Thanks for a great picture an testimonial!

OH-h-h-h - takes my breath away to see this magnifcent creature !!

People need to connect. With each other, or with animals. People need to connect. And we can find ways of doing it that makes life better for other people too.

Actions, even small ones, can help us banish hopelessness, fear and loneliness. There is so much that can and should be done. I am glad for the good people here who know that and carry messages to others.

And we are grateful to you for posting these uplifting stories, especially at times like this that helps to reaffirm our faith that their are still many people who care for others and know the benefit of having loving animals.

Tak.......and even though this site is on horses (super creatures as they are), even
in prisons now cats and dogs are being used for therapy for the inmates. Some of
the most hardened criminals, working with a selected dog, or a cat for a cellie, has
worked out wonderfully.

The connections you speak of are being brought to light and put in practice.

Gordon_Shumway! Good to see ya. Haven't crossed paths in way too long.

Glad you enjoyed the video of the tiny horses. Did you get a chance to check out any of the stuff on horsed for helping veterans? Some really good work being done and worth getting word out about.

Thank'ee sir. I hope you found something to smile at, something to feel hopeful about, maybe even something to inspire you a bit.

I figured the WagonMaster might see the beauty in new ways for the horse to be of service in today's weird world.

Head 'em up, move 'em out!

What do you think of coolplanet's favorite horse, Echo, and the brief she posted on
him?

My daughter always wanted to learn about them and be around them too. Alas, she did not pick parents with the means to finance that for her.

She now volunteers at an equine rescue center. She LOVES it. She wants to learn about horse care and handling because she is really interested in therapy horse projects to help veterans.

If you can't afford a horse, there are ways around it, Marsha! There are plenty of rescue groups and 'retirement' centers for horses. My guess is they all could use volunteers. Even if you just help them with the clerical stuff, or PR, they can all use our help. And judging from the way my daughter's life has improved since working with a rescue 'herd' I would say we could all use the help that helping brings.

I know attila, and if I was younger and not so arthritic, I'd probably be right there with your daughter. I'd never want to just be at a keyboard. But I still foster animals (dogs and cats) which also need volunteers. I just can't spread myself that thin. But please, do keep informing others of this really great opportunity to do good for these guys. I'm sure there's others that aren't aware they could have the feeling of owning horses without really owning horses, and in some ways, it's even better than owning your own. The pride you take with you from helping these animals is just not measurable.

There's an excellent movie entitled: Buck. It's about Buck Brannigan and his work
with horses and people interacting. It's be worth anyone's while to check out this
inspiring and educational DVD. Netflix or by any other means.

The equine rescue my daughter volunteers at did a benefit showing of Buck last year. Oh, and Buck came to do a workshop. She was tickled pink and learned SOOOOO much. Mainly what she learned was her 'weird way' of just silently observing in order to learn was the best first start.

Watch, learn, communicate with the animal in a 'language' he understands, then gradually gain trust and teach him some of your language. Amazing things have been accomplished with animals brought back from death's door after neglect/abuse. That some of the horses ever trust people again after some of what was done to them is a testament to their generous nature.

When such animals are paired with people who have suffered horrible traumas, their trust and caring nature helps the humans learn to try, to reach out, to accept themselves as the horses accept them. Healing happens.

Buck is a great movie, a great book, a great teacher. There are many who do it that way and there are many more all the time. It makes part of the world better. Step in the right direction.

Treat well. Learn to communicate at the other's level. Gain trust. Teach. Share. Enjoy. All pretty basic, but we seem to have lost sight and forget to take the time.

How blessed and fortunate you were to have actually having Brannigan come to do a
workshop ! ! Not alll have 'lost sight' of what you put in your last paragraph,

But there are those such as that one gal in the movie on Buckj, who had over 11 (?)
stallions and not one gelded. Buck had at her. saying it told her something about
herself, especially when she had the one formerly abused horse of hers put down
callously, without regard to Buck and how he said the horse could've been re-
habilitated to a specific point where it could still be useful to others.

How insightful he was ! Yet the gal didn't heed Buck's advice and had the horse
put down needlessly...... I almost cried. Yes, it DID tell her something about herself.
That she was selfish and almost cruel due to excess that had caused her to grow
cold and callous. Almost as if to say, "Oh, there's more where he came from" < ( the
horse she doomed to a short life on this earth.).

I duly agree. Yet there are those who are totally ignorant by self-elective choice.
Mishima saw a video by National Geographic. It was about cats and how they at
times, if let outside or aren't monitored by their owners will kill birds. I lived with
cats all my life and know from personal experience that some domestic house cats
aren't hunters. They're content to nibble on grass for the chlorophyll or lay in
patches of sunlight on the concrete sidewalk of the backyard or under a tree.

I told Mishima this. Nope.....he told me from personal "observation" that all cats
do is have sex and look for something to kill." Idiotic !He wouldn't back down or
relent and even posted the Natl. Geo. link so I'd could view it. I wouldn't. So
he then sent a photo of a cat having brought down a bird or some such.......I
wouldn't view that either, but thought, what a creep ! Just so he could slam
me because I was a feline/animal advocate and have a soft part in my heart
for these beautiful entities?

It's amazing how many people don't know horses, who don't realize that they are just as compassionate and devoted to their owners and handlers as dogs.

My daughter found articles on how the brain waves of people change when they are around horses. The herd critters tend to get in sync, which makes sense when ya think about it. Well, turns out a calm horse will calm a person too. The brainwaves will get into similar patterns.

We are animals. We can decide which kind of animals we want to hang with and be like, evidently. What a great way to help people with stress problems.

There are programs where prisoners or kids at risk get to work with and train horses for therapy. Probably does as much for the trainers as for the horses and those the horses go on to help. Win / win / win.

Yes, it is win, win. And it's proven that cat or dog ownership helps relieve stress just by petting them. There's no reason for it not to be true with a horse as well, or even a pot bellied pig, for that matter.

Most likely due to their size, people aren't aware. But these huge creatures are
as you say, loving and given a chance, can be the most gentle friends.

Oh yes. When they like you, they become your best friend.