HELPING HORSES HEAL by Carol Grubb
All three horses I have had the privilege of sharing my heart and home with the last nine years shared common characteristics: All mares and none could come even close to passing their pre-purchase veterinarian exam. Each had their own set of unique problems, covering the gamut of mental, emotional and physical trauma. Some of the damage had been inflicted out of ignorance: pushed beyond physical and emotional limits with rigorous, stressful training on young bodies not yet physically developed, use of severe bitting and head restraints forcing them into unnatural positions and interfering with the beauty and grace of their natural movement, equipment that damaged backs and produced muscle wastage. Other damage had been intentional, with unimaginable cruelty and abuse. The list was long and heartbreaking.
I went into each relationship with eyes wide open, the vet exam merely an information tool to help clarify what I might be dealing with on the long road to healing. I didn't consider myself an expert, or even knowledgeable or skilled in horse rehabilitation. I knew each one would be a project, but each deserved a second chance. My job would be to find the resources that could provide direction and assistance on this difficult journey.
The first was Libra, a lovely thoroughbred. A racetrack reject that ran consistently out of the money, her second career was that of a show horse, taught to jump high and fast. Years of stress, hard training, and rough handling had taken its toll. Sweet and social, she was an emotional and physical wreck. Prone to aerial acrobatics while mounted, and pulling back and falling over backwards while being led, she usually injured herself during these emotional outbursts.. We made progress, slowly, in her mental and emotional fitness as we worked our way through every Natural Horsemanship Principle I could find. Physical problems continued to plague her, and jeopardized the ability to ride her at all. In September of 2001, I attended a presentation by Carol Brett and Lesley Ann Taylor from BALANCE International. I contacted them for a consultation. Their caring, kindness, and concern were amazing. They helped me understand the connection between providing comfort and freedom of movement with the equipment used on the ridden horse. I rode her only bareback after our conversation, and waited for a sample saddle to assist with her physical healing. Relief in her comfort while ridden was evident immediately. Sadly, this wonderful mare lost her valiant battle with cancer before we received the sample saddle. As Carol Brett mentioned many months later, maybe part of Libra's journey was to lead me to the BALANCE organization. I believe that. Having found this most incredible resource with Carol and Lesley, I continued, with their help, on the path to a "wholeistic" approach with the other horses in my life.
Lailah is a gorgeous Quarter horse, purchased for my daughters for their "first horse". Against the advice of my vet, I decided to bring her home with us anyway, aware of her numerous physical problems and anxious to remove her from the surrounding where we found her. She would not be ridden hard, and we had no aspirations to continue her "show" career. The girls wanted a horse to love and learn to ride on; she seemed to fit both requirements. Once home, her sweet nature suddenly turned "explosive" when approached with a saddle. Hmmmm, this didn't seem tough to figure out! I sent Lailah's pictures and measurements to BALANCE and received a sample saddle, much to Lailah's relief. She no longer squealed, spun and kicked when approached with a saddle. Now, we needed to help her relearn "natural" horse movement.
Promise entered our lives shortly after Libra's death. The tragic victim of a horrible abuse case, she had survived suffering beyond imagination, due only to her incredible heart and will to live. I didn't bother with a pre-purchase exam-I had followed her court case in the newspapers, and cried when I saw the pictures of her injuries, presented at her abuser's trial. I met with Carol and Lesley at a conference, bringing a videotape of both Lailah and Promise for them to evaluate. Exhausted as they were after conference presentations, they made time to review the tape and discuss their Remedial Program, designed to assist horses "recover their natural behavioural movement and postural patterns, altered by previous saddles, physical and/or psychological trauma." Once home, we started immediately with their "Remediation". The positive changes in both of these wonderful horses are truly incredible.
The BALANCE "wholeistic" approach is beyond description, that resource I so desperately needed.
Thank you from all of us, Carol and Lesley, for helping horses heal.
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