It’s certainly not perfect, but it’s very “us”. Other people might look at it and think it’s silly, or childish, and that’s okay. But I hope at least a few people are able to see what it means to me: the sign of a horse that is truly loved, truly special, and isn’t going anywhere for a long, long time.
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Awww… this is the best thing I’ve read in days. I think the new sign is just beautiful, for all the reasons you said. ❤️ We all know Henry is YOUR boy and now the world can see that, too.
(And for the record, you do a very nice job on stall signs. Hand-lettering is NOT easy, nor is painting even lines, and most people couldn’t do anywhere near as well. Your mom would be very proud!)
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Way to make me tear up a little first thing on a Friday morning! Love the sign. And the meaning behind it.
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Henny is definitely a keeper! I am very artistically challenged so this would not be a good project for me.
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It was a little therapeutic, honestly, to be frustrated with this for a little while instead of with the world at large. 😉
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Your sign is absolutely perfect. And two hours is not too a long time to create something hand-made. I do hand-painted and hand-lettered stall signs as part of my portrait business and I know how long the process can take LOL!
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This makes me want a handpainted stall sign and I am not usually into that kind of thing ❤
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Omg love this so much. Also, you are way craftier than you give yourself credit for. I can’t even color inside the lines…
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Love this. Yes, being creative is very therapeutic and cathartic.
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Love this so much. And your stall signs are so classy! When I first started reading I was thinking more along the lines of the ones the kids make at camp. But these signs you’ve done are gorgeous.
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Perfect!
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it turned out super well. i tend to get overly complicated in my designs and then my mediocre-at-best artistic application makes the whole thing turn out…. decidedly amateur haha.
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my attention span for this stuff is very very short, so I usually run out of desire before it gets to the point of complication LOL
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Aw. This makes me so happy. Maybe there are happy ending out there for the rest of us too.
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That looks super professional. I suck at painting and never want to paint anything that requires letters. I do best at “abstract”
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Hit just the right spot. I love it. Well written post, too 🙂
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So, so, so sweet! You two are so wonderful together :).
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Awww ❤
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This hits me right in the feels 🙂
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Um, I’m tearing up… It’s like you got engaged or married or something! Stall signs mean: You’re mine for life! ❤
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I convinced my husband to make me a batch of wooden ‘horseshoes with center banners’, & painted one for each horse years ago. In the last 3 years, 2 of those horses left for new homes, well wished & taking their stall signs with them, for ‘luck’.
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