Nature Speaks – Riding in Love
Nature Speaks, Inc. was started as a result of a tragic accident in July 2008. I was leasing a rescue horse named Jazz. She didn’t like humans much as she had been mistreated, but we created a beautiful bond as she taught me so much about life and I respected her size, ability and speed.
We had just left the barn for a trail ride and were about 15 minutes out in the woods when Jazz tripped and fell on her knees. I flew headfirst between her ears and slid on my face in the sand. When Jazz stood up she stepped on my left hand breaking my pinky finger completely in half. There I was lying face down in the dirt “Superman style” with my face ripped off and my pinky finger broken. When I regained my composure, I stood up in shock as my horse started walking away. A few calls to 911 failed, no cell service in the woods, we reached the barn managers and they came and got us. A friend took me to the hospital.
The lower jaw tissue had pulled away from my face and the jawbone was exposed resulting in emergency plastic surgery, The pinky finger was operated on three times and is permanently bent at a 45 degree angle. To my dismay, Jazz was hit by lightning and killed three days after our accident. It was devastating. Depression and pain took over for a little while and I lost my award-winning public relations company. You also learn who your real friends are during a situation like this and how strong your marriage is. Mine is strong, thank God. But you learn more about yourself and finding Grace when in need.
That’s when I learned that I’m a spiritual being having a human experience so transcending physical pain as well as creating separation from the material world works well for me. And then I got Shadow, our 31 year old mare, and she made me whole again. And so I’ve learned how healing the horses can be. And I believe that God laid me bare in order to build me back up to be the person he needs me to be for the future. And he told me to share what I’ve learned and Nature Speaks was born. I invite you to join our cause.
What does the name Nature Speaks mean to you?
When you listen to nature speak, you experience the connection to all that is. It means that all beings on earth are connected through nature which is a mighty force. When you are in tune with the natural world, the way horses are grounded to the earth, there is a guiding force which brings us into balance with ourselves and each other. Listening and learning is important.
Why do you work with Horses?
Horses are prey animals so their instinct is survival, they are sentient beings, capable of feeling and understanding the emotions in humans. They have been on earth for about 50 million years in various forms. To survive this long on earth, they have had to adapt many changes. To allow us humans, to ride them, keep them captive and treat them as pets, horses respect and value our leadership and partnership.
As horses live in herds, so do people. When you are the caretaker of the horse, the one who feeds them, grooms them, loves them and provides safety for them, you, the human, become the herd leader worthy of deserving their respect. To be respected by a large animal that can kill you in a second, is quite the compliment.
Are horses natural healers?
Yes! Horses are great teachers if you can take the time to learn and be patient. The horses at Nature Speaks, Inc. are all survivors from previous abuse, neglect and starvation. And yet, they are capable of and generous with offering unconditional love and honesty. To see our horses interacting with our students and reacting to them is a beautiful site. Through our Equine Assisted Learning Programs, participants learn about themselves through challenging groundwork sessions with the horses through a series of obstacle courses. If you can manage moving a 1,300 pound horse through an obstacle course, you can pretty much do anything in life!
Do you find any challenges in your work?
Yes! The challenges are space, time, money and age! We currently have a 2.5 acre facility in Jupiter Farms with a barn, pastures and our home. With four horses and one pony on the land, our grass pastures suffer greatly. My husband, Tracy and I hope to buy more land one day! And with more land, we could rescue more horses. But in Florida, the costs are prohibitive! And the work is hard. Tracy is a true partner in the building, maintenance and repairs at this facility. I couldn’t do it without him. But It costs approximately $2,000 per month, per horse for feeding, vet care, farrier services, clean up, etc.
With four horses and one pony our income should be more than $10,000 per month. It is not there yet which is why we hold fundraisers and other events here. I’m 57, the work here is very physical and Florida is hot! There is no option to decide not to go to work! If we have a hurricane, horses still need to be fed, watered and kept safe. Horses require feeding twice a day, their stalls are cleaned daily, water and feed buckets cleaned, fences need maintenance, the grass needs to be cut and on and on. We are very grateful to our volunteers! We can offer community service hours for students in school. They work hard.
What is the most rewarding thing you have experienced doing what you love?
Saving lives and helping people become better humans. Nature Speaks, Inc. has saved three horses from being euthanized and paid $10,000 for hay impaction colic surgery on our 31 year old mare to save her life. Most of our horses are seniors and have some medical issues. They will have sanctuary here until they pass on. We also have five cats and one dog, all rescues. So currently we have 11 animals on the property. In total, we have rescued 16 animals. I’m also happy with the impact Nature Speaks, Inc. has made on our students, volunteers and families. Many have gone on to become great volunteers in their communities and are growing up to become great humans.
What type of activities do you offer to assist others?
Through our International Certification in Equine Assisted Learning, Nature Speaks, Inc offers life skills programs with horses as the teachers. These are ground work programs in which participants work through a series of obstacles with the horses with particular goals in order to achieve an objective determined by the group. There is no riding in Equine Assisted Learning. We also offer western riding lessons for children and adults, a summer program and family workshops.
How can people help you help others?
Volunteer, promote our activities and support our mission. Attend our fundraiser on July 11, 2020 in Jupiter Farms, Florida. Support local artists and vendors at our Marketplace Fundraiser. Purchase a ticket for our evening dinner party $25, baked ziti sponsored by Angelos Too, our local Italian Restaurant. Music, Bonfire, Wine, Baked Ziti Dinner, Discussions with our Spiritual Advisors and Teachers.
To support Nature Speaks, Inc. please contact Rachel Ibarra, Executive Director
561-632-2394
