From Sea Island to Shanghai— Harriette to Toby

By Susan Thomas

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t the age of 4 and a half, when Harriette first rode a horse, on Sea Island, Georgia, we soon realized we had probably started, or awoken, something eternal and expensive – a deep connection was evident! At the end of the ride she immediately asked to book again. We marvelled at the degree of partnership she achieved through pure intention.

Fast forward twelve years, past lessons on a miniature horse called Rosie, first show and ribbons at 5 – wearing a borrowed show jacket with the sleeves rolled up – to riding various ponies on Bainbridge Island, until she found her own - Dixie Mae. When she outgrew ponies, Dixie Mae retired at the foothills of the Olympic Mountains and Harriette leased the wonderful Dot, an Appaloosa mare who always looked just a tad out of place in the Hunter classes.

And then to China and what to do about riding? At the end of the first year of no riding, Harriette declared she had tried every ball sport and now needed to ride again. Our search began and Harriette was helped by her intrepid horsey friend and future business partner, Rachel. They told stories of the crazy horses they were riding while I used breathing techniques to calm my nerves.

Eventually, they landed at Qing Qing in Songjiang with the two Mongolian gentlemen Bao, Xiao and Da. The school horses were school horses, doing their very best. Then space freed in Gerlinde’s schedule. Gerlinde, our now dear friend, has trained we humans, our dogs and our horse with the greatest of skill and patience, love and laughter. Buying Toby created a safe training project for Harriette with Gerlinde’s expertise. I said it was sheer madness to buy a horse in China but my husband insisted. He has always loved horses!

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In three years, Gerlinde has transformed Harriette and Toby. Sadly, Toby is not so very much better behaved in-hand than he was at the beginning – a little like a large, teething puppy – but under saddle he is really rather magnificent, if you will forgive my bias, and Harriette is now the rider I wished she were for all the years I was watching her in the U.S. and wishing she were training in dressage/ centered riding rather than the hunter/ jumper discipline.

So, what now? How deeply does a sixteen-year old’s heart break when she has to leave her 6-year old horse behind right when he is truly showing himself to be the most willing, committed and loyal companion one could ask for and even nibbling her a little less. She tries not to think about it all too much. I sob privately at the thought of her grief. Harriette is having to dig deep for an extraordinary kind of bravery, one that requires faith because nothing else will do. This will be one of her final lessons from Toby. He has graced her life for three full years and she describes him as her “rock” and feels deeply the lessons their partnership has taught her. The love and bond between them are perhaps the greatest gift and because of this, all the other lessons will be well learned.**

“She describes him as her ‘rock’ and feels deeply the lessons their partnership has taught her.”