THE HORSE LISTENER
Family ties We are only just beginning to understand the strength of the bonds between family groups of horses, writes CANDIDA BAKER.
F
or those of us who own or love horses, there is absolutely no doubt that they are ‘sentient’ beings. Asking us if our horse has feelings is a bit like questioning that night follows day, to be honest. Over the years I’ve witnessed happy horses, sad horses, depressed horses, playing horses, thinking horses, dreaming horses, joyous horses, angry horses, grieving horses and even jealous horses. But even so, particularly for those involved in the equine industry, there comes a point where sentiment has to be ignored for practicality. On a breeding stud, foals are weaned, grown and sold. Horse ‘families’ rarely stay together, and although many of us may have seen horses grieve when other horses they are bonded with leave them, the idea of family ties being as strong as those that bind human relationships is not something that most of us have had the chance to observe. Earlier this year while I was presenting at the International New Zealand Spirit Horse Festival, which is held at Dune Lakes Lodge, about an hour’s drive from Auckland, I was privileged to meet founder Rosemary Wyndham-Jones’ warmblood horse herd, many of whom are direct descendants from the two mares she brought out to New Zealand
32
with her from the UK some decades before. Mary, the great-grandmother and matriarch is still going strong at 33, her daughter Jodie sadly passed some years before. This herd, which is only part of the larger herd, includes one of Mary’s great-grandsons, Susha, a beautiful chestnut gelding, who came down with a serious case of colic some months ago. It became literally a matter of life and death, and the vet was clear that surgery (expensive and often not successful) was the only option. Susha underwent surgery, and came through, only to embark on a see-saw of some more minor bouts of colic, which resulted in him coming and going from the vet hospital for the next month or so. Separated from his herd during treatment, he was cared for night and day by Rosemary, her friends and the Dune Lakes staff. Gradually, against all odds, Susha improved. Rosemary simplified his diet extensively, and finally the grand day arrived when not only was he back at home, but also allowed out in the round yard to graze. And this was where the magic happened. Hasanka Perera, who works with Rosemary on the festival, and spends
HORSEVIBES MAGAZINE - SEPTEMBER 2019
