Some stories start with a bang, and others open your heart in a whisper so low, you almost miss it. This one started in 2008, when I was a little girl. On my birthday, I unwrapped yet another book, but this one was going to change my life.
26 years later in October, my cell phone informed me that a new documentary had been added to my masterclass account and was now available to watch. It was called „The Cowboy and the Queen“.
1 minute and 3 seconds into the documentary, you see a sign announcing the square „Shyboys paddock“ and my heart skipped a beat. All those old memories came flooding back. Me reading the book, admirering the pictures. The mountains and wide grass fields. The horses. Applying the knowledge its pages hold. Memorizing the warning it also encapsulated: Violence is not the way to peace and happiness. A book full of kindness, talking about the importance of letting go. That revolution against the known training methods for horses. The different approach Monty takes. Him, the book, the horses, they taught me how to listen.
All those memories of a hairy muzzle nuzzeling against my cheek.
Adrenaline rushing through my veins, when we took the horses up to the meadows in the hills.
The warmth of their eyes.
Just breath.
Kindness and respect.
The day one of the stallions escaped and we were searching for him.
A meeting in the forest.
Learning how to build trust.
There is just something about horses, mustangs especially. I was devastated by the old, traditional ways used to break a horse. I was just as devastated to learn about the violence Monty Roberts had to endure as a young child. Years later, when I visited a my boyfriend at the time and took a riding class at a local stable, the owner would hit a black mare, Ruby, for not behaving like he wanted her to.
He would corner her up and hit her. Downright cruel. There was no way for me to stop him, I know I was yelling and crying for him to stop…No reaction on his side. I visited her in her box after. She was still shaking. Something clicked in my head. She did take an apple from me, after her ears stopped flicking back and forth nervously and I promised to never just watch and stand by again. Ever. Promise.
Thankfully, she found a new owner soon after.
Do you have a personal story that involves animals, horses especially? I would love to hear it! Feel free to reach out via hello@glimmerreads.com
A screenshot from the documentation on Masterclass (2024), showing the former Queen of England, Elisabeth II, and her friend Monty Roberts, the Cowboy. That „Shyboy“ screenshot that catapulted me back in time. Pages full of so many emotional memories, my eyes are still brimming with tears when I think about it. What a beautiful coincidence that I found this documentary that night, isn’t it?
I’ll take it as a loving reminder in how I want to interact with others – and with myself: Kindness first. Firce, yes, but never violently. I’ll offer to communication, and look and listen for a response. But I will also let something go, if it is just not meant to be.
It is no surprise to me, that there are tons of books about Horses being the main character or a Co-figure in many coaching or therapy approaches. You can find a list of my favorite reads on the subject of leadership and coaching techniques below. If you click on any of the books, you will be linked to the in depth discussion.
- „Shy Boy“ by Monty Roberts
- „Leadership Coaching with Horses: The Power of Psychometrics and Biofeedback“ by Michele Damone – Introduces leadership development that blends equine-assisted coaching with cutting-edge biometric and psychometric Profiles.
- „The Tao of Equus“ by Linda Kohanov – Explores the spiritual and psychological connection between humans and horses.
- „The Power of the Herd“ by Linda Kohanov – Focuses on leadership lessons learned through equine coaching.
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