24/06/2025
Red-
A day in the life of a very special horse
This short story is dedicated to the memory of Redmond, or Red as everyone knew him. Red came to us, from Project Hope in mid-2021. Red had been rescued from an abusive previous life. Project Hope rescue abused or abandoned horses and re-habilitate them. The aim is to find a ‘forever home’ for them, where they can live their days with respect and dignity.
It is our honor that Red found his ‘forever home’ with us. In his time with us, he made an enormous difference to the lives of many people.
Unfortunately, Red passed away in late 2024, following a bout of cholic. He has been laid to rest- forever- on our property, overlooking our dam.
Hamer Equine Assisted Learning.
With panoramic views of Mount Macedon, Hamer Equine Assisted Learning [ HEAL] offers a tranquil space for participants to experience the unique benefits of equine assisted learning.
HEAL offers physically and psychologically safe experiences with horses. We provide participants with the opportunity to explore issues that may be troubling them or simply to enjoy being in the space with the horses. We support participants as they work through a wide variety of issues including relationship and family problems, building awareness of damaging behavioural habits, fostering interpersonal and emotional skills, and working on other identified learning goals.
Equine Assisted Learning is an experiential form of learning and healing where participants and horses work together. “Experiential” means that participants work with the horses to experience the issues that are impacting their lives.
Horses have an extraordinary ability to read our nonverbal communication – picking up on our feelings and the unconscious signals we may send out. Horses do not know or care about our personal histories or backgrounds. They experience us ’in the moment’ and will accept us as they find us. Their non-judgmental reactions provide insights to participants from which they can learn and grow.
Red joined our herd of 3 other horses -Jenny, Blaze and Halo. In his short time with us he was much loved by many who came to us. His memory will live with us- forever.
Project Hope
Project Hope Horse Welfare Victoria is dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming neglected or abused horses across Victoria.
With every horse Project Hope takes into its care the purpose is to find them their perfect forever home. Education and Advocacy are also important parts of what they do.
The rescue program they run is unique, Project Hope has horse sanctuaries throughout Victoria, courtesy of their members that have the capacity and horse experience to
offer short and long-term leases.
To find our more about Project Hope and to make a donation please go to
www.phhwv.org.au
A day in the life of a very special horse.
Sunrise:
As the sun rose from behind the mountain, Red raised his head and took a large inbreath and then let it out. It sounded like a snort and the others looked up, met his eye and then went back to their grazing.
Red could feel that this would be a special day. The air had a warmth to it that lit up his body. He looked at his friends again, heads down, quietly eating. Yes, he thought, today was going to be special .
The stillness of the morning was broken by a voice calling from the top of the hill. ‘ Cooee’ it cried out. The others didn’t move, still busy munching the early morning grass. The voice cried out again. ‘Cooee’. It echoed off the trees and had a bit more oomph in it. He glanced over at Jenny, who slowly raised her head. The others picked up her signal and sopped eating. Jenny cocked her head and very slowly started to move toward the hill. ‘This is it’ Red thought, ‘time for breakfast.’ Jenny continued to amble slowly as if she had all the time in the world. Then suddenly to his left, Red saw Halo beginning to run. ‘Typical’ he thought, ‘it’s always him. He always tries to be first up even thought he knows he’ll be the last to get fed.’ As Halo darted past him , Jenny and Blaze picked up their pace. Red bided his time. He began to trot and as the others reached the bottom of the hill, he hit the accelerator. He knew he could beat them, he always did. He felt the power run to his muscles and like an arrow from a tight bow, he streaked past them and galloped up the hill. It was time to start this special day.
Breakfast:
As he reached the top of the hill, Red could feel his heart pounding and the warm air pumping into his lungs. He looked around and the others made it up, puffing and panting. Blaze flicked his head at him and Red knew this was a signal for playtime. Red ran around the grass in front of the house and Blaze followed him. Red kicked out his back legs and felt a rush of energy. He lowered his head and charged toward Halo. He pulled up just short and flicked his head again.
Red loved this part of the day. He was quick and he could rush the others and then get out of the way if they tried to charge at him.
Play was interrupted as the shed door opened and Annie came out with her wheelbarrow, heavy with four feed buckets. They all tried to crowd around her but she shooed them away. All of them, except for Jenny who got her daily medicine, with some apple sauce in it , if you don’t mind.
Red didn’t fully understand why, but breakfast time always made him anxious. He stared at the feed buckets. Was there one for him? He had a shadow of a dark memory that he couldn’t quite reach. It sat, still, brooding deep inside him, just beyond his reach. Suddenly , Annie called out ‘C’mon’ and pushed the barrow into the paddock.
Red could see his allotted spot- just near the shelter. He felt re-assured but paced nervously. Once Annie had fed Jenny and Blaze, it would be him. He was sure of it. And then, she was with him, bucket in hard. ‘There you go Red’ and placed the bucket on the ground. The dark shadow shifted backwards and he concentrated on the work in hand- Eating his breakfast.
Red and Emily.
Half an hour later, Red stood silently, his head lowered. A full stomach will do that to a horse! Red allowed the mild rays of the rising sun to wash over his neck and back and he dozed gently, half asleep but also half awake.
He was aware of the human noises outside the paddock. A few months here and he knew that his day was just about to really start. He opened his eyes and there was Annie with her grey shirt and hat, standing at the fence. Alongside her was a young girl, dressed in jeans and a hoodie. Just behind them was an older woman, watching the young girl tenderly but carefully. The girl pointed at him. ‘Is that Red?’ She asked with a touch of awe in her voice. ‘He’s so big”. At this, the little girl lowered her eyes and in small voice Red could barely hear , she said ‘he’s scary’, and with that she drew back from the fence.
Red didn’t know what the little girl was saying but he could hear the apprehension in her voice. The shadow rose inside him, and he felt her fear.
Red knew fear. He knew it only too well. Flashes of memory rushed through him. Voices, noises, lights and even sticks. He didn’t know how to make sense of them – only how they had made him feel. And right at that moment all he could see was a small girl who needed reassurance.
He lifted his head. The older lady was talking to Annie- ‘She’s frightened of her own shadow’ she said, ‘It’s such a shame, because she misses out on so much’.
Annie leant down to the little girl, who was standing with her head held down. Red watched as Annie spoke quietly to the girl and as she spoke, the girl lifted her eyes and Red felt the girl reappraising him. ‘Really’ said the girl, the tone of her voice was more animated. Annie smiled and so did the girl. Red watched as the older woman dropped her shoulders and began to relax.
Then, Annie and the girl came into the paddock. The other horses were also dozing, catching a few rays! Annie and the girl walked past them, their eyes on him. They approached him slowly. The girl was tight to Annie’s side. ‘This is Red’ Annie said gently. ‘Red. This is Emily.’ The girl gave a faint smile. Red stood still and waited. Annie slowly brought the girl within arm’s length. Annie asked ‘Would you like to stroke him?’ Emily looked up at her and nodded. She put her hand out, with her fingers closed.
Red leaned forward and sniffed the closed fingers. He sensed her anxiety. ‘Would you like to pat him’ Annie said and Emily reached out her hand and touched his neck. ‘He’s warm’ Emily said with a touch of surprise. She held her hand against his neck. Red turned his neck to face her and Emily stayed still, her fingers gently massaging. ‘How are you feeling Emily?’ Annie asked. ‘Good’ came the response, quiet but with a bit more confidence.
Annie handed the girl a brush and said, ‘he loves being brushed on his neck’. She paused. ‘Would you like to try it?’ Emily took a small step toward him and Red felt the sensation of the brush on his skin. He loved this. If his job was to help with this then… Bring it on!’
A few minutes later and Emily was brushing his mane. She was talking to Annie now. ‘He’s not scary. He’s big but he’s not scary’. She hit a knot in his mane but Red was careful to stand still.
Something special was happening. He didn’t know what, but he felt it. The shadow of fear and anxiety he sensed in Emily had passed and instead there was an emerging lightness. As Emily explored what she could do, not dwelling on what she thought she couldn’t do, Red could feel her confidence growing.
The shadow faded from him as well, and he felt himself becoming as one with Emily- a partnership, a team. Before he knew it, Annie was showing Emily how to put a halter on. Emily reached around his neck and as her arms stretched out, she leant forward and very gently brushed her lips on him.
Halter on, Annie handed Emily the lead rope and together they walked past the other horses, who were still quietly dozing and they left the yard.
Emily and he were walking side by side. Annie gently encouraged her to talk to him. ‘Tell him what you want to do Emily’. ‘He loves to hear voices.
‘C’mon Red’ Emily said firmly, ‘let’s walk over here’. There were a few poles on the ground, which he’d seen a few dozen times, but Emily hadn’t. She stepped over the first one, cautiously. She looked back at him, and he sensed a flicker of anxiety. ‘Would he come? Was the unspoken question. Red strode over the first pole and Emily’s face lit up. ‘Look mum’ she shouted. Mum was smiling and trying to take photos at the same time. ‘Way to go Ems’ came the response.
As a team, they walked around the small course for a few more minutes. Annie stepped back and it was suddenly all Emily, and Red of course. The scared girl of one hour ago was now confidently walking and talking with him. When she stopped, Red gave a her a gentle nudge, not too hard and she laughed. ‘You’re naughty’. Red glanced over at Annie and mum. Both were smiling, mum chatting animatedly.
Red didn’t know what she was saying but somehow the words, ‘I’ve never seen her do anything like this’ don’t really need translation.
And so it continued for a while, until the time came to part and Red walked with Emily over to mum’s car.
Annie asked Emily how she was feeling. Emily once again said ‘good’. Red knew that word. All the young ones seemed to say it! Annie gently probed ‘If Red could give you some words of encouragement, what do you think he would say?’ Emily thought hard and then gently said, ‘There’s no need to be scared. You can do this.’
For good measure, Red gave her one final nudge. Emily laughed and mum smiled in a knowing way that came deep from her soul.
Emily had gone quiet again. Red felt her sadness at the separation. ‘Time to say goodbye for now Ems’. Emily’s head dropped. ‘But we’re coming back in 2 weeks,’ mum added quickly.
Emily looked back up, just in time to see Red give Annie a big nudge. She smiled. ‘Bye Red’ she said quickly, giving a small wave. And with that they were gone.
Break time
Red felt Annie’s hand stroking his neck as she watched the car disappear down the drive. ‘Good boy’ she said’ good boy’. The reassuring voice was what he’d learnt about this place. He liked the calmness of the farm, the lack of noise, the ordered nature of the herd and the regular routines. He felt safe. Jenny, the herd leader was the boss and she kept a close watch on them all. Red know his place in the group and even thought he’d tried to be number 2 , he fitted into he herd as number 3. All the horses had a place. The herd had structure. Structure and order kept them safe.
In his previous life it had been a lot different. Those times shaped the shadows inside him. The shadows that threated to push him from the safe place, if he allowed them. Instead, he chose to accept and value the order his life had now.
A biscuit of hay for all four of them, that’s how things worked here. One horse gets a treat, all horses get a treat.
Having eaten and taken a lengthy drink from the trough, he stood by the side of the horse shelter out of the sun and dozed.
He could vaguely hear voices as Annie introduced another family. He was aware of footsteps nearby and whispered voices. But he wasn’t needed for this session and he sank back into the safety of his space and sighed when he heard a couple of the others doing large outbreaths. The outbreaths were always a signal that all was calm on the farm.
Later that day
The heat of the day was starting to mellow, and Red was aware of the increase in bird noise as the shadows stated to lengthen and he felt this day starting to draw to a close. He heard a car pull up outside the house. A door slammed, breaking the peace, and Red and the others raised their heads.
Red looked to his left. Jenny was on alert. The loud noise had startled them. She was focused on the back of the house, her ears forward, leg poised. Red took a couple of steps toward the others, and they all watched carefully as a man and a teenage boy came around the corner.
They were arguing. Red felt the shadow rise. He’d seen this before. Raised voices, rapid arm movements. The boy made a move to walk away, and the man grabbed his arm to stop him.
The back door opened, and Annie came out. She took in the scene and walked toward them, her voice bright, trying to calm things down. ‘Hi guys’ she said lightly. The other two stopped and the man turned to face her.
Red saw his shoulders shrug and his voice calmed. The boy stood with his back to them. His head down. Even from ten metres, Red could sense the boy’s anger and hurt. Red moved a step closer to Jenny. All four of them were watching closely.
Annie took them into the house office. Red and the others stood silently, watching but breathing slowly and getting back to being calm.
A few minutes later, Annie and the boy came out - silently. They came to the fence, and they started the routine she did every session. Red could hear the calming sound of her voice, and he started to drop his head, but not before noticing that the boy was standing with his arms folded, the fury still sitting with him.
A few minutes later they entered the paddock. The boy was hanging back, eyes firmly fixed on the ground. He might be staring at the ground, but all eight horse eyes were firmly fixed on him. Red was ready to take his cue from Jenny. She would lead on this. It was her job.
The boy walked past them all, without a glance and followed Annie to the shelter. Annie pulled out the old chair from the corner and the boy sat down, head slumped. Annie stepped back to the edge of the paddock and watched, silently.
An uneasy peace descended on them all. Jenny had stilled and was letting down. Red began to calm, and he felt the shadow slide back. The boy hadn’t moved. But Red could hear something faint. The boy’s shoulders shuddered slightly, and Red felt his sadness and pain.
Red slowly made his way to the shelter. He looked at Annie. She nodded and he knew what he needed to do.
As he walked slowly to the shelter, the boy raised his head, slightly startled. His eyes were red and teary. Again, Red felt his pain and anguish. Red stopped an arm’s length away. The boy dropped his head again.
Red stood holding the space- a calm, reassuring presence. Very slowly, he inched forward and then as gentle as a feather he put his head forward and leant it on the boy’s. Red could feel a wracking sob escape from the boy. He stood firm and slowly as he felt the boy recover his breathing and begin to calm.
Red felt the boy’s hand come up and stroke his neck. They stayed like that for a few minutes.
Red heard the office door open, and the father came out. He stood with Annie and watched.
Red stood silently, his internal shadows fading back inside. He could feel the boy regaining control. He could sense the boy’s hurt start to fade.The boy raised his head. He asked Annie something and she gave the boy a couple of brushes. As the sun began to mellow and the cockies and kookaburras started their early evening calls, the boy got to work. Red felt the gently touch of the brush. He looked over at Annie. She nodded. ‘Good boy Red’ she said, and he dropped his head and relished the feeling of the brush on his coat.
The end of the day.
The paddock gates were open and the four of them ambled out onto the open farmland. They made their way to the front of the house and spied the four piles of inviting hay. Red had learnt which one was his, and he made his way to it. The final act of the day before a night of grazing and snoozing. Red heard the laughing call of the resident kookaburra, signalling dusk. He glanced up and looked around him. Home. He didn’t know what the word meant but he knew how the word felt. He let out an outbreath and got stuck into his hay.
In memory of Red. Forever in our hearts. Forever home.
