essays – Maeve Birch Home

Something is Wrong

There is something wrong with our horses. I watched a video last week where three starving, unhandled mustang mares were taken to a rescue after being at a holding facility for who knows how long. The three were released into an arena with a tub of hay in the middle. They were cautious of everything,…
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Self-Aware, Horse-Aware

The equestrian world is intent on the appearance of leadership and strength. Perhaps I should back up a bit and say that it’s true for the entire dominant culture of the United States. Don’t quit, don’t cry, don’t back down… When things get tough, we’re encouraged to beat the odds, fight to win, and make…
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A Task Without an Outcome

There’s a pony at the barn where I currently volunteer who is afraid of putting her face in a halter. She had been rescued from an abusive situation and is taking a while to warm up to the idea of voluntarily having something approaching her face. To catch her in the field, usually someone has…
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A Study in Horse

When I first started working with horses I was given time limits on how long it should take me to do an activity with them. Horses were given a window on how long it should take them to respond to a request. Brushing and tacking up should take ten minutes. Three seconds tops between a…
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Category: essays