For the Love of Horses and Classical Art, The Beginnings by Cheryl
When Becky asked me to join Carry Forth Tradition representing the equestrian arts, I was delighted! So many concepts and traditions among true horseman and women rattled through my brain. I was flooded with ideas and different ways to express the magic, beauty and arts that represent the true value and joy of working with horses and the people who love them!
I've had many starts, most of which will be offered up here on the Carry Forth site in the future. However, deciding on a single starting point was a bit of a challenge.
So I'll start here!
My 10 year old Westphalian gelding, Formal Affair, AKA as Flair
Photo by Michael Cupoli II
Truly falling in love with horses seems to be something MOST of the horse people I know are born with. As children each time they pass a field, or any area really, that has ponies or horses their hearts reach out to their equine 'friends', even if they have never been near enough to touch one yet! If a horse movie comes on television they watch with an attention span that will NOT respond well to being interrupted! Regardless of age these 'symptoms' appear to those with the 'horse crazy gene'. If they miss the chance as children, as adults they often dream of horses and long for the beauty those magical and beautiful beings represent in their dreams.
Most of my friends had tons of books filled with horse stories, Breyer horse statues, or stuffed horses, pictures on their walls and pretty much anything that represented the magic they felt about horses!
I was one of the lucky ones, I had ponies and horses of my own very early in life! Though I'm a life-long learner one of the things that first caught my attention is how horses responded to me. They watched me, smelled me and took in my essence. They literally evaluated me in their own horse way, found in me something they were drawn to and truly carried for me as well as responded to me. I was meant to ride and work with horses and the people who love them. I knew that at 10 years old. The joy of being with horses and in nature has only grown since then and served to bring me many wonderful lessons of the heart!
While I served in the United States Air Force for 20 years, horses remained a constant even then!
Please join me as I share the beauty of the ancient art of classical, and mindful process of the equestrian heritage!