Kirklee Farm

09/15/2025

This is our Ben!!

An Independent Nature🦄
(or what makes a "unicorn" of a horse - a unicorn?)

This is a photo of one of my dearest client’s four horses.

You can easily spot three of them. The fourth? He’s wandered off down the driveway on his own — you can see the arrow pointing him out.

I actually found this horse for my client a few years ago, because I knew he was special. Back then, I couldn’t quite put my finger on why. He was calm, easy-going, had more “whoa” than “go,” and seemed like the perfect partner for someone wanting to trail ride and have fun. Back then I put it down to “good temperament.”

Since then, thanks to learning about herd dynamics and the theories on the sensory processing of horses from Kerry Thomas (I will link you to his work in the comments), I have the language to describe exactly what makes him special.

He’s part of what, Kerry describes as the rare 15% of horses who can process and interpret their environment without relying as heavily on the need to outsource to other horses.

That independence means he regulates stress more effectively and doesn’t always need the herd to tell him how to feel. In practical terms, it makes him more forgiving, more reliable, and often much easier to enjoy in new or unpredictable situations.

There is a good chance most of us have met one of these horses. The horse that you realise now that was "easy going" and you probably labelled a "unicorn". Kerry's theory on herd dynamics identifies a trait and it is one you can learn to spot.

And this photo captures it beautifully — while the others stick together, he’s perfectly happy to head down the driveway solo, processing the world on his own terms.

This is Collectable Advice 24/365 of my notebook challenge to SAVE, or SHARE but - listen up content thieves - no copying and pasting 😎

Sensory Soundness and Herd Dynamics with Kerry M Thomas

09/15/2025

I think we officially have a herd now.

09/13/2025

Opal had a rough time yesterday. She’s in season and it just doesn’t feel good. She acted enraged with Poe and Ben, pinning her ears, chasing and kicking them off the hay nets and alfalfa piles.

We have anxiety and pain meds here and John and I discussed whether to give her some and which one. This morning she was still running the geldings around so I gave her something for pain in her feed. My educated guess was right, she has calmed and normal paddock movement has resumed. Whew.

09/12/2025

Why Being Too Clever Can Get You Into Trouble with Horses

Now, people like me - the “clever ones.” We’ve solved life’s puzzles with thinking: algebra, essays, careers, actually reading the IKEA instructions. Thinking is our Excalibur. Then that horse that doesn't behave as expected comes along, and we think: “Ah yes, another tricky problem for my mighty intellect to conquer.”

So we diagnose him with “generalised anxiety disorder,” order supplements with the words "calming" in the name, buy 3 new expensive saddle , 63 new bits, and Google: “herbs to help sensitive geldings.”

At no point do we consider the obvious: maybe the problem isn’t HIS brain. Maybe it’s mine. Or, even worse - my body.

Because here’s the kicker: horses don’t care about your IQ 🤓.

They’re not impressed that you can draw the chemical structure of morphine, or that you can pronounce quinoa without hesitation. They only care whether your insides match your outsides.

If your nerves are leaking out of your hands, your seat, your breathing - they’ll clock it instantly. If you ride like a stiff, lopsided backpack, they’ll notice. If you creep around trying not to upset them, they’ll find that deeply upsetting.

The bitter pill I had to choke down (and trust me, valerian root tastes like regret 🤢) was this: my horse didn’t need a genius. He needed a martial artist 🥋. Someone whose body and mind were aligned, balanced, communicating clearly.

Someone who rode and facilitated the transfer of load through locomotion and didn't disrupt it - not someone who just knew the physics equation behind it.

Once I stopped trying to think my way out of trouble and started training my body - to balance, to breathe, to match the rhythm of movement, to be coordinated enough to convey meaning - the horse’s “anxiety” mysteriously vanished. Because it wasn’t anxiety at all. It was him reacting to the horror of being piloted by a disconnected brain in a wobbly meat suit who was telling him the world was terrifying whilst yanking on his mouth at the same time!

So here’s your collectible advice: horses don’t want purely brainiacs. They want martial artists. They want your body and your mind to show up in the same place, at the same time and be coordinated. And if that offends your intellect? Brilliant. Because now you know exactly what you need to focus your attention on.

Collectible Advice 21/365 — part of my Notebook Challenge.
This is meant to be saved, shared, and reflected on — but not copy–pasted. Because copy–paste is uncool, and horses can smell inauthenticity from a mile away. 🐴😉

09/11/2025

Poe, Mando and Opal were sleeping in a group and my nighttime wandering woke them. This alerted them to the fact that Ben was alone on the far side of the paddock. They panicked and went to get him. I had to issue several apologies. 🤦‍♀️

09/09/2025

I love watching these two cantering around together. Our little war horse Opal loves it too; Old Ben just wants his hay pile 😂.