Last year in June I received an e-mail from a lady in South Africa and we started a correspondence about a neglected horse she found that she was trying to trace its Friesian lineage of. Indeed his roots go back to Friesland. It was interesting to read about its South African breeding, what someone halfway across the world has in common with so many Friesian/horse lovers in America, and how she has her horse flourishing now.
Below we share with you some of the pictures Nitch has sent me of how she found Alexander, now named Spirit, and how he now looks, with the latest pictures from last month. Spirit is now ridden by trainer Tyron, trained with the Pat Parelli method. You also see Nitch’s husband in the pictures. Here is what Nitch wrote to me last month to put in the newsletter.
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Dear Anneke, I am so overwhelmed and honoured that a lady of your stature are giving me such a honourable compliment. You don’t know what this means to me, I am absolutely jumping here for joy as I admire you and were so honoured when you took the time from your very hectic schedule to give me the advice and support where nobody else bothered or even had the compassion. I would love for you to put Spirit’s story in your newsletter as it is also his success story where everybody turned their back on him and he is so special and intelligent and when he fears he fights to hides his fear and he truly has respect for me which is for me also such an honour as him being a stallion to have respect for a mere woman who had no experience with horses which was my dream since a child, I used to dream about a horse like Spirit, as I never had an opportunity or privilege to have a horse. I used to read all the horse stories and get so involved with the horse as in when they got abused and ran away I got excited and exclaimed, “Run boy run”.
I also used to collect boxes and boxes of horse pictures and at the age of 41 I got blessed by the Lord to own four horses and all four that came to me were all abused and they all love me and respect me, I get a kiss from them when I feed them and also my trainer who backed Spirit and his mare called Maia taught me alot about how a horse feels and I learnt that dressage is my discipline and the Fresian is my freedom. This is where I learnt that a horse can show you things about yourself as I also came from an abused background and I learnt from Spirit that with my fear I also fought and I only saw this recently I learnt to open my eyes and feel through my heart and soul the harmony and healing both horse and man can experience together and I want to be one with Spirit I want to climb on his back and fly. My initual plan was to do quidrille dancing with Spirit, his mare and their children and dance the dance of the gypsy. I came a long way as not only did I learn from my horses, especially Spirit as I feel something very special with him that I have not had with any other horse and I know he is my healing and I am his healing and since I bumped into him I have learnt so much, I have given them the best food also a vitamin and amino supplement that is absolutey awesome called Promix with the best grass I can find and last but not least unconditional love and hugs and kisses and I am so proud that you complimented me so wonderfully. Spirit’s real name is Alexander called after Alexander the Great but his nick name is Spirit Walker which I made it short for Spirit and he is true to his name he has spirit next to none he tried to throw my huge husband as he is very heavy judging from his photo you can see the two mountains one my husband and the other Spirit and when I’m on his back he is so shy that his mommy is on his back he can’t walk so I have not gotten on his back yet as he is still being backed he still has to go through some more paces before he is fully backed as he is one spirited creature. I love him so and from when he came with his head hanging down to where he now is head high I truly see how he is realising his power more and more. I am forty one and I am a gypsy at heart and I met my wonderful husband at the age of 31, we are married now ten years with two beautiful children and my husband is working in Iraq to help with the cause there to protect and serve he is a soldier from experience and it is hard to be without him but I know the Lord sent him there for a reason and he is helping towards a good cause and he is also a true horseman and through his life the horse also meant a great deal to him and also our trainer Thyron taught us to respect a horse and also taught us you don’t tell a stallion, you ask and you promise as I did not want Spirit to have a bit in his mouth and I had the feeling that yes you can ride a stallion without a bit, yes you can take an abused horse and bring out the best in him and realise his potential. And that Anneke, is basically my story but like the never ending story the story goes on as it is not finished it still has to go on I also learnt to always draw a circle round the ones you love, never draw a heart cause hearts can be broken but circles are never ending and I’m glad for my family and Spirit and his herd to be in my circle. Spirit’s great great grand parents are registered in Friesland and his great grand father is Abe who I actually saw in the Phryto magazine, he is registered with the Bloemfontein society but his bloodline is famous and his father Amadeus is registered with the FPSA so he is valid and registered but I found when you helped me find his identity those societies were not very helpful or supportive with all due respect and I feel he is too great a hero in my eyes that the society here failed him and do not deserve such a magnificent horse to grace their books. And if you need any more information I will gladly give you what you need. So feel free to ask any time and once again thanx for honouring me and Spirit I feel privileged.
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