During my teen years I spent a lot of time on my stepdad's cattle ranch, west of Spokane, Washington. I was and still am really into horseback riding. Every weekend my best friend and I would venture out to the ranch to spend a couple of days with our horses, practicing for 4-H shows and having fun.
The ranch is over 100 years old, 6,000 acres, situated in the "scab lands", in the middle of nowhere, my stepdad's family settled it in the late 1800's. There are several small buildings and three large barns. One of the barns is where we kept our saddles and supplies. This barn was huge, originally built for breeding draft horses in the early 1900's. Very neat place, old carriages, trunks, leather and saddles, you name it. The only downfall was it wasn't well cared for and over the years of neglect it turned into a bit of a disorganised mess.
One weekend morning my friend and I woke up early, as usual, to rush out to the barn and start riding. We got to the barn, opened the large sliding front door, walked down the long dusty hallway to the door on the opposite end, which led to the corral we kept the horses in.
Upon opening the 2nd door we noticed something strange... There on the ground perfectly in a line were farrier tools. The file (rasp), hoof clippers, small hammer, nail clincher, nails and draft horse shoes. All of which were ancient and covered in rust. At first we were confused, we had just been in the barn the evening before, no sign of these tools.
We questioned my stepdad, he had no idea as he rarely if ever used that barn, not only that but we didn't shoe our horses; therefor, there was no reason to have old shoeing supplies out. Plus the rusty shoes that were sitting out were for large draft horses.
Looking back at it now, I find it somewhat comforting. No doubt that when the ranch was in its "hay day" the house farrier was kept very busy. He must still be shoeing in the after life.
The ranch was filled with other strange occurrences, hearing music on the wind, talking and laughing, hearing people walk up and down the stairs in the farmhouse. I have never gotten any negative feelings and think the hauntings are residual. We sold the ranch last year but I will always have great memories of it, some of the best days of my life were spent there. Maybe one day I too will be visiting it from the other side?
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