Books with Spirit - Horse Riding

As the clinic went on, we became aware that Shade had had a desperate life.  He was born to a thoroughbred mare who was pregnant to the Welsh teaser stallion.  The owners of the stud took the foal from his mother and arranged for him to be shot.  A worker at the stud disobeyed them, took the baby Shade home and hand reared him.

There were a number of stories that Crystal told to demonstrate how badly behaved Shade was.  Please bear with me if, secondhand, I’ve inadvertently altered the story a little.

One ride with the Army Saddle Club took 152 horse and riders for 7 hours through the army rifle range up to where the kaimanawa’s (that’s the kiwi brumby) roam in the mountains.  Shade was playing up right from the beginning.  Crystal kept going because she thought he would settle down.  Only he didn’t. 

At one point the leader of the ride announced that they were going through a landmine area.  He said that the landmines had been cleared for two metres from the side of the track and it was important to stay on the track.  (Who the heck hasn’t had a horse jump more than two metres sideways at some point?!!!)  He brandished a gun.  ”If your horse’s leg gets blown off, this gun is to shoot it with - so stay on the bloody track.”  Yeah I’m probably thinking the same thing as you!

Shade just played up worse.  He jacked up and wouldn’t go forward until the other riders were way into the distance, he bucked, reared and pigrooted his way through this ride.  He and Crystal were already way past the point where she could have got floated back out. 

Then they had to turn around and come back the same way the next day.  What a nightmare.

Crystal is almost deaf.  No hearing in one ear and half in the other, decreasing with time. 

And yes, we got to understand that Shade was protecting her.  What a wonderful spirit he has had, to face all that disapproval and sometimes downright hatred in his job to keep his mum safe.

As Crystal added the techniques of Bobby’s Diaries and the Spirit of Horse clinic to her own skills that she’d developed as she lost her hearing, she developed a substitute for hearing with her ears.  And if Mum is listening with new awareness, then Shade doesn’t need to protect her. 

Sometimes I could burst with pride at what Bobby has brought to the world.  If you want to look at the amazing book that this clinic was based on, “Bobby’s Diaries - Straight from the Horse’s Mouth to You”, click here.

You don’t have to have have a problem with your horese to get awesome results from this book or the Spirit of Horse clinic.  You just have to have a desire for an amazing relationship!