Andrea Bocelli
Italian Tenor and Music Icon
They are much more than a “friend of man”: horses have played an unmistakable part in writing history, contributing to the progress of mankind with their labor and loyalty.
There is a special mutual trust and an intense, positive feeling that runs on the invisible and vibrant thread of sensitivity shared by both parties, which cements the relationship between human beings and horses. This is also art, in its own way: the art of loving, of knowing how to listen, of caring for others. The art of relating to other living things. The art of trusting and walking gracefully through life in harmony with those around us and with what happens.
Horses have never been mere tools: they are our traveling companions. For anyone unclear on this concept, the animal itself will clarify any doubts in this regard. Every horse has its own temperament, which resonates with the rider’s. As rightly noted, it takes trust and sensitivity for the relationship to work. It takes respect. A feeling must be established that I would call friendly. And friendship is a form of love.
Horses symbolize beauty, strength and the spirit of self-sacrifice. They represent a spectacular emanation of nature. And to find direct contact with this is always a valuable source of inspiration, in art as in life, for all of us.
I myself have been riding since I was a child. I could even say that my love for horseback riding, as well as my love for music, is written in my DNA. In this regard, a few key words come to mind that, in my experience, are shared by the two activities: passion, harmony, rhythm, grace and also exhilaration. The last wish of my grandfather Alcide was to give me a horse for my eighth birthday. A few days after his death, my father saw to making that wish a reality and I got my first little horse, “Stella”. It was love at first sight.
For me, horse riding was not merely my favorite sport in my younger years, but also a privileged means of transport. Even today, in the corner of Tuscany where I grew up, I often move around on horseback. And I realize that such a practice expresses a true form of mental and physical therapy, to bring my body and mind back to a more genuine and direct relationship with nature. As soon as I can, I take off on horseback through the woods, seeking something that seems closer to my sensitivities. When my steed gallops, I feel like we are going as fast as the wind, yet when on a plane or even a train, I feel like I’m sitting still!
Horses are the perfect companions for an activity that I consider “also” – yet certainly not “only” – a fun and stimulating way to stay in shape. It is also, and above all, I repeat, a privileged pathway to making peace with life and taking me back to the real, opulent beauty that nature offers, in the image and likeness of the One that created nature itself and us with it.
I appreciate the intelligence of this extraordinary animal, their ability to express affection, their willfulness, and the bond that is established when riding them, as well as their ability to stimulate the rider’s emotions.
During lockdown, I had to give up my beloved horses. As soon as it was possible, I went back to riding and even embarked upon a real devotional journey on horseback, along an itinerary spanning hundreds of kilometers, which led from the tomb of St. Peter in Rome to the Tuscan village where I was born, Lajatico. A three-week pilgrimage, which my wife Veronica and I conceived as a form of traveling prayer, as a testimony founded on discipline and effort. Horses represented the perfect partners even in this instance: decisive, in allowing us to immerse ourselves in the wonder of creation and to remind us of the need to return to the essential values of life.
Randy Travis
Legendary Country Music Artist And Lifelong Horseman
The love of a horse is pure and unaltered between man and horse. Since before I was able to walk, I have been on horseback—initially at my father’s insistence, and forever after due to my affection for them. I don’t remember a time, in my 63 years of life, when I didn’t have horses, nor would I change that luxury. I cleared my head and escaped the world more times than I can count when I was one with the horse and the wind…they were my friend.
My dad trained horses and I suppose I somewhat followed in his footsteps, as I spent many hours, both teaching and learning, from my equine companions. I’m not sure who learned the most—often, I got the feeling I was on the winning end of it. When I needed a lesson in patience, I got it. When I needed a lesson in understanding, I got it. When I needed a dose of kindness, I got it. And, when I needed the quietness of a friend, I got it, too! My horses have come in all shapes, sizes, breeds, colors, and temperaments—I learned and loved them each.
Trigger, Jr., son of Roy Roger’s Trigger, was plain ornery. Scout was one of the smartest horses I had ever been around. And, Preacher, is the kindest horse I’ve ever owned. With a wide range of personalities in between, I’ve been blessed with the well-rounded friendships I have found in my horses. After spending almost 6 months in the hospital following my bout with viral cardiomyopathy and massive stroke, I was finally allowed to take an afternoon test-run visit, with Mary, to our ranch. The hour-long drive, now the same man but in a different shell, left me anxious for what I would find, recognize, know, and feel when I arrived. Following the stroke, there was much confusion and lack of recognition regarding much of the life I had once known. When we first pulled up the drive to our ranch, our first greeting came from our pasture of ponies—we drove right up to the fence and one by one, they each came over to the window, nuzzled my neck, and stood around as if they each were sharing their stories of the last 6 months. Preacher laid his head on my shoulder and remained through storytime. So many forgotten memories and familiar feelings came flooding back to me—they were the therapists I would understand the best.
I guess when it comes to horses and mankind, a leap of understanding is needed on both sides…they recognize our shortcomings, and we applaud their sensitivity. My life, my music, my soul would be so different if I had not known the love of a horse…forever and ever, Amen.
