For the love of horses
MARY FRANCES, CEO Moorcroft Equine Rehabilitation Centre
Foreword
This book is a celebration of horses – of their spirit, their grace, and the quiet wisdom they carry. Few creatures possess such breath-taking power, yet move with such elegance and beauty. But what makes horses truly extraordinary is not just how they look or move, it’s how they connect with us. The bond between horse and human is built not on dominance, but on trust. It is a partnership that transcends words, rooted in mutual respect and shared understanding.
I’ve been fortunate to spend my entire working life among horses, and for the past twenty years, Moorcroft has been my home and my calling. Here, we welcome horses who are hurting - physically, sometimes emotionally – and we walk beside them on their journey to recovery. Each horse teaches us something new. Each one deserves not only our care, but our belief in their future.
Every page of this book, and every penny raised through its sale, is dedicated to giving these horses the best possible chance: to heal, to thrive, and to rediscover comfort and freedom in movement. Your support helps us to continue offering them treatment, and hope for a pain-free future.
Thank you for standing with us, and with them.
Respect
This word is defined as ‘admiration’, ‘high regard’ and ‘esteem’ and all animals deserve that. They are vulnerable to abuse and misunderstanding. Respect means due regard for their feelings.
We, as professionals, are particularly committed to horses and must act as advocates for the horses in all that we do. We must work to ensure that we do not work against the horse’s nature.
All we have to do is continue to stand up for horse-friendly training with all our might, to teach and practice care, understanding and training that enhances soundness and good health - both mental and physical – and thus stand up for our horses and our sport.
I believe horses love to be ridden and do things with their lives, but this needs respect and more understanding when they are struggling. Forceful and abusive training methods must be eradicated. Horses will put up with them. They have no choice. We do.
I may not be there yet, but I am closer than I was yesterday
José N. Harris
A horse does not care how much you know until he knows how much you care
Pat Parelli
No hour of life is lost that is spent in the saddle
Winston Churchill
I can make a General in five minutes, but a good horse is hard to replace
Abraham Lincoln
There are many wonderful places in this world but one of the best places for me is on the back of my horse
Rolf Kopfle
A good rider can hear his horse speak to him. A great rider can hear him whisper
Author unknown
In their eyes, we find solace and our troubles melt away; in their presence, we find sanctuary and our spirits soar
Patricia Atchison, The Power of Horse
No one can teach riding so well as a horse
C.S. Lewis
I’ve often said there’s nothing better for the inside of a man than the outside of a horse
Ronald Reagan
When I bestride him, I soar.
I am a hawk: he trots the air; the earth sings when he touches it; the basest horn of his hoof is more musical than the pipe of Hermes
A man on a horse is spiritually, as well as physically, bigger than a man on foot
John Steinbeck
Advice from the horse
Loosen your reins a bit
Take life’s hurdles in your stride
Be free spirited
Carry friends when they need it
Keep stable
Gallop to greatness
The horse, with beauty unsurpassed, strength immeasurable and grace unlike any other, still remains humble enough to carry a man upon his back”
Amber Senti
Thank you
This book was produced to celebrate all that is good about our horses, while helping raise much-needed funds for the Moorcroft Equine Rehabilitation Centre in West Sussex.
Moorcroft is a charity that heals and rehabilitates lame and injured horses. It also helps owners manage the health and wellbeing of their horses long after healing.
We hope you enjoyed it.
The team at Moorcroft.
We thank Mark Beaumont, Equine Photographer, for all the lovely photos and for his continued support over many years.
Design & layout: hughes-design.co.uk
