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Hello all,
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I was fortunate enough to attend the December 2017 Scorpion Bay trip. I suppose there are a lot of different angles from which to approach learning something from the trip, but for now I want to talk about Earthquake. Earthquake is a man we met shortly before returning to the states, and the prominent aspect of his life that we came across was his care of animals. He was in the habit of buying horses from the nearby area and training them. Beyond teaching behavior and utility to the horses, he gave them what he described as love. Within that feeling of love was food, shelter, attention, reassurance, perseverance, and compassion. The aforementioned character traits practically radiated off of him. We met someone who was making a stark impact on his community. He knew and respected the land he walked on, treating it as if it were one of his creatures in need of care. It would seem, in my short time listening to him, that he lived a life of service to others.
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Now, this doesn’t directly pertain to the clinical accomplishments that IHC is known for, but the time spent reflecting on what it means to give time and effort in service to others after meeting Earthquake and his wife left me wondering what I could do to not only serve others better but to personify service and giving in the way that he does, day after day. I suppose it’s about patience, and maintaining a sense of well-being so that one can be at their best. It could also be about showing up even when it is the last thing one could possibly want to do, because what one does, no matter what it could be, matters, and it does make a difference. After all, no matter how many times Earthquake has been kicked off a horse, he has
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continued his efforts. There is a lot more to do and read, and there is a lot more listening to do as well. Listening to others, and listening to ourselves to find out how we can best serve others, learn how we can improve, and carry out the mission of IHC.
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If you are able to do so, please consider making a donation to Earthquake’s efforts at heartshelphorses.org. If you have a question for him, you could also contact him at info@heartshelphorses.org. Thank you for reading.
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Signed,
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Brian Andrew Hanst
