Share your stories is the place to add your comments or stories
The obsession with horses started when, as a very small child, my eldest sister took me riding with a friend of hers. I was on a small grey pony that kept shaking every time I touched its withers. From that day forward I must have driven my parents mad. Every Christmas I asked Father Christmas for a pony, every time I went out I asked to go to a stable. There were two problems here, we kept moving because Dad was in the RAF and the finances were limited, but bless my mum if she saved a little she would let me use pocket money to go riding. As I grew up she got used to me diving to the nearest stable at every opportunity to muck out or groom, this for me was heaven.There came a time when it became rather tinged with sadness though, why? because I never seemed to develop a loving bond with any horse or pony, there was always something missing for me and I never liked whips, EVER. I knew I could not be away from horses though. If I could not ride, I loved just being with them, and reading about them. All my heros were horses Stroller, Beethoven, Vibart, Tigre, and even though I did not like racing I fell for dearest Arkle, Red Rum and Desert Orchid.
Even in my 20s I didn't lose the love of horses and looking at the photograph on the header I cannot believe I was that young (22 or 23 ish). There was my daughter in my arms and I find a pony to fuss over.
Leap forward to adulthood and after 30+ years away from horses and a chance conversation with someone lead me into going back to riding, again the lack of a relationship with any one horse saddened me. This led to me taking on a rescue horse. From the first time of meeting Pilgrim it was love and trust all the way. He was so handsome but really clever too. He could not tolerate force, and whips were banned from being around him from the start.
Has anyone looked at those liquid pools of the eyes of a horse and seen a deep spiritual knowing that speaks to your very soul? I cannot for the life of me explain the feelings that run through me when I see horses. Pilgrim was special and my first deep contact with such a beauty. He also had quite a sense of humour too, he knew that there were treats at the bottom of my grooming bag, so out came brushes, combs etc then it was a very self satisfied horse scrunching away while I went round the stable picking everything up (don't worry there were not many treats in there). He would follow me anywhere, usually with his head close for fuss and love. I must have had an interesting bottom because when I went to pull weeds from his field, his nose was glued to it.
When he needed to be shown how to stand at a mounting block, he got it very quickly and swelled himself up as if to say look at me I am so clever. He hated the wash room and was so scared of it, but in his desperation to please he even overcame the fear to come in with me, that was when I swelled with pride and love for him. That took courage on his part and I made sure he was well rewarded for his trust.
Sadly despite the love and trust between us, the livery was just not working for us and he had to be returned. This was the most heartbreaking event in my life after losing my mother. I will maintain that it was in Pilgrims best interest, but I just found it impossible to bear. My family were supportive and I cannot thank them enough for that. A friend made things even more bearable by helping my recovery by allowing me to purchase a horse she had bred. To cut a long story short now I look after a mare called Tango, again a chestnut, again a sweet nature, another horse who has learned to pick her feet up in sequence. Why is it horses forgive humans from their past and are so very gentle, sweet natured and loving? It never fails to pull me up short and realise they ask nothing and give all. Thank God for people like my friend who has come to the aid of horses in need and that I now have the opportunity of being happy, settled and with such amazing animals. Here I have known nothing but happiness, generosity, equality and it is hard to leave for home once there. I too have been rescued just like Tango and my belief in people restored.
My rescue came in the shape of Penny and Peter at the Staroak Stud, God bless them both, on the same note the others who are there are truly fabulous, this is my haven, my cocoon and where peace, respect and kindness is all around....love it so very much.
Tango believes that if you do not get her headcollar on straight away she is off and good luck catching her! One of her field friends is an enormous help here, if you do make a mistake, her little friend will stand between you and Tango and walk by your side untill you reach Tango then she will go to her to have a friendly greeting while you get hold of Tango, so tell me who is the most intelligent out of the three of us? Trouble is this friend of Tango is very loving and I can feel a tremendous pull for her, she tugs at my heart so very much, this little horse wants fuss, strokes and just seems to love people a lot. She is also very pretty and as I say a very clever girl.
It would be my dream come true to rescue horses, have a good set up for them and help other people reach a very magical world, where horses could help them overcome depression, Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, and share my experience of peace, calm and trust.
Even in my 20s I didn't lose the love of horses and looking at the photograph on the header I cannot believe I was that young (22 or 23 ish). There was my daughter in my arms and I find a pony to fuss over.
Leap forward to adulthood and after 30+ years away from horses and a chance conversation with someone lead me into going back to riding, again the lack of a relationship with any one horse saddened me. This led to me taking on a rescue horse. From the first time of meeting Pilgrim it was love and trust all the way. He was so handsome but really clever too. He could not tolerate force, and whips were banned from being around him from the start.
Has anyone looked at those liquid pools of the eyes of a horse and seen a deep spiritual knowing that speaks to your very soul? I cannot for the life of me explain the feelings that run through me when I see horses. Pilgrim was special and my first deep contact with such a beauty. He also had quite a sense of humour too, he knew that there were treats at the bottom of my grooming bag, so out came brushes, combs etc then it was a very self satisfied horse scrunching away while I went round the stable picking everything up (don't worry there were not many treats in there). He would follow me anywhere, usually with his head close for fuss and love. I must have had an interesting bottom because when I went to pull weeds from his field, his nose was glued to it.
When he needed to be shown how to stand at a mounting block, he got it very quickly and swelled himself up as if to say look at me I am so clever. He hated the wash room and was so scared of it, but in his desperation to please he even overcame the fear to come in with me, that was when I swelled with pride and love for him. That took courage on his part and I made sure he was well rewarded for his trust.
Sadly despite the love and trust between us, the livery was just not working for us and he had to be returned. This was the most heartbreaking event in my life after losing my mother. I will maintain that it was in Pilgrims best interest, but I just found it impossible to bear. My family were supportive and I cannot thank them enough for that. A friend made things even more bearable by helping my recovery by allowing me to purchase a horse she had bred. To cut a long story short now I look after a mare called Tango, again a chestnut, again a sweet nature, another horse who has learned to pick her feet up in sequence. Why is it horses forgive humans from their past and are so very gentle, sweet natured and loving? It never fails to pull me up short and realise they ask nothing and give all. Thank God for people like my friend who has come to the aid of horses in need and that I now have the opportunity of being happy, settled and with such amazing animals. Here I have known nothing but happiness, generosity, equality and it is hard to leave for home once there. I too have been rescued just like Tango and my belief in people restored.
My rescue came in the shape of Penny and Peter at the Staroak Stud, God bless them both, on the same note the others who are there are truly fabulous, this is my haven, my cocoon and where peace, respect and kindness is all around....love it so very much.
Tango believes that if you do not get her headcollar on straight away she is off and good luck catching her! One of her field friends is an enormous help here, if you do make a mistake, her little friend will stand between you and Tango and walk by your side untill you reach Tango then she will go to her to have a friendly greeting while you get hold of Tango, so tell me who is the most intelligent out of the three of us? Trouble is this friend of Tango is very loving and I can feel a tremendous pull for her, she tugs at my heart so very much, this little horse wants fuss, strokes and just seems to love people a lot. She is also very pretty and as I say a very clever girl.
It would be my dream come true to rescue horses, have a good set up for them and help other people reach a very magical world, where horses could help them overcome depression, Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, and share my experience of peace, calm and trust.