Howdy Friends! Why am I a Horse Advocate?
A young woman emailed me recently to ask, “I have a personal question: What made you want to be a horse advocate? It’s just amazing the work you do!”
I responded, “Thanks! … I do explain why I began to advocate for horses in my book, ‘It’s For The Horses.’ How my childhood, the room years, the farm I was dumped off on at the age of nine, all affected me. And my attitude with horses.
Blessing of my mentor.
What I don’t go into in, ‘It’s for the Horses,’ is how the years working with, and learning from, my mentor Diane J. Sept gripped me. How mentoring with her as she helped, and taught others, often exposed me to things that stunned me. At times ripped out my heart. At times trampled my emotions at things people could, and would do, to horses. Often on purpose. But far too many times out of blissful ignorance.
Unnatural, wrong and even harmful things.
That ignorance, innocently born of the truth that unnatural, wrong and even harmful things viewed long enough as normal – become accepted as normal. But those things are not natural, correct or even acceptable to me. And certainly not to the horses.
So I decided in any small way that I might be able, I would endeavor to help folks see their relationship with their horses, or any horse, from the horses’ perspective.
We must always ask;
Do I do what I do for my horse, or for me? There is a difference. A difference that matters to the horse.
That is why I’m a horse advocate … ‘It’s for the Horses.’ Thank you for asking.”
The young woman replied;
“That was probably the most beautiful thing I have ever read! I just had to know!! You are very dedicated to what you do! And I want to be just like you!” …
There ya go! If by being an advocate for the horse, I can help folks begin to see things from the horse’s perspective, then by golly, That’s why I’m a horse advocate. And this I’ll do, by God’s hand. ~ Gitty Up, Dutch.
