That is the question. What is the reason you want to save a horse? Is it to make a quick buck (no pun intended) or is it because you genuinely want to save this horse, boots ‘n all?

For me the question takes a lot of thought but when I commit then I commit for good.. or bad, and I think the same should go for the decision to purchase a horse!We have saved several horses for various reasons. Two of these are standardbreds (pictured) straight off the track. These horses certainly came to us with ‘baggage’ but that is something that you take into consideration when you decide to take these horses on, part of the rehabilitation that you commit to is helping the horse work through his ‘baggage’ and allow him to live a good life. That to me is what rescuing is all about, and again, the same should go for any horse, not matter how you ended up with them.

We also have two pony mares that were off to the doggers, the owners could no longer have them because they were moving interstate. They were in foal at the time so we ended up with four. They were frightened ponies and they had lots of ‘baggage’ but we worked through that. One day they might make a great ponies for our grandkids but if not it doesn’t matter. What I really enjoy is watching them learn to trust the human, to let go of their fears and to want to be around us, that to me is just so rewarding.

I object to the insinuation that buying a horse off the track is only asking for trouble. I have paid a lot of money for three horses in the past 10 years, all very well bred from reputable breeders and let me tell you that those horses, and one was only 22 months, came to me with far more ‘baggage’ both physically and mentally, than the Standardbreds.

I also thought I would breed a horse so that ‘I knew what I was getting’, not so. The gelding I have as a result is very well bred for sure, but he has problems from an accident he had as a foal, something we couldn’t have prevented. So, in my experience, you can’t say that there is a right or a wrong way to acquire a horse, they come into our lives in all sorts or ways for lots of reasons. I also believe that all horses that are handled by humans will have ‘baggage’ in one form or another.

I don’t put the clock on when I am with these horses, I don’t care how long it takes and I don’t keep tabs. What I get back from my equine friends far outweighs the cost of time spent in helping them rid their ‘baggage’. In fact they probably help me far more than I can possibly help them. Nothing gives me more pleasure than knowing I have played a part in giving these horses a good life.

I don’t care for competitions and winning the blue ribbon either, I’ll take a pleasure ride through the bush any day and I bet if my horses could talk they’d agree. All I want in my life is harmony and contentment, and I feel pretty confident that the horse wants that as well.

Whether you breed your own horse, buy a horse from a breeder or save one off the track, you get out what you put in. Time, trust, patience and love are the key to helping a horse and if you don’t have any of those qualities then you are probably better off with a motorbike!

It all comes back to intentions, what is yours with your horse? is it to make money? Is it to win ribbons? Is it to have the best looking horse? or is it to be part of the horses life? For me its the later and its a privilege that they allow me in. My horses are so much a part of my life, even the expensive, well bred ones with all the ‘baggage’. They are my friends, and they are my teachers, all of them. None of them are useless and all of them have taught me something.

If you really want to help your horses, then I suggest you go to a course with someone like Mel Fleming, a fabulous, intuitive horsewoman who has devoted her life to helping make this world a better place for the horse. The knowledge you will gain from Mel will change the way you think about horses… if you are open to it.

We think the horses have all the ‘baggage’ but when you really start to look it becomes obvious that its not about the horse, they don’t carry anywhere near the ‘baggage’ that the human does! Perhaps they carry the ‘baggage’ for the human?

What did Winston Churchill’s really mean in his quote, ‘There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man’?

… and Ray Hunt says: ‘You’re not working on the horse, you’re working on yourself”.

I think these quotes are worth pondering.

"We liked this saddle, it was great for all of us to move in"

For years I have wanted a Balance saddle and finally I am doing it!! I am ording a new saddle, but before I do that I need to have the saddle fitted for my horses. Last week Mel Fleming, (who is not only a wonderful, intuitive horsewoman but is also the Aussie agent for Balance), came to my place to do a saddle fit to be sure I get the most suitable style. I have several horses I ride and the saddle needs to suit most, if not all of them. Mel brought 3 saddles with her and I picked two horses that I ride the most.What was interesting is that the horses let us know what saddle they liked or not, as you rode in each saddle the horses moved willingly and easily in the saddles they liked. There was one saddle that one of my horses really didn’t like and it was obvious in the way she moved and how her attitude changed.

The other thing that I found really interesting is that Mel could read my horses and tell me about their emotional state of mind which was causing discomfort to the horse and was showing up in behavioural patterns, patterns that I haven’t been able to change with much success. I hadn’t discussed any of the issues with one of the horses, but Mel had her pegged. She worked with us to help release emotions simply through the way I sat, how I breathed and what I thought which reflected in the way I rode. It was amazing to see the dramatic changes that this horse made in a very brief amount of time.

So out of a saddle fitting I not only got the best saddle for the job but I also got a lot of information about how my horses are feeling when I ride, what I do to get in their way and how I can help them make our riding a more pleasant experience. I think it also goes beyond riding, it carries through to their confidence in the herd and also to a deeper connection between us as well.

If you get a chance to have someone such as Mel, someone who has an infinity with horses on a deeper level than most, then take the opportunity. Its such a wonderful experience to feel the connection and the synchronisity that is possible when all are working together.

On 3rd and 4th of Arpil my sister Jen and I will host a weekend for women, the purpose of the weekend is to help build self esteem, learn how to handle anxiety and to release your authentic self. We call it ‘embracing the goddess within’. The weekend will be held at ‘Hill Hollow’, a 400 acre property 20 minutes from Inverell, NSW.

During the weekend we will use the horses as facilitators along with art therapy, meditation and mindfulness and dance to help us understand what is blocking us from becoming our authentic self and releasing the goddess within. If any of the following are familar you will benefit from this weekend:

• low self esteem and feelings of anxiety impact on your day to day enjoyment of life?
• you feel restricted by negative thoughts about your self and your abilities?
• you feel powerless to say what you want, do what you want, achieve what you want?

The Women under a Blue Moon weekend workshop will present you with tools to take back the power and take charge of your life

The Full Moon on March 30th represents the second in the month, as well as the second Blue Moon for 2010. Blue Moons are known for their strong energy and are an ideal time for setting goals and changing habitual behaviours. The Waning moon is also the time for working on removing the things you no longer want in your life.

The (Blue) Moon phase along with the peaceful and nurturing natural setting, are ideal for helping you let go of your daily fears and judgements, and allowing you to concentrate on accepting and loving the amazing Woman you are.

Using Equine Facilitated Therapy; Meditation; Mindfulness, Resilience and Positive Self-Talk techniques; dance and creative arts, we will help you celebrate the magic of Women and embrace the Goddess within.

Why use horses?

Horses have an awe inspiring presence and an ability to touch the hearts of those who are open to the inner journey. They are typically non-judgmental and have no expectations or motives. Horses can often reveal things about us that we are not consciously aware of. Cultivating a relationship with such a beautiful, powerful animal will allow you to tap into your feelings, behaviours and a sense of possibilities.

Documented research shows positive physical and psychological results from humans interacting with horses. These include, but are not limited to, decreased blood pressure and heart rate, lower levels of stress, reduced feelings of tension, anxiety, anger and hostility, as well as increased levels of beta-endorphins, and beneficial feelings of self-esteem, empowerment, patience and trust.

Equine Facilitated Therapy (EFT) is an effective treatment method for:

• Teaching teamwork, communication and problem solving
• Helping individuals face fears, increasing confidence and self-esteem
• Providing a safe environment in which to address emotional roadblocks
• Developing new ways of interacting socially
• Providing challenging, fun and therapeutic healing

Under the watchful eye of an experienced horseperson and with the guidance of the therapist, you will be surprised what the horses can tell you about yourself, things that you may not even be aware of! This is the beauty of EFT, the horses are a powerful facilitator who quietly and without judgement, become our mirror.

Participants do not need any prior horse experience and horse riding does not take place during the weekend.

To find out more, click on this link to go to the Blue Moon website.

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Can you imagine not being able to go and make a cup of tea for yourself or go outside if you wish without someone taking you there? Worse, can you imagine not ever being able to touch animals if you have been a creature-lover all your life? Well, often that is the case when you become older and infirm . . . unless you live at the Westbeach Residential Care facility in Adelaide South Australia, that is!

Pet therapy is not something new, but usually it is a well trained dog or maybe a ‘ragdoll’ (specific breed) cat, or perhaps some songbirds like canaries or budgies and lovely peaceful, gliding fish in a tank. Can you imagine taking a 16hh horse (Rocco) and a 23 year old pony (Metro) to such a facility? That is what we have done . . . my friend Elaine, myself, and my husband, who was on photographic duties!

Our first visit was to accustom my equine charges to the facility. Neither of these horses are anything ’special’, only to me – they are my best friends and are magnificent. They have had no special training except for being exposed to a wide array of things and situations and a good deal of trust in me. Also, they are obedient . . . their habit is to do what I (considerately) ask them to do. Oh, unless that is Rocco and then grass wins every time! He hears me, acknowledges it, then says, just one more mouthful please!

We entered a small enclosed area (piping, see through fence, about 8ft high) but thankfully with a bit of lawn. My horse, so often ruled by his tummy, immediately felt at home because of the grass. We then entered through another gate into a courtyard with a huge outdoor umbrella and flashy silver watertank, right by the entrance doors to the inside. I am certain my horse in particular, would have cheerfully gone inside had I asked it of him.

Then the residents began to come out . . . “I was in my room, and as I looked out of the window, I saw a horse eating the grass and had to come out and see if I was dreaming”!! That began the steady flow of people.

My Rocco is a very sensitive horse who internalises his emotions and is pretty much a one-person horse who doesn’t tolerate too much fussing over by others. Interestingly however, I have noticed that when it comes to the elderly and infirm, his whole demeanor changes – if they have walking sticks, other mobility devices and wheelchairs etc he is curious and interested, allowing them to stroke him.

Perhaps it is because I have had a total knee replacement and other knee surgery prior to that and he became used to looking after me when I was still on a walking frame. I have put my parents, in their 80s, on him to go for a walking ride and he carefully carries them about the place.

Metro, having taught many a child to ride over the years, came into my care very ‘contained’, but since being with me has learned he is allowed to express his opinions and that I will listen to him.

There were residents quite capable of coming out to see them under their own steam, others with staff looking after them, and even a dear lady in a mobile ‘bedchair’. Our patient horses just stood there interacting with the people, and I have to say, there was a time I needed to turn away to hide the tears of joy and pride in the way my horses were behaving. A staff member picked up the hand of the lady in the bedchair and stroked the horses with her hand. You will notice Metro’s lovely soft and kind eye in the photo above (when most of the time he is still really, just a cheeky little pony!).

Of course, nothing is simple these days, so we needed to have proof of insurance and become registered volunteers . . . the staff think the paperwork mountain is worth it though.

I could write many more words, but I think sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. Hopefully, the words I have written gives you some insight into my magical horses and the affect they have had on many peoples’ lives. The photos will allow you to ‘feel’ the moment.

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Well, I think that day is near. Its been a little over a year since Bud arrived but we haven’t seen much progress in his self esteem. He’s been doing a wonderful job with the carriage driving for RDA but he still had a sadness in his eyes. We needed to help him see life differently. We need to take him out of this picture and put him in a totally different scene.

So last week we decided to start Bud under saddle. I started by playing with him on the ground, sending him around trees and over logs and running beside him to help build his confidence. I got on him bareback and within 15 minutes I was trotting him around the round yard. He was a bit worried to begin with but soon accepted the strange being up on his back. He tried everything that I asked him and as soon as he tried I let him know he did a great job.

After 3 days we were trotting around the arena like he’d been doing it all his life. He has a wonderful rhythm and uses his body beautifully. I think he really enjoys doing something different. I give him lots of encouragement and in return he gives me lots of trys.

Today when he and the other horses came running up to the house for a drink he actually jumped in the air and kicked out. I know it doesnt sound much but to see Bud express himself this way was wonderful. I went and said hello to all of the horses and I stopped to give Bud a rub, he usually walks away from you when you start to pay him attention, he is generally quite withdrawn but today he stood and let me rub him.  I started to scratch him on the neck and chest and I could see that he was getting into it, after a short time it was obvious he was loving it, he stretched his neck up, put his head high in the air and stuck his trembling bottom lip out. This doesn’t sound unusual but for Bud to give such feedback was absolutely fantastic, Bud was finding his voice!

I was so happy to see him express himself, it was a huge move forward. When he’d had enough I put the lead on him and we went for a walk around the trees and he grazed while I watched.  I just wanted to hang out with him and his new found confidence. Today his eyes have life in them and are softer, he is walking taller, not so scared of the other horses and his body has actually changed. It’s like a huge weight has been lifted from him.

Finally he is letting go and starting to enjoy being a horse! its like watching a bud open (no pun intended) and we can only hope that he will continue to blossom and learn to love life.

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Merlin working nicely in the carriage

Yesterday I heard that the prime mister of Australia said that ‘the elderly were a burden on society’. So what does he suggest? Get rid of them? I am really incensed by that comment and the connotations attached. I believe our elderly are to be treasured, they are like our libraries, if we just take the time to listen we can learn so much about life, our history, our heritage, their heritage, so many experiences that we can draw from. A quote I once saw read “When an old person dies another library closes”.

Many of our older citizens don’t work any more but what about all the years they did work and contribute to society, what about all the grandparents that care for and mentor the young, all the retirees that give their time to participate, and often run, volunteer organisations that help many, many others in our society, isn’t that worth something? None of us want to grow old but we don’t want to die either. So lets just hope that if we stay on this earth for a while we aren’t treated like a discarded race horse.

Speaking of discarded race horses, our two trotters are also valuable members of our society. Not that long ago they were being put on a dog truck to be turned into dog meat, luckily we were given an opportunity to buy them first. They had been purchased as young stock and imported from New Zealand at great expense. They spent 6-7 years racing and earning money for their owner and then, when they were no longer able to earn money, they were considered useless, a burden on the owner. So its off to the doggers to have their heads cut off! Discarded like vegetable scraps.

Both these boys, Merlin and Bud, are now working really nicely both under saddle and more importantly, in the carriage. Bud is the main carriage horse for Riding for the Disabled but Merlin will start doing the same this year. These two ‘old and discarded’ boys are not a burden on society, they are in fact, very useful and treasured members of our community and of our equine family. The work they now do is worth more than words can portray.

So to finish, an extract from Desiderata “take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surendering the things of youth”… and may we all grow old gracefully and with respect.

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Agarn from F Troop

They say that what you dreamed of being or doing as a child is what you should pursue in your adult years. Well, all I can remember wanting, dreaming and longing for was to be like Agarn off F Troop, (a wacky western comedy 60’s TV series) I can’t for the life of me work that out now. For those who never watched the show, Agarn was a major klutz! go figure! I used to dream of being in the cavalry, wearing the uniform, riding a horse and sending smoke signals to the indians. Now that I’m older… a lot older, I wonder what that meant.  My husband says, “why Agarn, why not Calamity Jane?” well, I don’t know, maybe I should get a copy of F Troop and take a look, it might give me a few clues about my self…. hmm, then maybe not.

We left our farm and moved to suburbia not long after my mishap with Fairy, don’t know what happened to her, guess she was sold. The only time I got to ride a horse then was when mum finally gave in to my begging and paid for an hour trail ride at a tin pot riding school. I can still remember the smell of the horses and the excitement of riding along the side of the road on an old hairy horse in a great big saddle. I’d pretend I was in uniform with a gun on my hip and I swear I saw smoke signals coming over the hill, I was in heaven for an hour. It kept me going until I could con mum again.

After a few years of living in town mum and dad bought a small property when I was about 11, I finally had a horse again. She was a real challenge and at the time I thought she was just mean but now that I understand horses a little more I know that she wasn’t mean, she was just doing what horses do. It was only my ignorance that made me feel that way. She taught me to respect horses that’s for sure, but she also taught me to ride, to persevere and to keep at it no matter what the challenge. Those lessons have stood me in good stead during some pretty rough patches in my life so, she wasn’t mean, she was just a good teacher.

So now after recalling my dreams as a child I’m feeling a little bit disturbed. I’m going to make it a mission to get a copy of F Troop to try and figure what was I thinking!  Maybe if I watch it again I will find a deeper understanding of what my goal in life really is… or at least why I have suppressed it all these years.

For the moment I know that my goal is to start an Equine Facilitated Learning Centre so I can work with my horses to help others as well as myself. I have so much regard for the horse and the lessons they have to teach us. I am privileged to have 12 horses in my life at the moment and they are all with me for a reason, I guess I’ll find out why on my travels through life, its a journey and one I’m looking forward to.

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How does she knows whats happening before it happens?

I often wonder how our animals know we are going to do something before it actually happens? My little dog Pat, knows exactly where I am going and when. I work from home and she knows I am going to my office, which is off the verandah. I can walk past her on my way to the office and she doesn’t get up, she continues sleeping or rolling in the grass or playing with our other dog Mister. But then I finish my work and think I might go and get my horse to go for a ride. The moment I get up from my chair she is jumping up and down at the door waiting for me to go. I have gotten up from my desk several times through the day to get a cup of tea, have lunch, stretch or whatever and she doesn’t make a fuss so how does she know?

A couple of days ago I had to get in the ute to drive to a paddock where four of my horses are kept and I walked out the door to find Pat already sitting up in the ute. How the heck did she know I was going to go somewhere in it.

My sister talks about her dog Snoopy, a sheepdog she had when she was younger, Snoopy would know when the school bus was due home and would be waiting at the gate for her but she also knew when my sister wasn’t on the bus and wouldn’t bother going to the gate. How did she know?

One day a friend came out to visit with her son Pete and daughter Janet, who has severe disabilities. Janet wasn’t in a good mood that day and was quite aggravated. She sat on our lounge but wasn’t very happy or settled. Pat just went over, pushed Janet’s hands aside with her nose and sat up on her lap. It didn’t take long before Janet became calm and quiet. How did Pat know to do that?

Horses are the same. How do they know that you are going somewhere before you start to prepare them for the trip. Even before I get the horse float hooked to the ute or prepare anything else they become agitated. How do they know today is different?

How does a horse know your emotions, they are different around you if you are angry or anxious. They are different around a child then they are around an adult. You often hear people say that the horse plays up with the adult riding them but is gentle as a lamb when a child rides them. How do they know when you need support and to stay with you today, when yesterday they just wandered off without even noticing you?

I don’t know but I would love to. I suppose that they are still in tune with their basic instincts and their intuition, we humans have pushed that aside and are no longer aware of the so called ’sixth sense’. I personally am fascinated by it and I want to find out how to get back in touch with myself, my surroundings and my emotions. I think I could be a much better person if I was more aware, more mindful and more open. I’m working on it

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As I rode through the bush I thought about the loss that we have experienced this year, how three of our beloved animal friends had left us. I thought about the sadness and the grief that you feel when you lose a pet and how real it is.

Little Joe, was an eight month old foal, he was a beautiful palamino paint and full of spirit, half brother to Tubby, a blue roan fillie. The mothers were two little rescued ponies who had come to us in foal. One afternoon we feed the foals as usual and then went off to do something for about an hour. On our way back we saw Little Joe was lying down. My heart sank. He looked like he was dead. He was dead, he had just dropped where he stood. No apparent reason. It was so sad, this life had just been started and now he was gone. It just seemed wrong.

Three weeks after losing Little Joe, we had to euthanise our bullmastiff, Mugsy. He had cancer of the spleen and there was nothing we could do to help him.  I had known in my heart there was something terribly wrong with him but I never thought we’d have to make this decision. He was so sick and over a matter of a few days had lost so much weight, I didn’t want him to have to suffer any more. The loss of Mugsy was so painful, I miss him so much, it just wasn’t the same, it was so empty without him waiting for you at the back door. He was only 4. I loved that dog more than I knew. Funny how you take things for granted.

The morning after Mugsy died our silky terrier Rex, went missing. He was 18 and we had inherited him with this property we bought 5 years ago. He was a beautiful old dog and I just loved him. We looked everywhere for him, put ads on the radio and called everyone that took in dogs but there was no sign of him, still none. I have no idea what happened to him. I still look out for him hoping he will just wander back.

Again I rode my horse and tried to get some perspective on life and death. I thought about my own little boy who died of heart disease and the pain that I felt, I thought of my dad who wanted us to ‘put him out of his misery’ during the last weeks of his life as cancer took over. I wondered if I could have agreed to giving him a lethal dose of something to help him like we did with Mugsy. I also thought of the anguish families must go through when a loved one goes missing, The pain must be unbearable.

But the grief I felt after losing my animal friends was also real, it was a deep sense of loss and I grieved for weeks. Perhaps it was connected to the grief I carry for my son and my father. I know that you can’t compare your animals, or another person for that matter, with the loss of a family member but grief is a very personal emotion and it should be respected for what it is and what it means to someone.

This brings me to discussions I have had with people about the loss of pets and the grief that follows. Some say that it is silly to grieve as some of us do because they were only a dog or only a horse or only a cat. I really don’t agree with that, our animal friends are just as real as any other being. They are in our lives daily, they are there with you through thick and thin. My dogs are constant companions and give so much affection. They are always pleased to see me and they let me know. My horses are my saviors and great cousellors. How can you not grieve for their loss?

Sometimes, maybe more than sometimes, I would rather be around my four legged friends than the two legged ones. Animals don’t judge you or hold a grudge, you get out what you put in and that’s worthy of my grief. I am empathetic to those who are grieving for their lost animal friends and I respect that fact that they feel pain over their loss.

Some people don’t have another person close to them and their animal friend is their only family. The loss of that animal would be as great as a loss of a family member. Some people bury their animals with a ceremony as elaborate as for the human, and why not? I personally don’t feel the need for such a ceremony for either human or animal but that’s doesn’t mean I don’t respect their right to do what feels right for them. Some people take time off work to come to terms with their loss, the pain is so great. I also understand and respect that. There is no right and wrong when it comes to grief.

More than anything else though, I want to celebrate the fact that I have been so touched by my animal friends, they bring so much love, joy and spirit to my life and when it is time for them to go I will honour their lives as I would any other. I often think about the ones who have passed, and though I miss them, I am so grateful that they chose to be with me.

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Merlin, the horse that chose us

The day we met Merlin our lives changed.

That morning, 18 months ago, I had asked my husband Jack, if he wanted to come for a ride with me but he wasn’t interested. He never really rode horses unless he had a job to do like checking the fences or mustering the cattle. We don’t own a big farm any more so he doesn’t ride at all now, the motor bike does the job.

One day, he surprised me though when he said that he might be interested in doing the carriage driving for RDA (Riding for the Disabled) sometime… maybe! This gave me hope that one day he may become interested in horses and we could do something together.

He had a draft horse once, they worked together to get logs out of the hills, he’d also hitch him up to a cart every now and then and go for a walk about the farm to put salt blocks out for the cattle. Jack did love that horse, he called him The Biggin but The Biggin got cancer of the salivary glands and we had to put him down. Jack was devastated and never had much to do with horses again.

That morning when I couldn’t talk Jack into coming for a ride with me I realised that I should give up on the dream that we’d do something together with the horses, this was my passion and one we didn’t share. I resigned myself to the fact that, even though we were quite content in our marriage of 31 years and were good mates, we really didn’t have a hobby that we did together and all my asking wasn’t going to change that.

About half an hour after I had come to that conclusion we got a phone call from a trotting horse trainer. He said he had a trotter that might suit RDA for carriage driving. I’d mentioned to the trainer months earlier that we were thinking about doing the carriage driving and if he had an old reliable horse or knew of one that would suit to call us. This was the call. He lived about two and half hours away and when he said we had to come that morning because the horse was going to be sent to the doggers, we thought we should go and take a look. I was surprised that Jack agreed, he was actually keen.

We took the horse float just in case. When we got to the trainers place he had the horse, Butch he called him, tied up and was brushing his tail, I was so surprised at how beautiful this horse was, he was jet black, around 16.2hh with a huge head, long forlock and mane. Not at all like a trotter, or my image of one though he was very fit looking, not a hint of fat on him anywhere, more like a greyhound dog. He had a presence about him but a real sadness in his eyes. I found him quite daunting but Jack walked straight up to him and scatched his bottom lip, the horse nuzzled him and that was that. Jack was hooked.

The trainer harnessed him up and we took him for a run around the training track, me, Jack and the trainer all sitting squashed up in the buggy. I hadn’t been in a buggy before and I was a bit nervous, I was also worried that we were too heavy for Butch but he seemed to handle the weight OK. When we finished the run we headed back to the stalls, Butch was anxious to get back, I watched him get agitated and he didn’t want to stop when one of the other trainers stopped to say hello. Butch became quite impatient and started swinging his head about and stomping his feet, so we didn’t stop long, a few seconds maybe. I wondered what he would do if he was asked to wait any longer? Butch wanted to get back and get out of this rig and I can’t say I blame him.

Despite the fact that he was obviously too much horse for what we wanted, Jack said we’d take him. We paid $350, the same as the dogger would have paid and we took him home. We were right, he was too much to use for RDA, and besides that, Jack had to learn to drive the RDA carriage and we knew we needed a quieter horse, but we were happy to have Butch come home with us.

I don’t know what it was but there was a definite connection between Jack and Butch. I was so amazed at the transformation in Jack, he now sat with me and watched the horses eat of an afternoon, he brushed Butch, trimmed his feet, talked about horses and decided he’d better get another horse that was more suitable. One he could learn from and then he would be more confident to use Butch.

I believe horses choose people, we don’t choose them. This was definitely the case here. This was a dream come true for me, finally we had horses as a mutual interest. We decided the name Butch didn’t suit such a magic horse so we called him Merlin, Merlin the Magic Horse, he had brought a little bit of magic into our lives and the name was fitting.

Many things have changed since Merlin came into our lives, one of the most important, apart from bringing Jack and I together with horses, is that Jack has done a lot of training in carriage driving and now takes people with disabilities for a ride every second Tuesday. Its a rewarding and enjoyable time and if it wasn’t for Merlin it probably wouldn’t have happened. He has brought magic to many lives.

Merlin is happy here, his eyes are soft and no longer have a sadness, he is a valued and loved member of our equine family, he’s gradually putting on weight and his body is starting to mend from the falls he had during his racing career. He plays and runs around the arena with me, he lets me ride him and tries really hard to please. There’s a lot I would like to tell you about him, and maybe I will, but some other time.

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