Welcome to our new ‘Community Spotlight’ interview series! Throughout our years in operation as a foster training organization, we’ve been lucky enough to meet horse lovers from all over New England and beyond. From our incredible adopters, to our team of horse care and health professionals, to the amazing instructors we turn to for guidance, this community has grown into a supportive network that truly cares about helping horses. We may come from different backgrounds or practice different disciplines, but when we come together to offer adoptive homes and to share our knowledge and our passion, we can change lives. In this new series, we look forward to learning more about this extraordinary community through their answers to a list of questions.
First up, our founder! Tannetta is the owner and founder of Horses with Hope Equine Rescue.
–What is one of your earliest memories with horses?
“My earliest memory is when my parents got my sister and I a Dartmoor pony, and neither of my parents were horse people. I don’t know what they thought, but I remember just mucking about with her because they didn’t give me any lessons as such. I had to go fetch her in a far away field for the night, and I remember putting a halter on her, and just getting on, because it was quicker to ride her back than to walk her. I remember her and I galloping down this lane of fruit trees, and it was the best feeling in the world. In hindsight it was dangerous, but at the time it was all about that feeling you can get of being one with a horse and enjoying the freedom and those moments of complete trust and togetherness. That feeling of exhilaration of being one with such a sentient being.”
-What is a piece of advice that you still remember and reference today?
“One of my favorite quotes that I think of daily is from Linda Hoover: ‘You ride the horse you lead.’ In some ways it sounds so simple and easy, yet this statement holds a lot of truth. For me, it means that what I see and feel with a horse on the ground is going to come up when I am riding. From the horse’s perspective, just because we put on a saddle and bridle and are ready to get on from the mounting block, does not mean they have an understanding that how they acted on the ground must change to suit our needs while riding! We can’t expect them to suddenly not spook at something just because we have put the saddle on. So for example, if I am leading a horse at my normal brisk pace and they don’t keep up with me, I know that horse is going to be “behind the leg” when I ride them. Similarly, if while I am leading the horse I ask them to step up either with a flag, or rope at their side, and they jump back and try to pull out of my hands, then I know that if I put my leg on while riding they’re probably going to do the same thing. If they pull back while leading in hand, they may well run backwards, or worst, rear up, in a similar situation under saddle.
When working with any horse, I watch very closely to see not only what they might react to, but how they react, beginning from the moment I meet them in the field. Do they lift their head from eating when I come close, do they turn away from me, do they pin their ears? When I lead them to the barn, do they keep pace with me; if I ask them to walk fast do they just quietly walk more briskly, or flow up into a gentle jog, or do they pull away and plant their feet? When I am grooming them, and they get a fright, do they pull back and blow up, or can they handle a surprise like a piece of paper blowing in front of them. All these are things I look for and register before I get on any horse: their behavior, their means of processing the questions we ask of them, their reaction to surprises while we are on the ground beside them. All these tell me a huge amount about the horse I will be riding. Having the knowledge and awareness of how that horse interprets its environment gives me an inroad to forming a relationship with them. I remind myself often: “hope is not a strategy”… Therefore, I can not rely on the hope that when I put my leg on the horse it will understand and naturally go forward, when it is not forward in hand. I can not rely on the hope that it will not spook at a plastic bag while I am riding, when it spooked at the same plastic bag while being led. I need to register what I see on the ground and help the horse overcome its fears or resistances, so that when I am ready to swing my leg up and into the saddle we are (hopefully!) on the same page.”
What is a lesson that horses have taught you?
“I am someone who, by nature, strives for perfection in every part of my life. Unfortunately, or fortunately my passion for horses and riding is something where you are always striving for perfection, but it is truthfully a life time journey. I don’t have enough years left to get to that ‘perfection’ point! Particularly in dressage, we are forever chasing that perfect 10m circle, and I am not sure we are ever able to master it! The whole journey is humbling…. we want perfection, but it is almost impossible to achieve. One of the things that horses have taught me is that as a rider, I have a huge responsibility to be the best I can be for my horse. If I expect my horse to be an athlete, I should be an athlete. We are after all, a team, and it takes team work to make the dream work! So if something isn’t working, it’s not for me to blame the horse, I have to look at myself too, and ask what role have I played in this? As humans we really need to be sure we’re doing all that we can to be a good team mate to our horses. I need to be aware of my horse’s fears, his quirks, his needs and desires; they have feelings and emotions too, and I need to be mindful of that. They teach me to take a moment and not always rush, be present and really think of them as my partner.”
What do you do when you are seeking inspiration?
“I like to listen to a lot of podcasts to learn from different trainers, professionals and other people that love and enjoy horses. I don’t follow just one person and take everything they say as a ‘golden rule’…I believe you can learn something from a lot of different people and philosophies … and sometimes you learn what you don’t like as well! I am also very inspired by seeing other people enjoying their horses and learning with them, at any level or discipline. The inspiration for me is not always about seeing the best of the best. Sometimes it’s about seeing the people that are at it every day, no matter what the challenges or set backs are, and just seeing their commitment and discipline to keep persevering. Sometimes I have days where I wish I liked knitting more than I do horses and riding, because honestly, it would be so much simpler! Or golf for example, because your golf clubs don’t appear to have ‘bad days’… neither do knitting needles. When I feel somewhat deflated, or questioning if I have the right to be in the ring, I appreciate being aware of others who have the same struggles, doubts, fears and worries. In this sport, you are dealing with a team mate who is a sentient being, who has bad days too, and injuries, and hormonal days; knowing that there are others out there who face those same struggles, set backs and worries, inspires me to keep going.”
What is one of the things that you love about horses?
“That they require you to be present, they require you to be observant, and they require you to step into the relationship as a team. I have to really observe the horse and take their feelings into consideration. That’s one of the things I really love about it, I really look at it like a team thing with my horse. I require myself to be present and thoughtful and patient and disciplined, and in their presence you have to let go of a whole lot of stuff. You have to let go of the rush and feelings of ‘I’ve got to do this, I’ve got to do that’ because I have to be with them. If you want to have a good partnership, each partner has to put in a 100%.”
