01/05/2024
This was my quarter horse Red. Hard to replace I imagine
What Happens when a Horse is Regarded as a Sentinel Being with the Potential to Engage in Intelligent Ways.
The Story of Red
Red was born in 1991 and passed away on Tuesday 8th Nov 2016. He was breed on our farm,his time with his mother was cut short due to her having cancer. Red very quickly became a family member engaging with Rachael our daughter who was only one year older than Red. Together they forged a caring and loving relationship. As the years passed Red was always steady, sensitive to others emotions and engaged with us in his own quiet way.
As he matured he took on the role of guardian to the young horses on our property. He made sure the young horses were protected and would herd off the mares till all the youngster had feed and watered first. He assisted me with training walking besides a young horse learning to lead, stepping forward when I stepped forward, he stood patiently in the float while youngsters learned to float load and calmed babies being weaned by staying with them and giving them reassurance that Mum may have gone to another paddock but Uncle Red was still there.
On several occasions he helped with other tasks, one particularly flighty youngster "Jack" would not stop on the circle while being lunged, Red stood in the middle of the circle with me watching, he suddenly sighed and ran out and cantered ahead of Jack and when I asked for a halt Red stopped, eventually Jack got it and Red returned to the center with me. He also helped with loading youngsters in floats and when they needed vet attention, standing beside them reassuring them that everything was ok.
His is a story of what takes place when you allow a horse to express himself in his own way, when you allow his natural God give talents to be unhindered and expressed in the most natural way.
Old horses are an essential part of a young horses life, they act as mentor, protector and role models, they are often put down as no longer useful but with age they develop wisdom, wisdom about their environment, wisdom about humans and human interaction, for me the most valued horses in my herd are the old horses.
I've had them push young horses into floats during bush-fires, show young horses how to get out of dangerous predicaments and I have had them protect me from harm as well.
Red was not a rare horse he was just a horse that was never harmed by the predator call human, he trusted us and learned our ways and he chose to impart what he knew to the young horses being born on our property.
Thankyou Red we have all been blessed.
