Spirits in Unity First Column and introduction by Garry “Horsetalker” Meek

CFN – This is the first Column of “Spirits in Unity” being published by CFN for the community of Stormont Dundas & Glengarry.

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It is an honor to have you as a reader. I welcome any comments, questions or topics you would like me to discuss.  I hope you enjoy reading about the wonderful world of horses and the impact that natural horsemanship can have in making it a better world for both horses and humans.

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 I have always been a horse lover, ever since a relative of mine gave me a leather bound copy of Anna May Sewell’s Black Beauty when I was 8 years old.  After reading that book, I decided that I was going to save all the abused horses in the world. In our family at the time I had several relatives who had horses and I longed to connect with them but got little opportunity.

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The reality of horse abuse was introduced to me when I was 9 years old during a visit to my uncle’s farm in the USA. He had a pair of beautiful Belgian draft horses and, on one of our visits, I watched intently as he hitched up his team.  They were being a bit fussy and without warning my uncle picked up a nearby two by four and struck one of the horses over the head with it with a resounding thud.  The horse staggered and shook her head.

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That was the first time I ever heard my dad swear as he exclaimed to his brother-in-law “What the “H’ did you do that for?”  My uncle’s reply, “That was to get her attention”.  In my young mind I remember thinking, “I had better pay attention around here”.  I never went near my uncle or his horses again after that visit.

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 Oddly enough, years later, I would come across a Belgian mare named Laney and would fall in love with her.  Perhaps it was memories of those other poor unfortunate horses of my uncle that resurfaced.  I was determined to give Laney all the love she needed and I bought her, but things soon started to go off the rails as severe behavioral problems began to occur.  I had just been part of the world of natural horsemanship as a result of attending a Pat Parelli seminar in Milton, Ontario and so I was still pretty green as far as horsemanship skills were concerned.  As much as I tried to apply the principles and techniques of natural training, things got so bad that I finally decided that maybe it was time to part with her for fears that she might hurt someone at our barn.

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One day a man showed up at the barn to inquire if I had any horses for sale.  He made an offer for Laney and I was tempted to take him up on it, but one of our boarders took me aside and told me that this man purchased horses for the meat trade.  My heart sank. As Laney stood there looking at me with those big beautiful brown eyes I had a compete meltdown.  All those thoughts of my youth of helping to make it a better world for horses came flooding back.  I just couldn’t part with her.  So what was I to do?

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 I realized that love alone wasn’t the answer.  Where would I get help?  There was no one locally who had any ideas except for using fear, force, punishment etc. and that was just not an option for me.

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But you will have to wait until next week to learn how a young horsewoman from British Columbia saved my mare from slaughter and what has become of Laney. The predominant horse in our promotional material for “Spirits in Unity” features Laney.  That may give you a clue as to whether this story is going to have a happy ending or not.

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 Future columns will feature anecdotes of one man’s horsemanship journey and what I learned about lfe from horses as well as tips on how to improve your relationship with your horse if you have one.  We will also deal with the nature of horse abuse, horse rescues, the healing power of horses, and much more.

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 Whether you are just a horse lover, have dreams of owning a horse someday, or already have one, I hope my columns will give you a special insight into the true nature of horses. I hope that you will find them both informative and inspirational.

May all your dreams come true,

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Garry “Horsetalker” Meek

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You can learn more about Horsetalker and “Spirits in Unity” at www.droghedamanor.com

You can contact us at droghedamanor@gmail.com