The encounter with this gentle Burren horse is an encounter I will never forget. Longing to breathe in horses, I went walking in the Burren mountains, off the beaten track, as I do, hoping to meet and perhaps greet, a few horses if they allowed me to. I call them Burren horses, as this is the area where I encounter them. It’s not a breed and they are not wild horses. They belong to someone that gives them the space to roam here.
The first horse I saw, had seen me first and was running towards me, a little further below, tail held high. I walked down towards this white Burren horse, to see if we could say further hello. What met me was more horses, walking up to me. Not only did they allow me to greet them. They greeted me in the most sensitive, curious and heart warming way. I literally had three soft horse muzzles caressing my face, ears and neck whilst several others were trying to squeeze in for sharing breath and a gentle stroke too, but my face can only take so many horse muzzles.
The one that left a little beautiful piece of himself in my heart that day was this bay boy with the calmest soul-reaching eyes. Time evaporated standing with him, feeling his gentle breath on my cheek, soaking up the most wonderful scent of being at home in the world, and feeling him choosing to stay with me, quietly being, quietly seeing, quietly knowing. The march sun had lowered and it was time to walk on. He walked with me at my side, my arm hanging loosely on his warm and strong neck as if this was how we always walked home from the mountains.
I call this photo of him “Seeing Deeper Than The Eye”
This post and the series ‘Feelings For Horses’ is dedicated to a woman in Australia – Brumby Strong – who sees deeper than the eye. We have never met, and I have never seen the brumbies, but I feel I have met them through her photos and words, as if I was right there looking through the same lens. From the same heart at home with the horses. She shares so powerfully what she has witnessed in Kosciuszko National Park, NSW, of the beauty and the tragedy.
Through her advocacy we can ‘meet’ the brumbies still alive and remember the brumbies the world has lost. The brumbies she has named, loved, photographed and is fighting for; to save the last of them.
Let’s help by showing up for the brumbies. Strength in numbers. If enough knows. And show they know.
Please follow this link to her instagram page. You can view it from your laptop or from your instagram: Brumby Strong (@brumby_strong)
Brumby Strong – Action List for the brumbies:
Skydog Sanctuary’s Clare Staples suggested actions for the brumbies:
Instagram: Skydog – take action for the brumbies
Facebook: Skydog – take action for the brumbies
Skydog is an incredible mustang sanctuary and powerful advocacy for the mustangs suffering similar fate as the brumbies. They’re not shot, but they are rounded up, their freedom lost forever, families separated, stuck in crammed holding pens with no shelter or stimulation for the rest of their lives. What this species do to these free majestic sensitive and intelligent horses is incomprehensible. Except for the lucky few landing at Skydog Sanctuary and other amazing rescues and sanctuaries. I learned SO much about horses and strong family bonds by following Clare Staples at Skydog, who also lead me to Brumby Strongs page.
The rest of the Burren gang. (Click to see the photos in full.)
Hanne T. Fisker Photography Art 