Where have all the Horses gone?

I've arrived in London and am now sitting in front of  a bowl of steaming porridge, waiting to go into one of those huge, opulent (and life sucking) office towers in the Finance District.  It's a far step away from the farm, freah air and my horses.

Sitting here, it's so easy to slip into a life of on hand cappuccino's, convenience and coffee shops.

For me, what's most important about today is the need to stay connected to my other real life the one beyond jargon strewn sentences and ego filled chairs.  It's on these unproductive 'office days', when I have physically left behind me a world of frost tinged beauty and crisp crunchy earth, that I have to keep reminding myself -  "I''ll be back there tomorrow!" Thank God!

The relief and appreciation I feel knowing city life is temporary, made me ponder today the very opposite scenario and what it would be like, to be in a world without horses.

Nature is in a horse's DNA and their DNA is within Nature.  Species of all sizes, shapes and origins seem to be more alive, aware and in tune with who they are,  than most humans I encounter.  Who has the greater intelligence, really?!

So, imagine a day where horses would no longer exist! As you drive through the countryside, down narrow lanes, fields either side - there's not a horse in sight!

Would you notice?  Would you wonder what happened? Who would care?

I suspect many thousands of us would be devastated, noticing the gaping hole in the landscape and feeling a huge loss and fear of how to fill the casm?

It doesn't worry me on a daily basis per say, yet the readiness with which we misuse nature and her gifts,  in an age of so called 'reason' does make me pause and ponder life without such treasures.  I'm shocked and saddened when children grow up without knowing what a Fox is or looks like.  When children don't play on beaches, in woods, in streams or run through fields.

Grace having fun

So full of life!

On a personal note I couldn't be without horses in my life.  Grace (my youngest horse) is currently 9.  I am 50.  Hoping and expecting that she will live into her late 20's I will be 70!  My husband is horrified at the thought of another 20 years of 'horses first' in my life's priority list!  I remind him he has plenty of time to get used to the idea!

I don't worry about my ability to look after her in her old age.  I just worry that when she's no longer around I'll be too old to take on another.  How would I live?  What will fill my soul every waking hour? What would I fill my time with?  How will I be inspired and rejuvenated on a daily basis?

TV won't ever match up that's for sure.  Clever conversation - well maybe!  It makes me realise the importance of knowing your life's 'calling', purpose and passion - and to fill every waking moment with as much of 'it' as you can get,  until the day we close our eyes for that long deep sleep!

If we could are granted one wish, I hope it would be to keep our horses healthy, happy, and very much an important part of our lives and landscape. They touch is such unexplainable ways and I believe we need that - ours and their freedom is inextricably entwined.  Good!

Vicious Circles and Red Shoes

Have you ever glanced out of a car window and caught a glimpse of something on the other side of the road that reminds you of how far away from your real life you are, right now?

I was being driven along a Belgium highway the A102 heading to Brussels airport, on a rainy afternoon, and on the opposite side of the carriageway I saw a car pulling a horse trailer and in a nano second I heard my thoughts cluster into a mass of "there's my other life -  the real me going past"!

"IT" (your real life) can sometimes seem so far away.  At my side was a designer handbag and briefcase, IPhone, Mac laptop  and swaths of budget documents. I was destined for a London meeting scheduled in a few hours time. How important I must be - being chauffeur driven at speed to my next appointment in an other country! Yet, in fact how very unimportantt I actually felt in life's grand scheme of things and my overall life's purpose.

In that moment, where would I rather have been - 'suited and booted' in a speeding car or pulling a horse trailer in my muck boots and baseball cap?  How did I get to be so far away from my 'True North?'

The answer is complex.  The more horses I have the more I have to leave them to work to pay for them, watching others enjoy nature and being outdoors.  To stop working means no horses, hence the vicious circle!  Agghhh!   If only I could find my red shoes to take me back home!

Some say... 'be careful what you ask for in life....' To prove a point within just a few months of that rainy thought provoking drive,  I was looking after 9 horses (including my own herd of 3), 24 x 7 for 8 straight days.  

The physical regime was a shock to the system for sure.  Not just the mucking out, muck heap stepping, and yard sweeping but all the walking involved!  I had my step counter going and cranked up between 22,000 and 31,000 steps a day! Needless to say I shed some pounds, toned up legs and arms and inherited a few deep shoulder knots - all very welcome losses and gains!

It felt fantastic to be outside all day long.  I felt alive and inspired unlocking gates at 7am before daylight, on my own with only the dawn's chorus of crows keeping me company.

I loved the end of the day, doing late night checks, just me and the horses, everyone relaxed and quietly munching hay.  I'd never have known hay munching could sound so relaxing over-shadowed only by the call of night Owls. 

It was a treat to find my guys snoozing peacefully in their beds  - I too slept like a baby!

Essy

I guess we discover a few things about ourselves when we leap into someone else's shoes and life for a week.

Inside the boots of a yard manager revealed the immense responsibility that comes with looking after other people's horses and property.  You watch every cloud and study every TV weather forecast for signs you need to lock down anything the wind could take, or vary the horse's routine for tomorrow.  At times being on your own you realise the risks you take - of injury, accident or just hitting problems on your own.

Then there's the daily challenge of "Rug Management" which in my view should be a compulsory curriculum topic at school. There's all the different weights, liners, neck attachments, leg straps, belly straps, breaking straps, rugs that dry over night and rugs that don't.

It was a unique experience to have friends and family turn up at work to help out!  In my corporate day job there's no way 'the old woman' could show up and chip in!

Here she is collecting rubbish, and climbing fences en route to filling in rabbit holes!

Old Woman at Work!

Old Woman fence climbing at 76!

It's also heartwarming and inspiring when someone else's mum turns up for a morning's hard labour for some muck heap compression!

Muck Heap Jumping!

I did learn that when you spend 28 years of your life in one career, it's hard to leave it totally behind you as you step into another line of work.  For me, it was impossible not to turn each day into a tightly managed agenda with each activity timed to precision to make sure each day was fully productive.

Given another week at the helm and I like to think I'd have found the space to let go of thoughts of productivity and efficiency but who knows, maybe that habit is a part of my personality and drive, and nothing to do with my chosen career?

I'd have lost a lot more weight too - a great feeling to fit in clothes comfortably and not crave sugar and food all day long despite such a physical workout!

It's good to try your hand at something new.  I felt lucky to have a brief glimpse into a lifestyle I've often wondered if I could do.  Would I want to, long term?  Could I do it?  Its been a privilege and honour to have some up to date insight to help me work all that out.....!

My final thanks for a great week in my life go to my herd and Mr Esquire for keeping us all going with a friendly nudge and cuddle -  when we were ready to drop!

Essy Demanding Cuddles!