spirit of the horse

bit · spirit of the horse

I was thinking about this after I read Mary's post on gen chat about the rescue horse that isn't adapting well to stalled life. It's almost a literal definition, their life being stalled, held up, delayed. We all are out there doing the best we can, I know. Bit has spent time in a small corral, as well as all my horses. It's almost all Eclipse knew except for a short turnout to battle it out with 9 other horses she didn't know over hay piles.
My horses certainly don't live like a wild herd on 100's of acres, but we've done the best we can to give them the feeling of freedom.
After breakfast, they are turned out on 40 acres of pasture, trees, and one dried up creek. It's usually running, but we are pretty dry this summer. They are a herd, with a lead mare (or three), and three very happy geldings. Love hearing the thunder of their hoofs when they take off for the back pasture! Love watching the herd dynamics, and especially the sweet friendships that grow between the herd.
My mind is constantly working on how we can make it better for them, entertain them (just spent 100.00 on a damn ball) and every trip to Wal Mart gets a stroll through the toy section to see if there are any "horse toys" they might enjoy.
They are in my thoughts all day, and in my dreams all night. Their spirit, their happiness, their joy my goal, in and out of the saddle. It's the best I can do for them, and I think that's what we all strive for. Like the mare that Mary posted about, her owners are doing their best for the horse, as far as they know. It's the knowing that needs to keep growing to understand exactly what the horses spirit needs.

becdubie

Bit, I could echo everything you say here.

I spent my first 20 years with horses...ate, slept, breathed horses.

The next 20 years I was totaly away from horses, but I ate, slept, and breathed raising my kids, building a family, career etc...(secretly knowing I would have horse in my life again).

So now I'm in my 3rd 20 year cycle and once again eat, sleep, breath horses. Still working the job...but working toward retirement...which will lead me into my

4th 20 year cycle...who knows what that will bring, but I doubt it will be void of the spirit of the horse, which I believe is in my blood. Probably most of us in this forum has horse blood mixed with their human blood, who knows...maybe in a past life we were all part of the same herd.

jackspark

In education we call it "Least Restrictive Environment". We try to place all kids where they can be the most successful and the least restricted. We should try our best to do the same for our horses and, for that matter, all of our "pets"

appellativo

Speaking of which....anybody know the typical period horses will go, when they are full of food, grass etc., until they start to graze again?

jackspark

Every one of mine has a different time. Not certain my young mare ever stops grazing

PasoBaby_CarolU

I wonder how many people would stall their horses if it was called, "solitary confinement"?

bit

I do notice the horses will drink after breakfast, and then nap for an hour or so. Then they graze, then nap, then graze, maybe play, then nap...They hit certain pastures at certain times, they nap in different places depending on flies. There is a serene rhythm like those little waves that dance in and out making that whispery sound. Do they get full? I don't know. Little bits, all day, whenever they want. I don't think full is the point, so much. It's moving with the herd, having a rhythm to the day, having something to DO. Doing whatever they want, within the rules of the herd, and having a choice. Not so different from us. We all want the same things, to feel safe, to feel loved, to have purpose, to know joy. I would hate solitary confinement. It would be the death of who I am. Maybe that explains a lot.

jackspark

None of my animals are stalled, or caged. I can't handle it myself so it doesn't happen to them either.

Even at school when the kids bring in critters all I'll agree to is observation and then release.

PasoBaby_CarolU

Well, I do know that stalls are necessary for many people...acreage isn't readily available in cities and many stables have too many horses for paddocks. Also, a lot of people stall in the winter at night. So, stalls have their place, it's just that I think a lot of people don't think twice about what their horse would like.

misstux

One of the reasons that I gave Scout back to Kati was that he would be living in a 40 acre pasture with several other horses and doing ranch work rather than being in an arena all the time. There were 3 people who wanted him. Person #2 had 50 years experience w/ mustangs and preferred riding a gelding w/ at least 2 years on the range before being gathered and would be doing back country packing. Person #3 had no trail access, a very small arena and nowhere safe to turn Scout out, so he would have been in a stall and 24x24 paddock unless he was being ridden. Scout loves both Kati and person #3. I gave her person #2's contact info in case things don't work out. Scout only tolerates arena work unless it is something fun like playing soccer.

jackspark

A well thought out decision, in the best interest of Scout.

Peeperpuppy

My horses are among the unstalled. Stalls have their place & I don't poo-poo those who choose to stall but I wouldn't. My husband & I plan to move & build a house with stalls built onto the house but unless it's bad weather or someone's injured/sick... my horses will stay out to free graze unless they just want to come in.

My first barn was built in the 1800's & was a mule barn. The main room had a manger and a place to feed 1 critter then there were 2 HUGE stalls. If an animal was sick or injured they could move around & not feel hemmed up too much. That's what I like.

For the mostly due to how my own life is panning out. I was born & raised on the farm I own & in the last 10 years have developes horrible allergies. In the last 2 years so bad that I get blisters on my skin (a reaction to my body being over stimulated in reaction to the oogie-boogies I'm allergic to. So my own stall - albeit it a high class fancy stall (my house)- has in part become a bit of my own prison - of sorts. I clean, I decorate, I move things around. I spend too much time on the computer but what I want is outside.

merle