She edges forward against the gate, presses her muzzle against the wire mesh. Her nostrils flare as she sniffs. Will this confirm what her large, soft eyes take in? Is it really Farinelli? I lead him closer. Tenderly he steps forward, the stony ground harsh against his soft soles. In the midst of all that is so utterly new and strange to him, the discomfort of the comprehensively alien world into which he has been thrust, will he recognise her? It has been eight and a half years since they have last seen each other on the other side of the world. And if he does, if they do, will he revert to cowering before the unkind attentions which she mercilessly hurled against him and might just do again? Or would that presence, the kind that used to come so naturally to Gulliver, her sometime lover and friend to both while still alive, which he had so recently allowed us to glimpse within him, would it transform him into the kind of horse that she would seek to be with, whom she understands, whom she trusts?
Finding Gulliver Within
Dec 11th, 2019 by Andrew
Help! Can you help me please? Just a little?
Aug 24th, 2019 by Andrew
You may not believe it but most humans are truly gobsmacked by my graceful, majestic presence when they first see me. Clearly this is not my day. My best friend, Gulliver, has just died, leaving me very lost and utterly alone, as the rest of the family, including the mare to whom I lost my heart many years ago, is on the other side of the world. The good news is that my humans are planning a family reunion over there with me as the guest of honour. The bad news is that, unless we come up with a solution, it may break the bank, which has me seriously worried about the impact on my feed rations.
Horse Training: Do We Not Hide Behind It?
Aug 17th, 2019 by Andrew
Yesterday I discovered a post in the Horses and Humans group on Facebook which seemed to claim that horses need human training. Clearly this was stated from the perspective of a human. It led me to consider the numerous occasions on which I have discussed horse training with other humans. The vast majority have insisted that training is absolutely necessary if we want meaningful communication with a horse and utterly essential if we want to take care of our equine friends. This I cannot reconcile with my own experience of dealings with our own and other horses, many of whom were strangers, if not hostile, when we first met. So I wonder. Are we humans not trying to hide behind training. And if so, is there an alternative?
Tags: Anaïs, horse training, horses, humans, Pip
Rescuing Rescued Horses from their Rescuers?
Jul 26th, 2019 by Andrew
Rescue. “To save from a dangerous or difficult situation.” Horse rescue centre. A place where horses can be safe from a dangerous or difficult situation, where they can find refuge. Refuge. “The state of being safe or sheltered from pursuit, danger, or difficulty.” I used to think that, if a facility is called a horse rescue centre, it must by definition be a place where horses are safe from neglect and abuse, so I volunteered. Then I started to notice disquieting occurrences. Aberrations, I thought they were, until I met a horse called Rhianna, a victim of severe neglect who had arrived at our rescue centre. Her experience led me to examine other questionable occurrences and eventually to ask myself whether in some instances we should not consider rescuing rescued horses from their rescuers.
Tags: Equine Touch, horse rescue, horses, humans, natural horsemanship
Gulliver is Dead. Long Live Gulliver!
Jun 14th, 2019 by Andrew
At about one o’clock in the afternoon of Thursday, 13 June 2019 yet another horse dies in the world. Gaunt and lean, his massive frame, which has earned him his name, fills the space before his small, slim handler. Their eyes locked on each other, the gentle giant responds as readily to her calm energy as his once powerful legs shakily allow. The needle goes in and he shakes his head. Gently the wisp of a woman urges him on while stroking his face. He stands for her as upright and erect as an old gelding can. Time stands still or so it seems and then, as if in slow motion, his dilapidated body topples and slides to the ground. Within moments he is pronounced dead. And then a miracle happens.
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Available Now!
We know so much about horses but have such little understanding of the horse. Understanding the horse’s nature allows us to pursue choice rather than control, connection instead of coercion, communication as opposed to conditioning. This is a reality that I now experience with my own horses. A path to the horse is open to all of us. Simply discover the power of being with horses. Is it not time to be fully human … for them, for ourselves?
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I have learned to listen to horses speak through their movements, their expressions and ultimately their energy along with much that has been recorded about them. Listening to horses speak has changed my life and taught me a great deal. This book contains a little of what I have learned from horses while listening to them speak. And much of it is startlingly different from what we take for granted.
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Urgently in need of a meaningful change of life, a man decides to cross the world together with his wife, a horse and a dog to spend a year training full-time with Klaus Ferdinand Hempfling , arguably the most popular horse trainer in the world based on social media statistics. He expects it to be life-changing. It is. These are his reflections.
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