Today is a lazy day and would be a good day for a trip to the Monastery of St. Clare which is on Highway 105 outside of Brenham, Texas.  The Monastery is run by the Franciscan Poor Clare Nuns, a nonprofit organization devoted to a contemplative life of prayer.  In an operation called Monastery Miniature Horses, the nuns raise and sell the tiny equines to support their community.

The nuns first began raising the miniature horses in Corpus Christi in 1981 at the behest of Sister Bernadette, the Abbess at that time.  Sister Bernadette, who died in 1990, was an animal lover and believed that the horses could provide for their support.  In 1984 the sisters bought a horse farm which is seven miles outside of Brenham and moved the monastery.  There a chapel and living quarters were built for the nuns.

The monastery is open Tuesday through Saturday, and, in addition to petting the miniature horses, you can have a picnic on the grounds with drinks and snacks being available.  You can go to http://www.monasteryminiaturehorses.com.

One tip – don’t wear a straw hat.  The little horses will think you have brought them a yummy treat and the nuns don’t want you to feed the horses.

kommonsentsjane