Photo & Poem: Surviving Vulnerability

 

Dark eyes, older than her years,
the horse’s shoulder shows damage,
thick scars and a stilted gait, the
opposite knee blown large from the

work of compensating, shifting weight
for a different balance. What is it like
being a horse too lame to run, how to
survive the vulnerability we can’t escape?

Looking down to my own stiff joints,
scars that will not fade. Gray mares,
our instincts tamped down, forging a
thin trust in the lightness of letting go.

Anna Blake at Infinity Farm
Horse Advocate, Author, Speaker, Equine Pro

This blog is free, and it always will be. Free to read, but also free of ads because I turn away sponsorships and pay to keep ads off my site. I like to read a clean page and think you do too. If you appreciate the work I do, or if your horse does, consider making a donation.

Anna Blake

0 thoughts on “Photo & Poem: Surviving Vulnerability”

  1. I love all your blogs. This old grey mare has hips and shoulders made of moving parts and titanium. My riding days are over but my love and kinship for horses remain.
    Thank you for your beautiful poetry. Your words always touch a deep place in my soul. I hope that someday you gather these exquisite poems together and publish a collection.
    Thank you for sharing your gifts.

    Reply
  2. Love, love, love this one! I seem to have a soft spot for the old, the injured, the hurting. This applies to dogs, cats, people, too. Facing a probable hip replacement this fall…and looking forward, but with some trepidation. Thank you for this one – especially!

    Reply
  3. We have a forever foster mare that this describes perfectly. She seems to live with her vulnerability well. I hope she is happy & content here.

    Thanks Anna. Another fabulous post.

    Reply
  4. We have a forever foster mare that this describes perfectly. She seems to live with her vulnerability well. I hope she is happy & content here.

    Thanks Anna. Another fabulous post.

    Reply

Leave a Comment