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Book Review - Of Women and Horses
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| “This book is an exploration. It is a journey. While speaking to the women who contributed their thoughts and ideas, I always mentioned that I did not intend this to be a conclusive work. I was not searching for answers and, in fact, did not know if there were any answers that we humans could comprehend.” – GaWaNi Pony Boy, Introduction
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Of Women and Horses is a collection of essays written by women sought out by GaWaNi Pony Boy, an accomplished horse trainer, authority on Native American horsemanship, and author of three horsemanship books – Horse Follow Closely, Out of the Saddle, and Time Well Spent. He has requested these select women to provide their own revelation and analysis about what draws women to horses – what is and why is there this special bond between the two. As Pony states in his Introduction, there really is no definitive answer. Instead, this compilation provides a series of thoughts, ideas, and theories that comprise the journey in search of the understanding of this bond.
These women are of a variety of backgrounds and disciplines, yet each feels that strong connection to the animal. The list includes such notables as Olympic dressage rider, Jane Savoie, national cutting champion, Barbara Schulte, and event rider, Jan Snodgrass, along with celebrity horse women such as Terry Ventura, wife of Minnesota Governor, and Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein of Jordan. Each one speaks from a different perspective, but each one is drawn to the indomitable spirit of the horse. GaWaNi Pony Boy, in turn, intermingles his own thoughts regarding the essayists’ comments, drawing upon his own experience in training horses and his own observations of women and horses. Though he may not agree with every single one of the statements, he certainly recognizes the value of it.
One writer portrays the gamut of feelings that underlie all the essays: “How I feel when I see horses – as a woman, specifically – is difficult to describe: passionate, captivated, challenged, enamored, empowered, focused, overwhelmed, free. Their power and beauty touch my soul.” In turn, the images generated by those feelings are captured in the exquisite pictures laced throughout the book. While several are paintings or portraits drawn by a couple of the essayists who are artists, most of them are photos contributed by photographer, Gabrielle Boiselle, who has done the same for Pony Boy’s other book, Horse, Follow Closely. Her lens captures not only the beauty and spirit of the horse, but that bond itself.
Boiselle, herself, writes: “My horses are a special kind of medicine . . . [t]hey cure my frustration and depression; they have helped me through a lot of difficult situations. They share my happiness, too, and I have spent with them some of the most beautiful moments of my life.” The photographs she has included reflect these feelings, as well as those expressed by all the other essayists.
A psychologist and contributor emphasizes the importance of this “relationship” or bond. She notes that “it is the relationship with the horse that makes the female’s experience with the horse so deeply satisfying, enjoyable, meaningful, and enduring.” She asserts that this is the difference between the female and male horse person – the female wants that relationship and wants that bond, whereas the male sees it more as an instrument to achieve his goals – “the horse is secondary to the action.”
She adds that “[t]he relationship between woman and horse provides a feeling of power and control without force, increased self-confidence, increased self-esteem, increased self-assurance.” The women in these essays seem to draw upon the horse’s power, strength, beauty, and spirit to overcome their own insecurities and uncertainties, and become successful in what they do. The reader witnesses how this bond seeps into other aspects of their lives, to make them better riders, doctors, artists, and writers.
For many of the women, that traditional role of nurturer and caretaker contributes to that special bond. Others identify with the horse’s role of servitude, comparing it to society’s historical role of the woman. Regardless of the reasoning, however, these women are all deeply moved by this animal in such a way that it becomes a powerful driving force, which frequently sustains them from childhood to adulthood.
Of Women and Horses is an exploration of the unique bond between the woman and the horse. No matter what gender, the book holds something for both. For the woman, it provides an opportunity to “hear” other women’s voices about their bond with horses, which may reflect, or make her think about, her own thoughts and feelings. For the man, this book enables him to better understand that special relationship – an understanding that often eludes him. As Pony points out, “Throughout my life, there have been several occasions in which I found myself in awe of that which exists between women and horses. It is more than a relationship, more than an attraction. This thing is undeniable, even indescribable.” These women make that attempt to describe it, and ultimately, offer wonderful insight into the world of women and horses.
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