The Spring Equinox has arrived, but it’s still cold and wintery here at the sanctuary. April in the northeast is a month that can’t decide if it’s playing for Team Spring or Team Winter. One day it’s 50 degrees and sunny, the next it’s high winds and heavy snow. Winter coats are still required here. Yep. We’re excited to share all the rescue work that has happened over the last days of 2024 and the beginning of 2025. Autumn was a riot of color and then, whoosh… a wind storm left the branches bare and the ground aglow, reminding this writer of her grandparents’ red and orange 70’s shag carpet… but prettier. The geese took to the sky in V formation, honking their goodbyes as they headed south for margaritas on the beach. The first snowfall magically appeared on Thanksgiving Day and we enjoyed a white Christmas.
January ushered in chilly storms that covered the property with a deceptive layer of ice beneath the snow. The dogs and horses had a grand old time rolling in the snow, but we caregivers stepped cautiously in a vain effort to remain upright. Then the inevitable misplaced step on a patch of ice would whisk the ground out from under our boots, sending grain buckets flying and leaving us staring up at the sky. Perfect for making angels in the snow while the horses tried to hide their amusement at the rather limited abilities of the two-legged humans to navigate a simple winter landscape.
Amidst the snowy winter wonderland, the equines politely declined to pull a one-horse open sleigh, citing arthritis, sore hooves and old racing injuries. They are happily retired, thank you very much. But there is one job that our horses are highly capable of and delighted to fulfill: healing. Winston Churchill once said “There’s something about the outside of a horse that’s good for the inside of a man.” We agree and are pleased to see the rise in equine-assisted therapies in recent years. Horses are natural heart healers who have an incredible ability to read and respond to human emotion by mirroring it back to the person. The heart of a horse has an electromagnetic field five times that of a human. They can offer enormous empathy and compassion, which is why equine-assisted therapies have been so successful with people who have experienced trauma or deep grief.
Our Founder Susan Bandy studied Linda Kohanov’s Eponaquest method and had the opportunity to visit a nearby equine facility to work with a horse named Kaylie. The assignment was to “join up” with the horse by establishing an energetic connection without the use of halter or lead rope. This sounds simple enough, but horse people know that it’s not always such an easy thing to convince a 1,200 pound animal to do your bidding. Susan introduced herself to Kaylie and invited her to walk together. Initially, Kaylie simply watched Susan stroll around the paddock. And then Kaylie began to follow her, moving up closer to walk beside her, matching her steps and stride with Susan’s. As they walked quietly together, Susan became aware of a feeling of deep peace and serenity. The experience was so profound that Susan didn’t want to leave the horse’s side. Perhaps it was the gift of what this gentle mare was silently communicating: “I see you. I will walk beside you. And I will share my heart with you.” Susan never saw Kaylie again. Kaylie crossed the Rainbow Bridge not long after their work together, but Susan will always treasure the memory of that magical connection. Spend time with horses. They are a triumph of evolution and a miracle of creation.