This sentiment is inspired by a guided tour horse that I spoke with a few months ago, several of them actually, and their words never left my memory.
They told their person that she was in a position of power and influence, that she was in a unique spot to help change the industry from a totally different perspective. She was considering not continuing with her business and finding new purpose for her horses, and the horses encouraged her to find new purpose within their current roles.
People who offer guided tours, trail rides, cavalcades, camping, etc for the random horse enthusiast are in a position to change the way “non-horse” people view horses. Most people who want to do guided tours have only ridden horses a few times or maybe even not at all. They see a movie or a TikTok and they want to get on the horse and kick them to go, and pull them to stop, and ride through beautiful landscapes with their friends.
How cool is it to think that someone in this position has the ability to educate hundreds of non-horse people about how truly incredible it is to ride horses. What if they were told that horses can feel your energy, mirror your emotions, move without pulling or kicking… What if they were taught about their lineage. What if people had a chance to briefly understand their friendships and family dynamics. Maybe a little about their bodies…
What if people in these positions shed light on the cruelty in the industry. How horses are used at young ages and left with broken bodies before they’re fully mature. How they’re whipped, and pulled and pushed into what humans want them to do.. What if people on these tours understood why there’s a bit, bridle, saddle, etc and what they do, and how they affect the horse. What if people were educated on what it truly means to be a non-predatory power animal? What if they were led through energy and awareness rather than abrupt motions?
What if non-horse people were actually the ones who change the industry? Some of the most gentle and sensitive people I’ve seen around horses are those who know nothing about them. They’re the ones who respect their presence, willingness, and good nature.
Trainers with lesson programs are in this position too, on another level.
I was really moved by the sentiment of all these guided tour horses, and I really feel that there is a big shift coming for the horse collective, and it’s going to happen through educating “non-horse” people.. because after all, many non-horse people become horse people after knowing them.