CAVALLS
WAKAN
CAVALLS WAKAN
Wakan, is for the Lakota people, better known by Sioux, the word used to express the incomprehensibility of the universe and its great strength.
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It is the union between men, horses and the rest of the universe. The indivisible whole formed by nature and men, often so difficult to understand in our current "civilized" world.
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Continuing with that tradition and wisdom, our relationship with horses is always based on respect and mutual trust.
My story.
Dakota
At the end of the 90s, I broke with everything, I left the city and went north, to the mountains, to the Pyrenees.
My name is Pere, I was born and raised in Barcelona, I have always liked nature, the mountains, animals in general and especially horses. He dreamed of one day living with horses, dogs, cats, chickens and a lot of animals surrounded by green fields and snowy mountains.
In the city, it had everything that we are expected to have; job, house, car and a life without luxuries, but relatively orderly. However, inside me I felt an emptiness, all this was not what I had always dreamed of, and time passed and life passed. Until one day I go to the Pyrenees and leave the city.
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At first it was hard, I worked in many different things to live, but always with the goal fixed in my dreams, the horses called me in some way and more and more.
The horses that I had known were different from those that I saw around here in the mountains. He had always seen the horses alone, penned in stalls or confined spaces with little grass available to them. They ate straw, hopefully hay and feed several times a day. Here the horses had a different look. They always lived outside, free in the meadows and mountains, they ate grass directly from the ground and always in a herd with other horses, free, healthy and happy.
I met people with horses and I immersed myself in everything, learning from them and the horses, helping at work in exchange for being able to be with horses and learn. I connected with the cycles of nature, the time to harvest and mow the grass to have hay, the mating of the mares and of course, I also learned the noble art of shoveling manure.
Here in the mountains, my first horse arrived, Dakota, a chestnut filly from CPC (Caballo Pirenaico Catalán). My life definitely changed forever.
Continue working with horses without stopping learning, training, qualifying and professionalizing myself more and more. Another horse arrived and later another and little by little I made a small herd. Over time, many horses have crossed my life, some just passing through, others are still there and some are gone forever.
With my first stallion, an American Quarter Horse, I started breeding American breeds, Quarter Horses, Paint Horses and Appaloosas, being one of the first stud farms in Spain to breed these breeds, at the same time that I began to offer the services of boarding and withdrawal of horses in freedom.
It was the origin of Cavalls Wakan and also of a great responsibility with the horses, guaranteeing their health and well-being and also something that money does not buy, knowing their emotions, their feelings and earning their respect and trust over time.
A horse only wants to be with you if he likes what he sees inside you. For this reason, I entered into a process of personal and professional evolution that, together with the horses, took me to the here and now. Always looking for that inner peace that horses show us and that connects us with ourselves and with the world around us.
And in this evolution I am, in Montcortès, a privileged corner of the Pyrenees of Lleida, surrounded by green fields with snowy mountains, dogs, cats, chickens, a herd of more than twenty horses and a family that supports me in this passion that is life among horses
I work and learn with them, just as they work and learn with me, so that among all of us we move forward together, always dreaming of the spring rains that will once again bring us abundant pastures.
Things that horses have taught me
Living and working with horses I have learned a lot over the years, they have taught me that with hard work and passion you can overcome obstacles. When you work with horses, there are no days off. Whether it's freezing cold or sweltering outside, horses need food and water. Your survival depends on you being present and putting your needs first.
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My relationship with horses has shaped my daily life and I have had to adapt or readjust important decisions in my life to my commitment to them. However, having horses in my life is the best decision I have ever made. Every sacrifice to make this happen was completely worth it.
They have taught me patience, responsibility and determination to achieve my goals.
To work for my dreams instead of waiting to be hired to work for others.
They have taught me to face fear and overcome it to feel empowered and ready to face life's tough trials. In an era of instant gratification, horses have a lot to teach us about the value of physical and mental effort.
It is said that horses are like a mirror of the soul, they always know exactly how you feel and I have seen myself grow and change through my relationships with many different horses. You may be able to fool other people, but you can never fool a horse. To earn his trust, you have to be genuine or he will see right through you. They teach you that you have to manage your emotions in order to progress. Horses reflect the energy we emit.
They have helped me break down walls I had built for myself and allow myself to be my true self, even if sometimes that means being vulnerable and giving up control.
To be authentic, it is crucial to be present and aware of what you are doing in this moment. Horses are not worried about yesterday or tomorrow. They are focused on the moment.
From them I have learned simplicity in my relationship with the world and in relationships with other people, without prejudice or fear of opening up to others, building relationships of trust.
For the herd to survive, the horses must respect each other's roles and cooperate. Thus I learned to approach others with respect and awareness, cooperating despite differences, without ceasing to affirm my limits, but avoiding conflict and learning to forgive, as they have so often forgiven my ignorance, my haste, my tension, my fear and so many more things.
When we learn to understand what a horse is telling us through body language, we are learning to interpret non-verbal communications. They have taught me to improve my verbal communication and body language. Words are important to transmit ideas and thoughts, but many times the tone, posture, look and our actions are much more important.
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They give us the tools to succeed in our crazy world, they understand it. They don't need a degree, nor a psychologist. They are able to show and teach us the basic qualities that we should already know and they say it all without words. If you haven't learned something from a horse, you probably haven't spent much time with one.
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What makes the horse a great teacher is the special bond we have with them. There is a connection, an understanding and a respect that is special. It is through this connection that we can learn from them. They teach us to be the best version of ourselves.
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They don't care about all the things you're going through. They only see your soul. And if you stay quiet and listen, you will discover that they have a lot to say and will help you on this crazy journey we call life.
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And for that, everything they have taught me, and everything we have experienced and shared, I am truly grateful. Owning horses is not just something you do, it is your very essence.
