About Us

Destiny’s Spirit Artistry: Our Story

As a child, I always wanted to be with horses. I grew up at a horse show and remember spending all day with the horses and even slept outside in the pasture during the summer! Horses have always been my passion since the moment I laid eyes on them!

When I was 10 years old, I was introduced to the guitar and began singing and writing songs at an early age. Music took over my life and became my passion and livelihood. Throughout my years of performing, I was never able to keep horses from my thoughts and always dreamed of one day owning either a Palomino or a Paint horse!

In 2009 I was diagnosed with tumors and facing possible surgery. In the beginning, we didn’t know how serious my illness was so I continued to perform regardless of doctor’s orders. I had a world music event to do in Colorado, and my doctor told me if I fly I could die due to the extreme loss of blood. So instead, I decided to drive 1800 miles with a friend to fulfill my commitment to my client. The doctor was not happy with me, and told me to definitely stay out of the altitude because I could have a heart attack due to the loss of blood. When I completed my event, a friend in Colorado called me and told me about horses who would starve in the winter months. The owner could no longer afford to feed them. When she told me they were located at a ranch outside Rocky Mountain National Park, I told her I would be right there! Of course, the altitude was over 8,000 feet and I was experiencing chest pains the further we went up into the mountains. I said a prayer and asked God if he could hold off on anymore health issues so I could check on these horses.

As soon as we pulled up to the ranch, I got out and spoke the words, “These horses all look like they have dead souls!” The moment I spoke it, the most beautiful horse lifted her head and looked at me locking her eyes with mine, and I found myself walking in to the barren pasture with 50 horses all around me! I heard screams from my friends watching me to stay clear of the horses, as I was surrounded, but they were distant cries, and I found myself still in a gaze with this horse who was a Palomino Paint! I spoke to her, “Hey Beautiful….do you want to go home with me?” No sooner did I speak the words, then I turned my back and she ran across the pasture and wrapped her head around my shoulders.

I turned and put my hand on her face that seemed to be resting on my shoulder, and I told her she was my destiny. The next day I went to pay for her, and I spotted another horse who was drawing me in with his eyes. I tried to go over a pet him, but all the other horses kept pushing him away from me. When I asked the ranch hand about him, I was told the owner wouldn’t let him go because he was the sibling of the horse I had purchased the day before and he wanted to keep one of them since they were the only two siblings in the herd. I talked him in to letting me buy him too!

In the meantime, my husband had just lost his job of 30 years, we were on the verge of losing our home, and I was extremely ill but didn’t know how bad until months later. Needless to say, my husband was not happy with me! On my end, I was thrilled but had no plan on how to take care of these horses or had a place to keep them! I also was 1800 miles away from home! Fortunately, I had friends in Colorado who were willing to take the horses for a few months.

Once I got home, my illness took a turn for the worse. I continued to have blood transfusions so I could work until we figured out what was wrong with me and why we couldn’t get this under control.

I named the other horse, also a paint, Cheyenne. He seemed to have the same spirit as my beloved dog Cheyenne, who died at age 2. The horses were not able to be transported until October, so in the meantime, they were not eating well and had lost a tremendous amount of weight. When they arrived to Maryland on October 8, 2009, I was stunned at their appearance and they seemed to be traumatized by the woman who transported them, they were very skiddish and definitely starving! Their ribs were sticking out and stomachs were sunk in from the lack of food. I was told by more than one vet, that Cheyenne had to be put down because he wouldn’t survive.

I refused to put this horse down and felt he would be fine with food and love. Unfortunately, he now has neurological damage and can never be ridden.

One month later, I went in to the hospital for laproscopic surgery and came out with major surgery, a tumor the size of a soccer ball and tumors wrapped around all my organs. I was now looking at 4-5 months recovery! How could I take care of these two horses on my back? Immediately following my surgery, we were hit with three back-to-back blizzards. I couldn’t get to my horses and the owner where I was keeping them had decided it was too much for him as well. I’ll never forget my husband’s frustration because I wasn’t able to take care of these two horses I rescued from starvation, and he was definitely not a horse guy! While I was on my back, I started a new business which would eventually support the horses, and that is how Destiny’s Spirit Artistry came about!

It’s amazing to me how these two rescue horses mirrored back the exact same issues I had experienced in my life. Destiny has my spirit and Cheyenne has my same back issues…both with ruptured discs. These horses have been nursed back to health in mind, body and spirit due to the proceeds from the jewelry sales.

Location:

4301 Baptist Road

Taneytown, MD 21787

Hours:

We do mail order. Please call Santana Hahn at 443-286-5734