Most here will know my love for the natural world and animals. From where the inspiration for my photography art springs. But you might not know the depth of my feelings for, in particularly, horses.

My best friend was a horse in my young teens. Rarely a day goes by where I am not thinking of him and that feeling of connection I have only ever experienced with horses. I don’t understand it, but I feel it deeply.

One day in 2012 in the Burren, Ireland, I met his spirit again in the physical spitting image of him. We stood like this for close to an hour.

I wrote a little three-piece poetic tribute for him back then. His name was Jal.

Time cracked open
and gave way
to remembrance
of a long lost past
whispering
a true tale
of love
and friendship
between a horse
and a child

As a steel grey Pegasus
he had carried her
through the endless
dark forest
of a lost childhood
defeating a secret
world of loneliness
with poetic wings
stroking her desolate heart
and wounded soul

Secretly
riding into the night
lying on his back
looking up
at the moon
wondering
only 12 summers old;
there must be more
to this world

Through a Burren horse
carved in his image
they met again
She, once a child
now a woman
following the spirit
of his ancestors
wandering free
on desert winds
quietly living
the more
of this world

Increasingly, I have been drawn to the work of people being a voice for animals. Animals have voices but are often not heard. I have deep respect for people who show up to bear witness, to make a difference, to whom animals lives matter deeply, whilst knowing they will have their hearts broken over and over again but refuses to look away. Animals don’t stand a chance in the world we have created. But some of the lucky ones do, because of incredible people and courageous advocacy.

I have been and still am looking into how my existence can add to and be for the natural world and the animals and not take. “Feelings For Horses” series is the beginning of my small contribution to an incredible womans breathtaking and heartbreaking work.

One person whose stunning photography and deeply soulful advocacy through her “Rest in Power” tributes to the brumbies she knew, named and photographed is raising incredible and important awareness for the wild horses of Australia, to save the remaining few. Please follow this link to @brumby_strong on instagram if you don’t have an instagram account, and take your time to see her photographs and read her achingly beautiful words. It will blow your heart open. 

Kiki behind @brumby_strong has hiked through Kosciuzko National Park documenting who of her brumby family has been chased and shot from the air and ground by the Australian government, NSW National Parks and RSPCA Australia, and who of her brumby family remarkably remains wild and free. For now. She is one heck of a brumby strong woman !

To show support. To raise awareness. To marvel at her breathtaking photographs of the majestic brumbies, please visit her page. And if you have it in you, take action, suggestions on how, is also on her page. It will mean the world to her and might save the lives of the remaining brumbies. Make no mistake, their aim is to eradicate them entirely from the park! Strength in numbers. If enough knows. And show they know. 

For anyone not on instagram, please follow this link to her instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/brumby_strong/

animals Australian brumbies brumbies brumbyadvocacy brumbystrong Feelingsforhorses Hanne T. Fisker Photography Art Horses nature photography savethebrumbies stopthecull theburren wildhorses