There are many causes for a spirit to end up broken.

Speaking from my experience I can share a few. Anything that goes against the horse’s will is a sure way to start cracking the spirit. Anything that has to do with brutality and results in pain for the horse, and anything that has negative emotions attached to the interaction with a horse counts as a blemisher. Abandonment, over-training, under feeding, and poor care can all become the root cause for broken spirits.

Five out of six horses in my herd came with some kind of compromised spirit. One was never allowed to break down and honor any physical ailments. One was trained with lots of restrain as a young horse (head tied to the saddle to learn to “give”), which left him with fear of restraints.

One still suffers from separation anxiety, she was forced to stay alone when her dear herd mate was sold. One was started way too young, sent to the show ring over and over, and needed a lot of body work and gentle exercise to bring his sensitive body back into balance. Last but not least, there is Jesse … he was never appreciated for his inside, only utilized for his physical prowess until he hit his early thierties.

Why do I feel it is our job to help horses recover from a broken spirit? Because I feel it is unnecessary to treat another being with less than the utmost respect. I don’t believe in kicking dogs, I don’t believe in drowning cats. Why would I believe in punishing horses?

What can we do to help horses recover from such traumatic and often painful experiences? Let me count the ways … we can do less and listen more. We can put our needs behind theirs. We can take our time and not rush. And, we can have the best intention behind every action.

Most people think the horse is there “for them”. The horse is a stress reliever, the horse is a shoulder to cry on, the horse provides a sense of freedom as it carries me around the world. And if a horse does not deliver on any of my self-proclaimed wishes it becomes a burden, it becomes an expense, it becomes … useless.

That’s why there are so many horses at the auction. Their owners or caretakers had not enough patience to see them through an illness or injury, or not enough love to keep them despite their ailment. At that point the horse was not part of a heart connection, it was part of a business deal. Too bad the horse never got to read the contract.

The way I see it, any horse I take on is my responsibility. Any being I take on, child, cat dog or bird, becomes my responsibility. I care for their well-being until the day they die, while hoping I don’t die first. Taking on that responsibility does not mean I need to be perfect. I only need to have the best intentions behind my actions. Horses are very forgiving, they know intentions, they understand if we do the best we can … and if we mean well. The recovering spirits in my herd confirm that every day.