Rocky, also known as Rising Water Horse, is a Palomino Appendix gelding. Chris first met Rocky when he was five months old and he had never been handled and he was very wild, scared and defensive. He had a rope halter on him that was tied so tight that Chris had to cut it off with a knife once he got Rocky to trust him a bit. It had probably been on him for months while he was growing. He also had a sticker with a number on it stuck to his hindquarters—Rocky was a PMU foal and that was what they used to identify him at the ranch he was from. PMU stands for Pregnant Mare Urine, which is produced and collected in order to create the drug Premarin. Certain ranches focus on keeping many mares pregnant at a time in order to produce the urine and then they usually sell the resultant unwanted foals to slaughter.
But that was not to be Rocky’s fate. Due to a program called FoalQuest and Open Gates Equine Rescue, Rocky was saved.
Rocky has taught me much about horses, but it’s what he has taught me about life and being the best person I can be that I thank him the most for.
Rocky and Chris have now come a long way together. They have had their ups and downs just like any other person and horse and it has left them very bonded and connected in their relationship. They have taught much to each other and know each other very well. Their favorite thing to do together is to ride bareback and bridleless out in the fields as this is where they can strongly feel the softness and connection between them in all its brilliance.
Whether hanging out in the pasture with some grass to eat and a book to read or doing a demonstration together at a horse expo, Chris and Rocky love to feel what is possible when a horse and a human truly connect. For them it is about freedom and choices, and how we can all inspire ourselves and others by working together in a connected fashion.