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Weens beperkte spasie is dit nie vir ons moontlik om al die briewe wat ons by SA Horseman ontvang, te plaas nie. Ons bedank egter ieder en ‘n elk vir hulle kommentaar, komplimente en opbouende kritiek. Briewe word ongeredigeerd geplaas, maar kan verkort word weens te min spasie.
Hail the proud horse
Tara Drummond-Finnis writes:
"The Horse
Where in this wide world can man
find nobility without pride,
Friendship without envy,
Or beauty without vanity?
Here, where grace is served with muscle
And strength by gentleness confined
He serves without servility;
he has fought without enmity.
There is nothing so powerful, nothing less violent.
There is nothing so quick, nothing more patient.
England's past has been borne on his back.
All our history is in his industry.
We are his heirs, he our inheritance." – Ronald Duncan. 1954
Today the words by Ronald Duncan are more relevant than ever, and on a global basis. The horse and his role in our lives has changed a great deal since 1954. Yet the essence of the unique relationship between equine and human has remained the same. It is a relationship that is based on trust, cooperation and mutual respect, rather than dominance, obedience and servitude.
Sadly this is not always the case. The results are clear, one need look no further than the pens and fields of the SPCA or the Highveld Horse Care Unit to be reminded of this. It has been my great pleasure to work in South Africa over the last few months, and during my time I have visited the Highveld Horse Care Unit.
The Unit is run by a dedicated group of compassionate, yet realistic professionals, who work "with" the local community. The more people become aware of places like this, the better. However, this sort of business does depend on support.
Just one look at their website (http://www.horsecare.org.za) is enough to make any one appreciate the considerable task that they face ... which I for one am grateful that they do. I have only to reflect upon the cases that I met and what their lives would have been like if it has not been for Bev and the team.
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