Mi Jorgia Rain – 2021 Section D chestnut mare
In 2021 I began an experiment with Jorgia. She was the only foal that year, and I planned on retaining her to continue her lineage, so if I messed up it wasn’t affecting her saleabilty. The experiment was to allow her to remain in the herd, untouched until she chose to interact and allow the weaning to happen naturally. As a foal she was curious but shy, and her mom would bring her close enough to check these weird 2 legged creature out but not too close to potential danger. She would generally keep another horse between herself and the humans.
About the time she turned a year old, she became bolder, and eventually touched me, and quickly stepped back. Within a week she was requesting scratches and would show me exactly what she liked. She also allowed me to run my hands down her legs and pick up all of her feet (a huge leap in trust as horses use their feet for flight or freeze in moments of danger. She invited me to play with a halter on her face, I never fastened it. She follows me over jumps, tarps and other obstacles and is the first to meet people while respecting their boundaries.
I took my own advice this spring and spent some time just being with the herd, taking a gravity chair and just allowing them to play. Jorgia shocked me when, after nuzzling me head to toe and back again, she very gently placed her left front hoof directly on my hip/appendix scar and held it there, I’m still trying to process what she meant but it was beyond beautiful. She then went back to scanning me and laid her head on my lap. I can’t wait for her to share her gift with others and to continue to learn from her.