The Peace Ponies

03/05/2026

02/11/2026

Horse Wisdom… 🐴🤣☃️
The Peace Ponies

02/05/2026

Horses remember a lot. In one scientific study, horses were able to remember tasks they had been taught up to ten years earlier, even if they hadn't practiced those tasks in the previous 10 years. Visit our bookshop: www.elaineheneybooks.com AD

02/05/2026

A living reminder that peace walks gently. 🪷

09/15/2025

Unicorn? 🦄💜🦄

An Independent Nature🦄
(or what makes a "unicorn" of a horse - a unicorn?)

This is a photo of one of my dearest client’s four horses.

You can easily spot three of them. The fourth? He’s wandered off down the driveway on his own — you can see the arrow pointing him out.

I actually found this horse for my client a few years ago, because I knew he was special. Back then, I couldn’t quite put my finger on why. He was calm, easy-going, had more “whoa” than “go,” and seemed like the perfect partner for someone wanting to trail ride and have fun. Back then I put it down to “good temperament.”

Since then, thanks to learning about herd dynamics and the theories on the sensory processing of horses from Kerry Thomas (I will link you to his work in the comments), I have the language to describe exactly what makes him special.

He’s part of what, Kerry describes as the rare 15% of horses who can process and interpret their environment without relying as heavily on the need to outsource to other horses.

That independence means he regulates stress more effectively and doesn’t always need the herd to tell him how to feel. In practical terms, it makes him more forgiving, more reliable, and often much easier to enjoy in new or unpredictable situations.

There is a good chance most of us have met one of these horses. The horse that you realise now that was "easy going" and you probably labelled a "unicorn". Kerry's theory on herd dynamics identifies a trait and it is one you can learn to spot.

And this photo captures it beautifully — while the others stick together, he’s perfectly happy to head down the driveway solo, processing the world on his own terms.

This is Collectable Advice 24/365 of my notebook challenge to SAVE, or SHARE but - listen up content thieves - no copying and pasting 😎

Sensory Soundness and Herd Dynamics with Kerry M Thomas

07/21/2025