HORSE AS SENTIENT BEING
The guiding principle at Spirit Farm Gypsy Cobs Inc., and the intention that links our programs, is that HORSES ARE SENTIENT BEINGS. Although this may seem obvious there are a number of people who forget this in practice. We credit Sue McIntosh, founder of the Healing Hooves Equine Facilitated Wellness and Animal Assisted Therapy program in Cochrane Alberta, for first familiarizing us with this concept.
There is extensive research, particularly in the last twenty years, to suggest that animals of various species possess sentience. Sentience refers to the capacity to be aware of one’s surroundings, to experience emotions and cognitive patterns, and to be able to interact with one’s environment and other beings with intention (also called consciousness). The belief that horses are sentient beings underpins the approach to all of our programs at Spirit Farm Gypsy Cobs Inc.
Our travels led us to visit Janey and Gavin of SD Farms in Oxfordshire, England, during the summer of 2019. This reaffirmed our vision and we decided to embark on a Gypsy Cob breeding program here in Alberta.We aspire for this program to represent the best of the best and to promote the history and talent of this amazing breed by incorporating the top, traditional, Gypsy Cob breeding lines from the U.K. We endeavour to inform and educate about the rich historical and cultural traditions of the Gypsy people who continue to breed and raise these wonderful horses in England.
OUR PHILOSOPHY
Spirit Farm intends to be a place that creates a space of wellness and personal growth where all people and animals will be treated with respect and compassion. We believe that horses have the ability to help heal and transform the lives of the humans who meet them and that they can help teach us ways to be mindful. We bring that mindfulness to all our work here. At Spirit Farm people will bring various work and life skills to the operation of the farm; these will be considered and utilized, to their best