time out with horses
Accompany Berit as she encounters the nine-strong free-roaming herd of horses in the Lower Oder Valley National Park. She tells us about her experience with these wonderful animals in idyllic surroundings and the feeling of absolute leisure.
I am Berit, 39 years old, mother of three children, owner of my sensitive short-haired collie Wolke and recently, thanks to my daughter, I have succumbed to my passion for horses. Being out in nature with animals, whatever the weather, enriches my everyday life and is a counterbalance to my fast-paced Berlin life. Horses have always fascinated me, even though I have only recently learned to ride. I became aware of Anja and Lisa through Instagram: "Being a woman - being free - being yourself" plus a day of horse time - it completely gripped me! So on January 5th, 2023, I took part in my first "time out with horses". I am deliberately writing my first time out because it was definitely not the last! This day in the Brandenburg countryside in the middle of the herd of horses inspired me deeply and I would like to take you a little through this special Saturday for me!
I set off in the morning, a little nervous but also very curious, by car to Oderberg, where Anja and Lisa are waiting for me and the other six participants at the meeting point described. There are nine of us in total, including Johanna, who accompanies us with her photography. I don't know what to expect today, but I'm full of anticipation for the horses, for the day in the fresh air and very excited to see what will develop. Anja and Lisa lead us to the pasture first: arriving in the herd, the first cautious contact, gentle sniffing on both sides, in complete peace, just us and the energy of the horses! I lose track of time. I could stand like that forever, surrounded by the horses, stroking their nostrils, scratching their ears, letting them nibble me, sometimes gently, sometimes boldly. Do I already have a horse that I'm particularly drawn to? I think they're all wonderful, but Karuna (Anja introduces them all to us) - the compassionate one - casts a spell over me! Then our first women's circle, in the morning light on the pasture. Now we humans are getting to know each other a little, we are still strangers, a little more inhibited than with the horses. Why are we here today? First a moment of meditation, of immersing ourselves in complete silence. Lilli, Anja's sheepdog and our companion throughout the day, guards our group. We are inside - she takes over the outside! We listen with our eyes closed. No, anything but complete silence, I hear the many sounds very clearly. I hear breathing, panting, snorting, the rustling of grass, hoof kicks. When we open our eyes we are sitting in the middle of and surrounded by the herd! A magical moment, already indescribably energetic and powerful for me. We introduce ourselves. Why are we here today? Nine women with different motives. We are united by our connection to nature, the desire to get involved with the unique creature that is the horse. We end the group with singing - nine women's voices in a meadow, simply beautiful!
Then we gather the herd and lead our horses from the pasture to the next stage. Each of us on our own. We hardly speak, and yet I feel part of a whole. I lead Karuna. I feel good, calm and strong! Sun on my face. The movement of women and horses. The foals romp and frolic freely and exuberantly between us. We find our way, respond to the temperament of our horses or find one that suits us better. Then we take a break on the second pasture, time to reflect on our thoughts and have lunch together in the trailer. Now the trust in our group is slowly growing. While we were still hiking individually, each busy with her horse, we now get close to each other over soup and bread, cocoa and chocolate. We open up to ourselves and our thoughts. What impulses did we feel on the way, what do we want to let go of in the new year. It is intimate and very cozy and it is not just the oven and the soup that provide the warmth that fills me at this moment. We sing to the guitar and we make sounds, lost in ourselves but still a unit. Afterwards, we go out to the herd. Everything is allowed, nothing is compulsory - if you want to ride, you can, if you don't, that's fine too. I want to, absolutely! I can hardly wait, even though I'm a complete beginner. Anja, Lisa and Johanna give you a sense of security, offer to lead the horses, so that in the end everyone gets to sit on a horse, even those who hadn't expected to at first. It was perfect for our group on this afternoon!
We ride into the forest - Karuna and I in the middle of the others, in the middle of the herd. With every step I feel my initial tension fading. I am filled with such an unbridled joy for life! I feel Karuna's movements. We master a steep climb together, my trust in her and in myself grows. I am concentrated and at the same time become braver, calmer, more relaxed. I pause once more on the Pimpinellenberg in bright sunshine - time for one last reflection, one last thought game. If it were easy, then in 2023 I would... Yes, then I would stop time right now and ride on like this forever. Alive, with the feeling of vastness and significance in my chest, not thinking, but feeling solely with all my senses in the here and now. This is how I love contact with horses - connected, appreciative, original and free. Time passes too quickly! Closing circle on the first pasture, this wide meadow, in the beginning of the sunset, under the colorful sky and the rising moon. One last time, the sound of the guitar, last words, a slightly wistful farewell. So much magic and beauty around me. The deep respect for life, the deep understanding of happiness in this moment blows me away. I see myself so directly as part of this world that I feel incredibly small and gigantic at the same time.
"It is difficult to find happiness within yourself, but it is impossible to find it anywhere else" - said Arthur Schopenhauer. I agree with that, because it is often a hard path to fill our inner being with contentment, serenity and ultimately happiness and to protect it from the adversities of the outside world. But after a day like today, I would like to disagree with that at the same time. Because if we search and consciously perceive, happiness can come to us somewhere else. For me, the happiness of the earth for today lay in the midst of this wild, tame herd of horses and this group of women. Anja and Lisa created a unique space in which we were allowed to show ourselves and at the same time felt held, as social beings and creatures of nature. I am taking a piece of this space home with me and filling my inner being with contentment, serenity and happiness and can continue to grow in it!
Learn more about the Slow Trip encounter "Time out with horses"