ALI

My Teacher and My Friend

Each time I try to write about Ali, or I read the introduction to this website the tears flow as I remember what we went through together and how very much I miss him, although now, he would be in retirement. I have always said that no matter what, even if I could never ride him again, my pleasure was to just have him there with me. For me to be able to go over to the farm every day and look after him, watch him in the field, just having him there was the sheer pleasure I speak of. Alas, that pleasure was taken away too soon.

When I say Ali ‘told me’ it was his time, a lot of people may laugh. Go ahead. You have not yet met the horse that is a true part of your soul. When you do, you will understand.

This is the story of Ali. Part one was written after his death. I still talk about him in the present and the past, all a bit confusing but I am not a writer I make no apologies.

My early attempts all those years ago at working with ‘natural’ medicines and practices came out of desperation. I had no homeopathic vet to chat with, no Internet, most people considered what I was doing to be very silly and of no use at all. I disagree. Had I continued allowing him to have veterinary treatment, this horse would have died at the age of 6. I was advised several times to have him put down, claim the insurance, buy a new healthy horse and get a life! Strong words but they only made me surer that what I was doing was right.

Believe me, I knew when Ali was having an off day, he let you know, so at no time was this horse ever pushed into doing anything he didn’t want to do or wasn’t fit to do. With Ali you just knew where you stood. This was the side of his personality that made me just love him so much. He wasn’t just a horse, he really was the best thing that ever happened to me and words cannot even begin to express how I felt when he had to be put down, or how much I still miss him now. Tears pour down my face, as they are now whenever I read or write about him. Such a beautiful creature in every sense of the word, he didn’t deserve to live like he did. But, if he had to be ill, then I am glad he was with me, because nobody else would have kept him alive or looked after him, that I know without any doubt. I now say, in hindsight, that I should have seen the signs and acted upon them more quickly, but I trusted my vets. They just didn’t have the time or the inclination to look into the cause of his problems, just happy to cover them up and I let them do it. I hope this story will go a long way towards helping people see how these illnesses work, how they creep up on you, to trust your own instincts with your horse and never be pushed around.

Ali came to me when he was just 3 years old. He had not been handled apart from being led, in hand to the field at the age of 6 months. To the time I purchased him, he ran 'wild' with a group of about 20 odd horses. I stood at a distance and watched this rather spindly creature literally float across the field. Ali had the most extraordinary colouring, a vivid, rich red chestnut. One half was pure chestnut, the other half had flecks of grey. His only marking was a small white crescent shape on his forehead. If you lifted his forelock he had an inverted ‘v’ which had very soft, baby fur.making plaiting him very difficult. He had no forelock really, just a very poor excuse for one. At least I never had to freeze brand him, his markings were very distinctive. He had the most flourishing tail carriage, which he would, for many years, hold high above his back. He was a cross bred Arab. I think his breeding was WelshxThoroughbred (dam) and Pure Arab (sire). This horse had the ability to look and behave like a true full blood Arab, or very workmanlike going into a Working Hunter class, which he won on many occasions. He was a very talented horse and had a very ‘Look at Me’ air about him. Potential was there for him to be anything I wanted and he never let me down.

My first impression of his temperament was gained when it came to visiting him for a week prior to purchasing him. After about the 3rd day, he would be waiting at the gate for me, quite convinced I would turn up, which I obviously did. I often wonder what he would have done had I not gone ? However, he seemed quite strong, playful, affectionate and trusting. Having made the decision to take him, with no thought of what he may do, I went into the field, put a headcollar on him, and just led him straight up the ramp of a small trailer. He travelled well, appeared calm and on arrival at the yard, endeared himself immediately to everyone. Apart from travelling with his tail over the door and falling off the ramp at the yard he did well for his first time.

His stable had been prepared. It had been decided to keep him in that first night just to let him settle, and to worm him. When I left him he appeared settled. However, during the night on several occasions, he woke up the yard owner with his noise. He had taken to winding his head very violently and in the process was in danger of hurting himself on the rough edges of the door surround, so the owner had, in the middle of the night, fixed padding around the surround to prevent Ali from hurting himself, and apparently, sat with him for an hour or so. This was the beginning of a very strong ‘love’ bond between Ali and the yard owner. Mr. Ingham used to smoke a pipe and Ali just loved breathing in the smoke, I got to thinking years on, perhaps that was a smell he associated with kindness, after all, Mr. Ingham was the one who sat with him and calmed him on his first night.

On arrival in the morning, he was very animated and waiting to get out. He was to share his field with a young mare of about 5 years old. They became instant friends, and it was a lovely sight to watch them gallop around the field, with Ali showing all the signs of an agile young horse, a potential dressage horse I thought. Prior to his going out the vet had visited to give him the routine Pre-Vac T vaccination.

That night when he came in, he ate quickly but settled into his routine. I didn't want to leave him out overnight just yet. I wanted us to form a bond, as I believed this to be important. That night he looked very tired and weary. His eyes were dull and running, he was not a happy horse. Immediately I called the vet, after examining Ali, he said he had a Virus and gave him some antibiotic. Hoping all would be well, Ali was sent out to play the next day. The symptoms disappeared for a week, then returned, as did the vet, and again, antibiotics were given.

I began to think I was just being over sensitive and probably it would be better if I just let Ali get on with things. I tried to ignore his miserable look, and indeed when we were together he appeared totally happy. He adored human company, more than horses it seemed sometimes. It never once struck me that the horse was under any stress. I thought I was being kind to him, stabling him and feeding him, but he was not keen on being in and I didn't pick up the signs.

One day I was lunging him in the field when be broke away from me and went galloping of with a lunge line trailing around him. By the time I caught up with him, he had wrapped his legs in barbed wire and had severe cuts on his legs, stomach, but particularly, his off fore hoof had been severed from one side to the other around the back. He was shaking and very distressed.

Once in the yard, I washed the cut but decided to leave it alone overnight. The following morning, he went out into the field as usual, but the vet, who I felt obligated to call, was most annoyed saying the cut needed stitching but he couldn't do that now he'd been turned out. So, my first attempt at DIY horse healing came.

I syringed warm salt water into the wound, put Hypercal cream all over, used a melonin dressing and then wrapped him securely in 3M Coban bandages. This procedure was done twice a day for about 2 weeks, gradually reduced to every other day, then the bandage removed. The cut had healed with no marks, and without stitches. I took the precaution to ensure the cut had healed properly of keeping that leg bandaged with Coban for about 3 months. During this time Ali went out into the field and was walked out in hand daily to get him used to all the new things he would come across as we progressed together in his training.

I cannot tell you the battles we had doing this bandaging. Ali was convinced he could not stand on 3 legs and would fight me every step of the way. Keeping my patience sometimes was very hard. During this period, I think we learned a lot about each other. Certainly from this first bad episode onwards, I never had problems dressing any wounds, and this horse had many in his lifetime. He was born to be cheeky, mischievous and generally, stretch my nerves to breaking point. My lessons in patience had started well. Ali was training me well for the future.

Then he began to lose his mane and tail! I rang the breeder who put me in touch with her homoeopath. He came down, gave Ali a course of tablets, and within a few weeks he was fine. Over the following months his mane and tail grew back.

He had Sweet Itch. I repeated the pills in October as told and this never had any further problem with him. If I saw him going to rub, I just got out the Medicated Brylcreem, which stops any irritation immediately. An alternative is to shampoo the mane and tail areas immediately you see the horse rubbing, and repeat until this eases. Please bear in mind that my homeopathic knowledge at this time was NIL. The homeopath that came out was not into the finer points of homeopathy, he was self-taught, but the thought of possible vaccine damage, detoxing etc. was never mentioned. The following 6 months went by fairly quietly, apart from the odd little cut, he appeared fine. We had had one serious problem with him, worm infestation. He had every worm you could think of. It required a lot of worming, often triple doses every other day for weeks until the Vet was happy with him. Are you beginning to see the pattern?

Then the first changes were noticed not just by me but also by most people who knew him. This young, lively, often difficult horse who adored dragging people off their feet, or into bushes, became lethargic, had a bad appetite, hardly passed any droppings or water, and if he ate a leaf of hay at night it was a miracle. He was coughing a lot. Again, out came the vet. He had COPD. I was advised to put him on shavings and feed Horsehage. Again, as a precaution, he was given Antibiotics, plus Ventipulmin and other such powders. On reflection within the first 9 months the horse had had so much 'rubbish' through his system it was no wonder he was ill. The first 3 years of his life he was 100% but then he had never had a vet, never been ill, and was completely happy running free. It just seemed that my kindness was causing him distress. I tried to keep him outside as long as possible, not realising that with bad grazing, he was eating all sorts of undesirable things, he was a great forager, and was often seen digging holes with his feet, eating soil, or licking the ground until he had made a massive hole with his tongue. I assumed he was deficient in minerals and was putting himself right. I assumed correctly, but again, I kept thinking it was as though he was trying to make himself sick, physically vomit which is unheard of in the horse. It was the only way I could describe his actions. He was definitely not the horse I had brought home. I knew there was something wrong but didn't know what.

I rethought his diet, exercise programme; everything that affected him was under scrutiny. At shows he was so tired, I just gave up and came home. Some mornings he was just too tired to even move and would eat from a prone position. At the time I thought this was just Ali being totally laid back and lazy, and everyone thought it was 'cute' so I didn't worry too much. This behaviour pattern went on for 3 years. Despite having a vet out regularly, we got nowhere. Just more injections.

One day, we had just put the horses out and were walking away when we all heard an almighty crack. On arrival at the gate, Ali was walking round in a circle, dazed and bleeding. All we could think was that he had brought his head up suddenly and caught it on one of the metal pieces that held the gate up. His nose had been cut open on barbed wire, and he was distinctly in pain. I had Rescue Remedy on me, and for the first time, decided to try it on Ali. Whilst waiting for the vet, he seemed to calm down and did not appear to be in such a state of shock as he first was. Again, more injections, and he required stitches. Nobody thought he could get into any more trouble....

But, on a regular basis, he was always doing something wrong and causing himself injuries. Mainly on the barbed wire which surrounded his field. He was seen eating bark, and scavenging a lot. All this was put down to Ali being accident prone, and a ‘personality’ that just got him into mischief.

Again, the bouts of stomach upset, lethargy etc. re-appeared regularly, and they were getting worse. I was beginning to doubt he had COPD as even in his new surroundings, he still coughed, still looked tired, and was as lifeless as you would expect a horse of about 29 to be. His droppings were often sloppy, he seemed to experience a lot of stomach gas, and no matter what I fed him, and he still plodded about like an old horse.

He put his back out for several weeks, and all we could do was rest him. It just seemed like every other week, something happened. I was getting frustrated and very annoyed. Trying to forget these things, I started doing Dressage with him. We were not good. He was very stiff and would not accept the bit, well, not willingly work on the bit that is. About half way through the season, I purchased a proper dressage saddle and girth. It was about this time I noticed he got very agitated when I was putting on the saddle, and when I was doing the girth up he would turn round as if to snap at me, which was not Ali. He even started bringing his hind legs up in annoyance. I also noticed that in canter, his body was twisted. When he cantered he threw my left leg forward and consequently I used to get really bad backache.

We must have tried at least 14 saddles, and they all had the same effect, so I now decided it was time to get his back properly checked. I got a qualified McTimoney chiropractor out who adjusted his spine and pelvis and he improved considerably, he had several treatments in one year to correct this problem, which then seemed to disappear.

His lethargy got worse, I got desperate. Then, one night, he was around 6 by now, I had just left him tied up in his stable with the grand-daughter of the yard owner, who adored Ali and vice versa, when she came out to tell me Ali was trying to kick her. I knew he wouldn't do this, so undid him, and watched him for a few minutes. I decided another colic attack was on the way, I gave him Nux Vomica, and walked him around for an hour, he seemed settled, so he went back to his stable, minus a feed, just hay, and I said I would call back down in about an hour. No sooner had I got home, a journey of about 3 minutes, than the phone went. Ali had been brought out of his stable because he had been trying to lie down, he was in a bad way and the vet had already been called. On arrival, I pointed out these two huge lumps on his side, on the girth line on both sides of his stomach, and was told 'not to worry, they match' which I wasn't amused by. He was treated for Colic, but I knew there was something more. Over the next few days I just sensed Ali was desperately ill.

We had a repeat of the performance of him kicking out, Nux Vomica etc. but this time he collapsed. The vet was brought out yet again, Colic. I disagreed with him. The horse was trembling, almost as if his limbs were in spasm. He was a very sick horse. By this time I was at the end of my tether with him. I had spent a fortune on his veterinary treatment, had endless sleepless nights sitting with him, I had to get to the bottom of this. After making enquiries, I took him to a clinic in Yorkshire where they treated horses only using Alternative therapies.

Blood tests had shown he had eaten something that didn't agree with him. On top of the lethargy, we had the stumbling; he always wanted to walk on grass not on hard ground. As I took him off the trailer and removed his blanket I was asked, 'How long has your horse had Chronic Hepatitis?' reeling from that, I was informed he had kidney damage, liver damage, no immune system, all his body was stiff, his off hind leg would require a great deal of physiotherapy, his shoulders were stiff, he had been poisoned. I was shocked and upset.

Ali had apparently ingested Ragwort, Yew and holly berries over a long period of time and was only the 3rd horse they had ever seen in such a sorry state. I left him, came home and hunted the field. Ragwort was rife, I hadn't known what it was, or that it was dangerous. I assumed a farmer would not have risked putting animals in a field with poisonous plants and who were sometimes prone to eating the weeds if the grazing was poor, which ours was. We even found dead ragwort in the hay.

After 3 weeks, I went back to collect Ali. He was quite thin, but the lumps on his side had completely gone. His eyes were slowly becoming less cloudy but there was a slight doubt that he might have impaired vision in his left eye. They gave me a diet sheet and strict instructions on how to keep him, which was basically as near natural as possible. His whole body was full of toxins, his immune system couldn't cope any more with injections, and indeed the last one given to him by the vet had caused his entire neck and shoulders to swell to almost double their normal size. The list was endless. I made a vow that I would treat him only with Homoeopathic medicines, and no vet would ever get near him again.

Once home he settled down into a nice routine, I was ultra careful of everything. I was frightened of putting him in the field in case he ate Ragwort, so he was stabled, and just ridden out a lot, or we had a team of helpers who sat with him when he was in, to keep him company. This went on for about a week, and then I was told I could use the Stallion paddock for a few hours whilst the Stallion was in.

I was delighted and led Ali out. He threw himself about, like he used to, and galloped off to roll. It was a lovely sight. I walked back to the stable, and within a minute heard Ali whinnying. The only times he did this were if he was on his own and it was near feed time, or if he was hurt. We all ran back to the field where we saw Ali completely wrapped up in wire, barbed and plain. He had been frightened by the calves that were in his field, and had run through the entire fenceline of 2 fields. He was dripping blood from everywhere. Not a part of his body was clean. I kept as calm as I could, hit him with Rescue Remedy and Aconite, gently syringed his wounds, first with luke warm water, then with salt water. I did nothing else.

In the evening when I went to check on him, the two very big cuts on his upper thigh which measured approximately 8 inches long by about 2 inches wide, each, were beginning to 'fill up' naturally. He was reasonably happy under the circumstances, and I re-dosed him with Rescue Remedy, Aconite and added Hypericum.

In the morning I was relatively pleased with the way the wounds appeared to be healing. Everyone was telling me he needed stitches but I stood firm. Twice a day I would salt water cleanse, on the smaller cuts, just use Hypercal, but on the two big ones on his off hind, I had a lotion made up (white lotion). I treated those wounds as described in his notes.

He eventually healed up completely with scars that were barely visible. In fact, all his cuts healed up well. The only troublesome one was in the heel of his near hind. I hadn't noticed this originally, there was so much blood, and the ones on his leg seemed to be the trouble, so in actual fact I missed this. It did heal eventually, after many months, but it did leave some very nasty scars. We did try using Vit E. oil, which did reduce the scarring a little, but not enough to let him continue to be shown. Despite all he had been through, he always came home with a few ribbons bless him.

The cut up his face and around his eye had healed and showed no scar, and I carried on then with his treatment for Kidney/Urinary complaints, no immune system etc. as described in his notes. You name it, this horse had it!! Through all of the pain and discomfort, and despite the obvious lethargy, he worked so hard for me. I knew he was ill, but I still didn't know what it was.

I rode him regularly, but I treated him with kid gloves, in return, he tried his best for me in Dressage, Show jumping, cross-country, you name it he did it during the worst 3 years of his little life. I continued to keep him on the yard until I got down one morning to find dry ragwort in his hay. I went berserk. I tacked him up, rode to another yard, explained my problem, and within 2 hours we had moved. I thought things would improve, but they didn't. Ali was still showing certain signs of discomfort but I was an old hand now and didn't panic. It was hard trying to explain to people why I treated him so carefully. I don't think anyone believed he had been through so much. It got to the stage where I felt I was a crank, and I refused to talk to anybody about Ali or his health etc. I just did what I had to quietly. People thought he was just idle, lazy etc. but I knew differently and it was hard listening to them passing such remarks about this lovely brave horse.

He continued to get into mischief, though not as often now. Age was on his side; he had got through the 'youngster' bit and settled down a bit. He still had the occasional mad fling around the field, but injuries were now rare. He was always up and down with odd bouts of mild colic, or indigestion, but we coped without a vet. He never had another injection.

It was about this time, he was now around 8 that I began to feel I could understand him that he was often trying to tell me things. I cannot explain this in words, it was a feeling. I still get it with people I am close to, and the odd horse I may be schooling.

When I think back, when his little mare was taken away and sold, he was on his own for a while, despite all the attention we gave him, he became sick. This was actually before his last collapse, so the vet did come out and announced Ali was being treated for Stress.

This was probably the first time I understood that a horse had feelings, and reacted as we would. I began to learn a lot just by watching him in the field, in the stable, not so much under saddle. When he is out on a ride with me, he always seemed okay. He trusted me to look after him and vice versa. He had always been a good horse in that way. Confident, no vices, a real sweetie. I began to list all the 'odd' things he did, just for the record.

When we moved to another yard opposite where I live, he really did seem to come on in leaps and bounds. It took another year, but we were getting there! I recall one night; I had left him, as usual about 4.30 and would normally check him around 8.30. Not long after I had been in I felt something strange, I flew back to the yard and found Ali in the throes of a fully fledged colic attack.

The yard owner came out to help me as I drenched him, fed him on homoeopathic pills one after the other, and stayed until he seemed settled. His breathing was hard, but the colic appeared to be under control. I visited again about midnight, he was doing okay. In the morning he was happy enough so out he went.

I wandered into the field and walked all up the edge where the houses were. At one house, where all the horses seemed to get petted, and the owners adored them, I noticed an apple tree. I had had problems with Ali years prior with apples. I fed him some in a feed, and they must have made him feel ill. For days he wouldn't eat, then we decided to leave the apples out, and he ate his feed happily. We decided then that Ali could not eat apples.

I called the house owners who came out, explained to them Ali's problem and they were really good. They cut off all overhanging branches and pulled off any apples that were left. I only assumed this was the problem, but from that day, he never had an attack like that. In fact, he had only had 2 major colic bouts in the past 3 years.

Another thing that has suddenly loomed was the fact that Ali could not have carrots. A few years ago, we had what I called 'stop / start syndrome' we would be out on a hack and for no known reason he would stop. He would not move until he was ready. This could go on for an hour or more, then he may pass some droppings. After which he seemed to be fine. This always happened between October - May - carrot time.

The next autumn, I stopped his carrots and the problem subsided. On looking into what may have caused the problem I found out that carrots, if taken in excess were toxic, particularly if there were any problems with the liver. This applied to humans, but it was the only explanation I could find which came anywhere near to solving Ali's problem.

His first winter on the new yard brought out a bad case of Mud Rash, which was treated and never returned, even when the other horses were covered in it, Ali, seemed immune. His last misadventure was to get a nail in his foot. Despite the fact that I cleaned his feet out thoroughly at least twice a day, I missed it.

The first day, he was not striding out, his trot felt odd, but I was reliably informed by the BHSI on our yard, he was just being lazy because I was making him work harder!!! The second day, the heat and swelling were very obvious, I hosed his leg from top to bottom, checked everywhere and still never saw the offending nail. By this time, it had been reliably diagnosed that Ali had lymphangitis.

Well, the 3rd day arrived. I was determined to sort this out. All homoeopathic treatment had failed for sprains, strains, bruising etc. I scrubbed his back foot until it was absolutely spotless, used a toothbrush to make sure I got into all those little places, and I saw a glint of something just in the cleft of his frog. I couldn't get at it, so very slowly I just worked some of the sole away, and with a pair of fine pliers I pulled this nail out. Ali's leg shot back and then he dropped his head and breathed a huge sigh, as if it say ' about bloody time' then we poulticed it as described, using the now famous disposable nappies. At night it was dressed, in the morning, it was cleaned, no dressing just Stockholm Tar, and an equiboot and out he went.

Ali had a booster Tetanus, Hypericum and Ledum, no vet, no injections, and recovered. Another lesson I learned, as before when he was distressed, I didn't pick up his signal. For the 3 days he had the nail in his foot, every time he saw me on the yard, he whinnied, from the field, with all his pals around. This was odd, but it didn't click. This behaviour went on for a while, then he would give up and just carry on eating when he realised I wasn't going into him. From then on, if I ever heard him whinnying from the field, I always checked, and everyone on the yard knew that if he did, there was something wrong. The only other times he made a noise was at feed time at night when I go back, early in the morning, or if he was put out first in the morning and was on his own in the field. Other than that, he was quiet.

If I give attention to another horse, or any animal, within sight of his stable he sulked. If I raised my voice, rare though it is, he sulked. It could go on for days. He would turn his backend towards me, ignore any attempt on my part to cuddle him and just throw his head around, it really was quite strange.

He was a delightful horse to own, well disciplined, kind, willing, gentle, obliging, fun, and very handsome. I have learned a great deal about horse psychology from him. I backed and schooled him myself, and although at the time, I never realised what he was doing, now I look back and recall all the silly things that happened when I thought he was just being plain awkward, when in fact he was either feeling totally unwell, confused by my attempts to school him or just downright stubborn rather than scared.

Ali developed a cough. He would cough a great deal, and I would then rest him for a week. This little game went on for a while, until one day, after he had coughed I ignored it, and carried on schooling him... he never did cough again. If when being ridden Ali was asked to do something he couldn’t understand or which hurt him, he stopped and stamped a back leg. If you continued to push him, he kicked out, or stamped a foot in 'temper' I have got it on tape and it nearly always occurred when he was being asked to do lateral work or a movement that caused him discomfort.

I've been through Anaemia with him, and following treatment, had blood tests done again, with a slight improvement, so I know what I did with him worked.

One of his later problems was his spleen, which apparently was swollen, and causing him pain, as were his kidneys.

I did a lot of massage on him using essential oils, acupuncture, and acupressure. Plenty of stretching exercises and hand massage which he seems to enjoy. I had so many different people working on him, claiming they know what his problem is, it took a lot of patience for me to get together a very small team of people to assist me in looking after Ali. He had a McTimoney chiropractor, the people at Furlongs Challenge and Dodson and Horrell, and the last recruit who stunned and amazed me, Nikki Mackay who talked to Ali for about 2 hours. The result of this little chat is documented. Following her 'treatment' lots of odd things happened, and I found myself being very careful what I said anywhere near Ali or any horse for that matter. If they can actually understand words, as Nicky says they can, horse owners are in trouble.

In one telephone conversation, Nikki had gathered Ali was not himself, and had rung me to find out how he was. She and Ali got on well, and I believe she could sense a problem, which is just what she did. She was firmly convinced that we were so close, something she hadn't seen with any other horse owners, and I was pretty much on Ali's wavelength. She maintained that in time I would be able to understand what he tried to convey. For instance, when my back was bad, she told me to go to Ali and tell him to tone it down, which I did, and within a few hours at most, my backache had gone. Once he’d been a bit miserable so I asked him why, and also told him we were going to spend more time together. Then it clicked, he could smell all the other horses on my coat and me and was upset. If I had no time for him, how come I had time for them?

I told Nikki and she said I was spot on. Ali told her he loved me and worried about losing me. I know I caused some of his problems, but as I explained to her, I can't sort things out overnight, the problem is mine and long term so Ali would just have to get used to it. I explained to him that as long as he was well and happy then I was okay hoping he would shake himself out of this really weird mood, but talking to Nikki, she felt that Ali couldn’t help himself, this is where the mirroring comes in.

Sometimes, he made himself ill to draw my attention to something going wrong in my life, and on rare occasions, to get my attention focused onto him. He had recently become quite unaffectionate which was definitely not Ali. He has been refusing to come to the gate to come in and made me walk over 8 acres to fetch him, which again was odd. On the day I was late, everyone had tried to get him in, but he wouldn't be caught, and even in the dark, way past feed time, he still made me actually go and get him. It was only since I spoke to Nikki and then literally just stood in front of Ali and asked him what his problem was, that he started, only slightly, to be nice again. It is hard to explain, it sounds weird, but having heard the things I did, I have no doubts that Nikki can talk to horses, she definitely spoke to Ali. Now I know why he used to be nicknamed Mr. Ed.

I have to admit, since I have spent more time with different horses, I have begun to realise that some of the problems I am called on to sort out are not the horses. They are rider, owner, and often, something, which has happened to the horse in the past. I just have to watch the animal for a while in a given situation, and then ask the owner or rider to think back. It is amazing how many suddenly go ' oh yes, I remember....'

I often stand with a new horse stroking it and massaging it as I chat away, and they sort of stand there, slowly dropping their heads and closing their eyes. At least I don't need a twitch. It is amazing what sort of horses can be calmed by being massaged in the right places, and what sort of vices slowly disappear if I can get their owners to do the same, even when they're riding.

Over the 16 years I had Ali, I learned so much, not just about riding and stable management, but to be able to read him like a book. To know sometimes, what he was going to do before he did it, to know a few days in advance if he was going to be 'ill' or lively, these are things working with a young horse you need to know, and as the relationship develops, it really is like being one. We both know how far we could push the other before battle commenced, and the routine was that I usually won. I talked to Ali when we were out riding like a friend, which may sound weird, but it's better than my singing, although I have been known to do that also. I could put any rider on his back and knew how he would react. For a learner or novice he would just plod around, for someone who wrapped legs of iron around him he exploded and has been known to run off with them, and children he adores. If he saw a child, or a pram when we were out riding he just stopped. He was extremely inquisitive and he did have a sense of humour. This horse took his bridle off just before we started a dressage test. Fortunately, I hadn't saluted and the judge fell out of the car laughing.

He also had a reputation for decking me, never ran off, and I have no idea why he did it. If I fell off, which has been known, he stayed by my side. Only once did he ever leave me and that was when he was very young, in a big park, but he was recovered and returned to me. From that day, he never left me again. We had a nasty accident when out in the woods near home, it was my fault really. Ali didn't want to go through this particular pathway, but I made him and we sank into the deepest and blackest bog you can imagine. He struggled for what seemed like ages, and got out, and hard though this is to believe, he turned towards me and put his head down, sort of shook his neck so the reins slipped down and then pulled slowly back until I was out. We arrived at the top of a hill, Ali having to just follow me because I needed both hands to climb, filthy, wet and smelling. I let Ali take his own route home, he picked the shortest and we ended up going through farmers yards who hated horses, across fields that were out of bounds usually, and then once home, I washed him down, and he seemed fine. In fact, he actually looked like he had enjoyed himself.

There have been so many incidents, I would have to go through my diaries to recall them, but he certainly was a real fun horse, despite his various ailments, I wouldn't have been without him. He let me know when he was ready to summer out by totally ignoring any calls to get him in for supper, and in the winter, when he was ready to come in he was always standing at the gate looking bedraggled around 3.30ish. During the summer he had to wear his N.Z. long after other horses had theirs removed, as we could not keep his temperature at a normal level. He felt the cold long before other horses, it didn’t matter if he was clipped or not. Sometimes, if it was a pleasant night I would walk over after midnight and check him over, either putting on or taking off a rug as was needed. I also liked to watch the horses for an hour or so; they got up to some mischief. Ali did not seem to join in as such, he just trotted a fine passage, head swinging, another trait nobody could understand. A creature of habit, he lay down for a nap after his morning feed, and generally I had to muck out around him. He was quite genuinely a very 'laid back' horse.

If what Nikki said is true, and he takes after me in an equine manner, then he must have been a very frustrated performer. The sort of horse that only gets half way through a task, just failing to make the grade, which was often seen in his Dressage results. At the last minute, something goes wrong. His latest thing is to nudge you with his nose just as you have picked up a full skip of droppings, and if I am particularly late on the yard, I get a black bucket coming out of the stable, a bit like a Frisbee, as he makes his protest. He eats very slowly, but he loves his food.

I warn people never to go near him, or into a field with a bucket of feed because he will go for them. I have seen him pin one idiot from our first yard, firmly against a tree trying to get the feed bucket from him, a bit like watching Custer’s last stand. That’s the only time I have known Ali show the slightest aggression.

In the same field, a rather nasty gelding was introduced and it bullied all the horses. One morning when I took Ali to the field, he wouldn't go through the gate; he stood shaking from head to tail, absolutely terrified. I had no option, I walked in with him, and it felt dreadful watching him sort of 'sneak' in, turning round every few strides to look at me anxiously. He knew if the horse started on him I would sort it out, it was like watching your child go to its first school. I often wonder if that horse bothered him so much, like Nikki now says, if Ali made himself ill knowing I would keep him in, or he would go in the 'sick' pasture alone and unbothered. Ali doesn't fight. He will defend himself by turning his back on a horse, maybe even nipping, but he never instigates any fight. He is the horse everyone wants to borrow to try something new on, practice a dressage test on, be the one their new horse goes out with, particularly the babies and youngsters. He is calm and so good, despite a lot of his faults; he is a very good schoolmaster.

I love it when he 'explodes' and we do the perfect Piaffe, into Passage, then into collected canter. These movements occur at traffic lights when he has to stop and wait. He terrifies drivers and it is hard trying to explain he isn't frightened of traffic, but downright impatient. Another trick at traffic lights is for Ali to turn round and put his nose on the bonnet of the car behind us; he is a terror if the car has a sunroof or the windows are open. Head straight in, and on one occasion he came out carrying a straw hat, which he had literally lifted off the ladies head. Fortunately, she had a sense of humour. These are genuine things he has done, amongst so many others. It makes him the character he is.

Sometimes he is timid, he knows I don't hurt him, so he will always try to do what I ask, but I have also learned that if Ali absolutely point blank, flatly refuses to do something, there is a very good reason. If Ali does get frightened he is so quick it isn't always easy to get out of his way. He panics, and despite my calming tones, he will often cause himself physical damage. It is the one part of him that I cannot understand as he genuinely is a calm horse 99.9% of the time.

I often threaten to write a book about him, but for the life of me wouldn't know where to start or end. Every day brings a new experience with him. I just hope his health stays pretty much as it is now. We have had a very good 12 months so far. I dread the thought of losing him, but it will happen, and I have vowed he will not be replaced. I couldn't find another horse like him, despite all the hassles, he has been a real friend. He has been the one constant thing in my life, he's helped me through illnesses and disasters, and like it or not, I have had to get up out of a sick bed to look after him. I will not let anyone else do that job. I have had no holidays since I got him, just a very quick overnight stop to London, during the summer when he was living out.

The reason I am over protective is, he is so amiable, he will always try to please, but some people abuse that, on our yard physical abuse is not uncommon when the owners aren't around, it just so happens that I spend a great deal of time on the yard, and I see what goes on. I would hate to think Ali was being hit just because he wouldn't stand totally still. He is a living creature not a statue.

To sum Ali up around these parts he and I are very well known, and I was once sitting in the hairdressers when the lady next to me turned and asked ' are you Ali's mum?' not, 'do you own Ali ' or something similar. That just about summed up our relationship. As a friend of mine commented,' he is a typical Taurus ' and would you believe that there are 3 signs, Earth Signs that are compatible, Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn. I am the Capricorn. I am also a firm believer in astrology, in fact I have a very open mind about most things. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't but with Ali, every avenue has to be travelled. One day someone may just be able to sort him out, at the moment, Nikki is the nearest thing I have to conversation with Ali, and I always used to say if he could talk life would be easier... in fact he made life more confusing than ever.

This is just a very short run down of some of the things that happened with Ali and me. To go into major detail would probably require me to write a book and I am definitely not up to that! I just hope you enjoy the story for what it is. Losing him prematurely was the most devastating experience for so many reasons. He was so special that it has never entered my mind to go out and get another horse. I think we are all given that one special horse in our life, and Ali was mine. I miss him every day and I curse the ignorance that led to his many illnesses. I want people to stop and ask question of me, vets and beware, there are many people out there who will take advantage of you because you are desperate to help your animal. Financially looking after Ali broke my bank and I learned the hard way.

I acknowledge all the mistakes I made, all the incorrect treatments I permitted him to have and my stupidity in listening to those I thought knew better when my gut instinct told me otherwise.

Ali is the reason I do what I do. Sadly he suffered through my ignorance though I did try to make this up as I learned more about Holistic methods and am totally convinced that my own treatment of him gave him the additional 10 years the vets did not think he would ever have. Not only did he get those years but during that time, he was healthy more often than not and we had many good and happy times. He did teach me. He made me think and question. Regardless of what I did achieve, the damage was done with his first ever vaccination and I did not immediately recognise that. Partly due to innocence, no help, and no knowledge of the damage of vaccines as it was not even talked about in those days.

So, that is Ali’s story and mine. Each day I miss him but what I learned through him has helped numerous other animals, equine, canine, feline and everything in between. Even my dog training and behaviour came into play because of Ali. He gave me a true sense of purpose every day of his life and every day since then. I am just glad he was in my life.

Copyright: AnimalHolisticHealth.com 2004