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The
Herd in the Living Room
Val Hampson,MA
It started as an idea to encourage
readers to get involved with Equus Spirit and share their horses and
photos. After all, Equus Spirit is about the horse- human relationship
and the heart and soul of horse and human. It would be like a person
sharing pictures of their beloved, or a parent showing shots of their
child, in a way, I thought.
....I also thought a calendar would be
pretty cool. Usually, horse calendars show dramatic photos of hunky
horses in breathtaking settings, professionally done, of course. The
photos are beautiful and can show the spirit of horse quite well. But,
we never know the horses’ stories, who their people are, or what they
mean to each other. How wonderful, I thought, to have a calendar of
extraordinary ordinary horses, everyday people and horses, focused on
the essence of the Spirit of Horse and the horse- human bond.
I hoped I’d get some good photos and
interesting stories.
I didn’t know what I was in for. When
you ask for the magnificent Spirit of Horse to be revealed…. well,
that’s like asking to be shown the power of the sun.
The photos and stories rolled in.
They were beautiful. The love that shone through was nearly palpable.
Some brought tears to my eyes, some a smile that went all the way to my
heart, still others brought a light dancing laugh.
I didn’t know the effect the photo
contest would have on me. In the weeks of calendar preparation, those
horses and their stories moved in with me. I had a huge herd full of
horses in my living room work space! I had to make seemingly unending
photo printouts to check for color and detail. They littered my floor,
first here and there, then in layers everywhere. Magnified bits of
stories, often poignant or miraculous, jumped up at me as I waded to get
my tea. There were horses that saved or healed humans and humans that
saved or healed horses. And horses that brought years of joy and love to
their people.
Horse eyes peered at me seeming to
say, “Listen….Listen”. The horses invited me into their pastures, their
stalls, the water for a swim... and their hearts. Their spirits moved
about the house with me and their stories whispered to me in bed.
I feel so very grateful to all of you
who sent in photos and accompanying stories. I was able to partake of a
sliver of your horses’ amazing spirits and tales. I was privy to one of
the most fulfilling relationships on earth…horse and human.
Horses, for quite some time now, have
been inextricably linked to humans. Even most wild horse herds are
heavily ‘managed’ today, as controversial as that may be. The physical
and much of the psychological welfare of horses is dependant upon
humans. As we give to them, they also give to us. They often permit us
to ride upon them. They are amazing teachers on so many levels from the
concrete and physical to the social, psychological, energetic, and
spiritual. They have helped many people heal. The love that is often
shared by horse and human goes very deep indeed and is of incalculable
value.
I happen to believe they are sentient
beings. For all our sakes, we had best honor, respect and increase our
understanding of them and our relationship. It is our sacred
responsibility.
I hope the contest photos and stories
and the calendar are one tiny additional step in that direction.
Equus Spirit is already accepting
photos for next year’s contest (Horse of the Year 2008)and calendar.
Submit your photos with (125 word or less) accompanying story and (25
word or less) business description/contact info. Please read the
important
photocontest guidelines.
Val Hampson, MA,
is EAGALA certified and a writer, horsewoman, educator, energy and qigong practitioner, psychotherapist,
and editor of Equus Spirit. Contact her at
valh@equusspirit.com
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