It’s not the looks, the flash, or the fancy that makes what horse people call a “heart horse”. It’s the bond. The connection between the human and the animal.
The first time I felt this type of a bond was in 2011. Beau was a little over 15 hands, dark bay OTTB lesson horse. I felt the connection after he bit me while I was tightening his girth. Weird, I know, but when it happened, our eyes locked, and I was hooked. He wasn’t a beginner horse. He was bouncy and moody. Yet, he taught me a lot about riding well. I had to work hard to help him listen to my aids. He was a stereotypical OTTB with sensitive skin and an ample amount of personality quirks. Every weekend I would go visit him at the barn to offer a carrot and a scratch. He would just stand there and listen to me talk. Sometimes, he would even lay his head in my lap. When he got sick and had to be put down, my heart broke into pieces.
That magical bond can happen with any species. You know them the moment you meet them. When the foal is born and lifts his head and meets your eye, or you go to the auction and there’s this one, maybe not the biggest or the prettiest or the fanciest and often it’s everything you said you did not want, but it’s the one you came for. Or the stray cat slips through your door and stays, or the dog comes up to you at the shelter or in the breeder’s puppy nursery and that’s it. That’s the one you belong to.
Unlike dogs and cats, horses do not live in the same space as the human. But the bond is no less strong. The horse has its own life and space while still being deeply connected with the human. The bond is not even dependent on doing things with the horse, like riding, or driving. Riding adds a unique dimension. The cat in your lap or the dog at your side has a definite physical connection. With a horse, you have a much larger animal that is consenting to carry you. Any horse will connect with you when you ride. You’re sitting on its back, communicating with it, asking it to do things for you. Most horses will cooperate because they are inherently generous in their nature. A well-matched pair can accomplish a great deal together and be very happy in their partnership.
In the spring of 2020, we were forced to look for a new barn. The barn my daughter and I were riding at shut its doors to outside riders due to COVID. I didn’t want to wait for the pandemic to dissipate before I could ride again. So, I asked around for recommendations and that’s how we found the Overlook Farm. After a few lessons on one of the school masters, my instructor felt like it was time for me to try one of the upper-level dressage horses. I was thrilled, but the moment I started trotting, I realized she pulled a shoe off and I had to get off. Other beginner horses had already been assigned their riders and were happily trotting around the ring. But that’s how I met Liam.
Liam is 16.1 hands, 14-year-old Warmblood Holsteiner. He came to the Overlook Farm in 2019 after competing in a hunter jumper world and starting to dip his toes in a dressage. He was nervous, lacked confidence and was very sensitive. By the time I was introduced to him, he was giving a very limited number of lessons. Absolutely, no beginner riders. The first time I rode him, I was scared to death. It felt like at any point he could just disappear from underneath me. It took a lot of body strength and balance to stay on. As the lesson progressed, I could feel how my energy was feeding his. I don’t have to tell you how disappointed I was with myself after the lesson. Hence, I asked my instructor to ride Liam again next week. Well, I have been riding him ever since!
Liam is my “heart horse”. Every time I am with him, I feel as if he was custom-made for me, and I for him. When I pull into the parking lot, his head pops up in a distance. He comes up to me when I call. He follows me in the arena while I am setting up a course or walking over to the mounting block. When I sit on his back, I feel like I belong. He taught me to be patient, flexible and be in the moment. If you know me, you know that those are not my natural traits. I had to push myself to be better if I wanted to ride him. I always listen to Liam first but also challenge us to try something new, so we continue to grow as a team. Liam is the inspiration behind many of my posts on this blog. Even though I don’t own him, he is “mine” and I am his.
This kind of bond is not terribly rare, but it’s not common, either. When it happens, it’s a profound and special thing. Liam’s soul compliments mine. When we are in sync, he makes me feel like we can conquer the world. When I pull into the barn, his are the first pair of ears I want to see. I find it easy to fall in love with horses, I always have. But the heart horses are the ones that give you their heart in return and those are the horses we cherish above all others.
