My Soul Herd
A holistic horse herd has a communal mind. A mutual intelligence which supports each individual, as well as organising the whole group. Each member can sense that they are a part of this energetic bubble, and they feel secure and accepted within it. I call my herd holistic because they live together all the time and are as independent as possible. Although I am their caretaker, I do not consider myself their owner. I have come to understand that the horses are responsible for their own lives.
Such a horse herd can access wisdom and information beyond what we might imagine possible. They know what is happening with the people in their lives. They will often absorb or reflect our issues and resolve or manifest them to help us figure things out. Horses have very powerful connections with the universe and we can feel that, it is why many of us seek out their company.
Rafael
Rafael is the oldest member of our herd. He has lived a challenging life. He was a cryptorchid when we first met him, and he was not in harmony with his owners. We were able to offer him freedom from human expectations.
At first he lived as a stallion, with his small family of mares. He was always infinitely gentle with people, although we developed genuine trust over many years. Then it seemed the right time for him to undergo the operation so he could live in peace with other geldings.
This seemed to unburden him of the weight of responsibility, and he is able to enjoy a more tranquil life. Although he can be a strong leader with his herd, Rafi has always been incredibly gentle and conscientious with people, especially children. He has been the greatest teacher of patience and acceptance. When he feels that there is true willingness to be without pressure, he will engage without question.
Quaramba
Quaramba has been with me since she was six months old. She came from a large commercial stud and she has performance breeding lines. I have focused my attention on disengaging from expectations and agendas to liberate and strengthen our relationship. She is deeply affectionate and also sympathetic towards people.
She also senses immediately an intention to force her to do something. This has been very helpful for me in developing a genuinely egalitarian interaction which relies neither on force nor bribery. There is a core of steel within her that melts when she is listened to and connected with in authentic dialogue. If she was badly treated she would fight like a tiger, yet she will always accommodate people it is important.
Honey
Honey is as angelic as her beautiful golden mane and her white face suggest. Although she is chestnut, in my mind she is golden like a palomino. She did have some anger to release, especially about having her feet trimmed. Now she is happy that she can choose when she feels ready for this or not. Her original name is Symphonie, which is beautiful also, yet somehow we didn’t go back to this name.
I discovered that she had a beautiful baby earlier on in her life, and later she was a beloved pony doing all the pony club style of activities. She was so joyful to join a herd again when she arrived. Her best friends are Aimée and Totti. Often she gives gifts to people who visit, she can give love in any form, she will give support and acknowledgment of awakening.
Marie
Marie is definitely a Unicorn, she is such a magical horse! The longer her mane grows, the happier she is feeling! She healed considerable trauma in the early years with me, which caused her to panic easily.
Since then she has been growing deeper and stronger roots into the herd. Her personality is multicoloured, sometimes fiery and challenging, sometimes dreamy and cuddly. She is also a master healer. Marie will often approach visitors to the herd to work with them. She has an affinity with human beings, similar to Arabian horses.
When Gorrion arrived they both fell in love, and they are always looking out for each other in sweet little ways. Marie is also very close to Quaramba, in a motherly way and she feels responsible for her safety.
Gorrion
When Gorrion arrived he had several years of natural rehabilitation with the herd. He started healing his feet and the joints in his legs first, which were in an inflammatory state. Then his system focused more into his spine and in parallel his intestines, which were ulcerated to some degree, and then his lungs which had some membrane damage also.
Along with this physical rehabilitation, he was also healing his mind. His personality is returning like little green seedlings pushing through the soil. Gorrion has a deeply gentle nature. He had an air of perpetual, low level sufferance when he arrived, which has melted away and been replaced by a tougher, more confident outlook. Recently he was ready to start riding work again which makes him feel good.
Totti
Totale or Totti as we call her, was born in a holistic horse herd, and came to us with her mother. Her mother, who was named Camille, had another baby, we named Uno. Totti looked after him from the very beginning.
For some years Uno and Totti were such a strong unit that they didn’t really mix with the other horses at all. When we moved here to Labarrere and split off from the mother herd, Uno stayed behind, and after a while Totti started to make friends with other horses.
Now she is one of the core members, and she has grown even more assured and confident in herself. She always knows exactly what she wants to do. In energetic communication she is deeply sensitive, and engages in the subtlest of conversations.
Aimee
Aimee travelled from Scotland to France with the original herd in 2004. She was four years old then, and a sensitive, gentle filly who took fright easily. Mojo, her half brother, moved on from his body in 2018. We have travelled a long road in our relationship.
Aimee opened many doors in my mind, and helped me to let go of having to do things in a certain way. Especially helping me to understanding the gift of letting ‘no’ be ‘no’, and feeling reverence for the process itself.
Aimee taught me about the path between worlds, that we can choose to come and go. These days Aimee is a strong and balanced being. She has mastered her horse body, and she has become a sage in her relations with people. She can integrate with, and harmonise human ‘doing energy’. Generosity, kindness and understanding all radiate from her.
Cheyenne
Cheyenne has a courageous and independent personality, and appreciates vulnerability in people. She loves close contact and affection. She is highly aware of lack of trust in her, and can become hostile when she senses this.
This is why she is a perfect teacher for people. She demonstrates perfectly how defencelessness can open every door. She was a little run down physically when she arrived, and once she rehabbed into the holistic life she became shiny and round and the picture of health. Cheyenne has now left the herd to be closer to where her guardian Linda lives.
Best Friends & Cuddles
Herd Members in Spirit
Dechie and Mojo have left their physical bodies, yet they are still part of the holistic herd in spirit. They both came from Scotland, and we had many wonderful experiences together. From Dechie I learned so much about boundaries. How they need to be acknowledged, and in truly doing that, they can melt, and we can merge together, horse and human. Mojo was such a generous horse, and I’m sure he gave more than he was comfortable with. Understanding how this felt was such a valuable gift from him, and I will not choose that path again. Discovering unconditional love has been another priceless gift from all the horses.
