Hope ... From the Heart of Horses by Kathy Pike

Author:Kathy Pike
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Skyhorse
Published: 2011-01-27T00:00:00+00:00

“Somewhere, somewhere

In time’s own space

There must be some sweet pastured place

Where creeks sing on and tall trees grow

Some Paradise where horses go.

For by the love that guides my pen

I know great horses live again.”

—Stanley Harrison

Hannah Lei

Hanna Lei is a beautiful 17-hand, bright red sorrel Thoroughbred. Her high withers give the impression she is even larger than she is. Before she arrived at a small ranch in Tucson, Arizona, she had been used for competitive hunter/jumper events. She was an expensive horse, with a wealthy owner who used her only for competitive jumping events, and little or no attention was given to her emotional needs.

Her owner’s groom would prepare Hannah Lei, and then the owner would arrive, run her through the jumping course, and give her back to the groom. Hannah Lei’s job was to do what she was asked—jump high and be fast. Hannah Lei, unfortunately, had a tragic accident. During a competition, she failed to clear a jump and fell over backwards, severely damaging her spine and hips. Never to be a hunter/jumper again, Hannah was of no further use to her owner. She was not even suitable as a school horse.

Luckily for Hannah, instead of the ill-fated path given to most horses deemed useless—sent to an auction and, if not purchased, loaded onto a trailer and transported to a slaughter house—she was donated to a small ranch where she could spend her time peacefully grazing or working with people in equine experience learning activities.

Like most Thoroughbreds, Hannah is a highly sensitive and responsive horse. Her large size is misleading; many people fear her and think her to be domineering; she is, however, a sweet, gentle mare with a very big heart. Beneath her physical presence is a horse who has suffered physically in the hands of humans but is still willing to connect with and work with them in a more nurturing and caring setting. Hannah is not free of her physical pain. When she moves around the pasture, her hind end sways awkwardly.

I spent two months at the ranch in Tucson. It was an uncommonly rainy and cool winter. When the sun did emerge, with it came a chorus of birds and the pungent fresh smell of the earthy creosote and desert brush. Next to the ranch, a river wash fluctuated in depth with the rain. Every morning and evening the coyotes would run through the wash yipping and crying, alerting every canine to protect its owner and property. Peaceful moments were interrupted with chaos and the chaos was restored by stillness. The river wash continued to rise and fall with torrents of rain followed by sun.

I had traveled to Tucson in search of a community that would understand the deep connection I felt with horses. Tucson was a hotbed for equine-based learning work, so I had moved there to study for a year to continue to grow and learn with the horses and to enhance my budding business of equine-based learning programs. My high hopes for deep connection were soon dashed.

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