The Water. Every rider
has attempted it, most riders have conquered it. The moment of indecision on
your horses part as it decides to skirt the menacing site, or indulge its
riders and get its feet wet. This feat is particularly difficult when your legs
only descend half way down the ribcage and your strength limits your ability to
steer, or stop.
Ears fluctuating back
and forth as she attempts to make out her riders confusing cues, she looks to
me for a clue and then focuses again on her rider. Legs thumping the sides,
hands pulling back and somewhat to the side towards the water. She looks at me
for one final look of approval then delicately sticks her feet into the murky
depths. She is rewarded by hearty pats from her rider.
At the time of this
feat Nola, the rider, was four, Kamileshen (or Shen) the horse was six and we
were at a local cross country course. It was an open day, a day where riders
bring their horses out for practice and exposure. Shen and I had just finished
working over some jumps when Nola stated she wanted to try the water jump. We
were done, and I would often let Nola sit on Shen’s back while I cooled her
down, so I boosted her into the saddle and clipped a lead line onto her bridle
so she could try the water ‘jump.’ The entire feat took about five minutes – I
stood quietly on the end of the lead – letting them decipher one another’s cues
as they would. I was so busy watching them that I did not notice the audience
that had built up. Spectators on foot and on horse were also watching. Many
were probably just awaiting their turn at the water jump, but none wanted to
interfere or disrupt the delicate balance until the ‘jump’ was complete.
The walk back to the
trailer was an eventful one, with riders and walkers smiling and commenting on
Shen. The questions almost always started with, ‘What a nice horse, how old is
she?’ Followed by ‘Really? What breed is she?’
I could understand
their skepticism. I had a field full of geriatrics – my old eventer, my hunter
jumper, my mom’s endurance horse, my dad’s trail horse. All still perfectly
capable of packing a young child, but instead I chose the youngest horse in the
lot for my four year old daughter. The reason, I strongly believe she cares
about Nola, to her we are her family and I have learned that Tekes do their
best to take care of their family. I have many examples, the time the gate was
not opened all the way and Shen would not let Nola lead her through – rather
she stood firm and whinnied for my attention. The time I was riding in the
mountains and a misstep left me dangling from the end of the reins - she stood
legs spread, head down until I scrambled up the side and back onto the trail.
I purchased Kamileshen
in 2008 with dreams of getting back into eventing, but she has a home for life
because she is family. Breeders place an awful lot of importance on ‘Tekes in
Sport,’ but no one noticed Shen’s clean clear round that day – but they all
noticed the small child, her tongue sticking out in concentration and the quiet
patience of her mount. It is not their athletic ability that makes them
invaluable, it is their spirit.
Today, Shen shares the
field with two other Tekes, and I make it to maybe one event a year. Nola and
Shen are now competing in schooling classes and light horse shows where she
proudly sits upon her golden mount and announces ‘She is an Akhal Teke.’
Darla Dickinson, Hope BC
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