08/11/2026
Your Horse Doesn't Know You're the Owner
It's a strange thought.
But your horse has no idea that your name is on the registration papers.
They don't know how much you paid for them.
They don't know that you've spent thousands of dollars on hay, veterinary care, dentistry, saddles, and farrier visits.
They don't know you've driven hours just to see them.
None of those things exist in a horse's world.
They know something much simpler.
Who approaches gently.
Who listens.
Who notices.
Who makes them feel safe.
Who makes them feel trapped.
We often speak about owning horses.
But horses don't experience ownership.
They experience relationships.
Every interaction quietly answers the same question:
"What happens when this human comes into my space?"
Perhaps that's why I've become less interested in being a horse owner...
and more interested in becoming someone a horse is happy to know.
O
If these reflections resonate with you, they're explored more deeply in my book, Chosen, Not Obeyed: On Trust, Consent, and Autonomous Horsemanship. It's a journey into seeing horses not as problems to solve, but as individuals whose voices deserve to be heard. https://a.co/d/09GNEwxO
Art by Rita Medvesek Atelier https://www.instagram.com/medvesek.atelier
