The Value of Horses: How a horse can impact on a 30-something female having a bit of a crisis
(Photo: Will Weaver)Harriet Rochester’s Marlborough Downs Uncovered column gets a bit personal
Globally horses play a diverse role. From a reliant working member of the community in third world countries to a priceless competitor in sports from eventing to horseracing or as a much-loved pet or companion.
This latter role was highlighted very poignantly earlier this month, when staff at Royal Albert Edward Infirmary in Wigan granted Sheila Marsh's dying wish, by arranging a visit from her horse to her hospital bed (- photo at right.) Mrs Marsh died the very next day.
It also cannot be ignored that these animals are also a valuable commodity in the horsemeat trade. At last year’s World Horse Welfare conference, HRH The Princess Royal, who is the charity’s president, controversially highlighted this point. When she addressed the 400 delegates at this year’s conference, The Princess Royal, perhaps not wanting to stir the pot quite so vigorously, asked: ‘What is the Value of Horses?’
It was a question that sparked debate for the remainder of the conference and has prompted me to quiz myself.
The value of horses spans money, utility and sentiment. This was demonstrated by several detailed studies across numerous scenarios during the conference.
Jason Hare addresses the conferenceArguably the most thought provoking case was delivered by ex-Royal Marine Jason Hare. He was “blown up twice” while serving as a Royal Marine, once by a suicide bomber and once by stepping on an improvised explosive device. Jason suffered catastrophic injuries - losing his left leg, digits on his right hand, his left eye and he also suffered severe facial injuries and had to have his nose amputated. “I lost my facial identity,” he said.
It was at HorseBack UK, a charity which aids the recuperation of service men and women who have suffered physical or mental injuries, that Jason’s road to recovery began.
“I found working with horses extremely beneficial. It’s hard to be patient when you’re a patient, but working with these animals relaxed me and taught me perseverance.”
“In the Royal Marines we say: you have to improvise, adapt and overcome – it’s the same principal in this role. It might take weeks, months or even a year but this gave me my mobility back - and with dignity. I never thought I would be a horse owner but as I learnt to walk, my horse learnt new skills – we did it together.”
Jason’s words and experience inspired me to ask myself this question - what is the value of the horse to me? In addition to the important fact that a significant part of my PR business revolves around the horse-world, I am a mad keen racegoer and eventing groupie. But for the purpose of this exercise I am going to focus just on Thomas – my horse.
I purchased Tom a year ago, he is a former racehorse, who never made much of an impression on the track, despite boasting a rather smart pedigree. My main aim was to have some fun and have a bash at eventing.
A year on and we have successfully completed several BE 100’s, we’ve yet to snaffle that elusive rosette, but there’s always next year and I am pretty proud of us and our journey. [BE100 is a British Eventing class where the fences do not exceed 100cms.]
Tom came to me during what for me felt like a particularly low spot in my life. On reflection this now sounds rather hollow, especially when we are reminded so frequently of the cruel curve balls life can throw – and particularly by Jason’s story. But our problems tend to be relative to us, however big or small.
Anyway, I was now responsible for a living being, someone who relied upon me to nurture, train and develop him. I began to start making plans, this was anything from Tom’s day-to-day exercise program to setting competition targets.
Little did I know that I was ‘positive forecasting’ or for those who have read The Secret using ‘the law of attraction’. Having learned this tool I then began apply it to other areas of my life - foremost to work. And lo and behold new business prospects began cropping up. It was as if the world was a lamp with a genie within it and all I had to do was put my wish out to the universe, give it a little rub and it was granted. Happy days.
So one way I value the horse is its power to teach. I believe we never stop learning, consciously or sub-consciously and what we gain in one experience we can more often than not transfer that skill into another area of our life, usually to our benefit.
Returning to Jason’s story and the emotional and therapeutic value of the horse: to finish his address he told how he was asked how much he paid his therapist – his reply was "Feed, hay and water". Priceless - in my opinion.
Harriet Rochester of HRSM Ltd.
@HatRochesterPR