A Loving Soul To Repair A Broken Spirit | An Inspiring Horse Story

By: Roselani K. Quinting “Lani”

We got Hoku when she was about 12yrs old, and my twin sister Lei and I were 11 yrs old, some twenty years ago. When she reached us, she was in bad shape. She was hit by cars, due to riding accidents on the side of the main highway, several times and was badly abused from her former owners. Though she was physically sound, her spirit was broken. No one could ride her anymore, let alone go near her without her putting up a big fight. They said she was zoo meat.

When my sister first saw Hoku, she fell in love with her at first sight. She said, “Hoku is going to be my horse and I’m going to repair her and ride her one day”.

In my 11-year-old mind at the time, I thought my sister was crazy. I was scared to even go near Hoku, and I love horses too, but I could see in her eyes that she had no trust left for anyone anymore and feared the worst when it came to human beings.

This did not stop my sister’s determination or the great love that forged from our receiving Hoku into our care. Everyday my sister took care of Hoku. She brought her treats, talked to her and just hung out with her all the time. My sister put her heart and soul into this horse.

Within about three months, my sister was grooming and petting Hoku. No one else could handle Hoku the way my sister did.

I was still scared to really go near her. She would throw back her ears and look at me with that distant untrusting eye. She did that to just about anyone who went near her. But, when Lei walked up to her she would use her voice to ease Hoku and use that special touch she was born with that would remove that look from Hoku’s eyes. It was magic.

Soon after, my sister was leading Hoku around the ranch with a halter and lead, of course spending precious quality time with a horse that no one thought ever had a chance was something to see and experience. My sister never gave up on her, where as I felt I would of thrown in the towel long before she tried to bit or kick me. You see my sister saw what no one else did. She saw hope, and so did Hoku, in Lei.

The trust factor in their relationship was theirs and theirs alone. No one could touch it.

No one could come between it, and no one could take it away. That is why, the day I saw my sister on Hoku’s back, tears sprang to my eyes and I got the hugest lump in throat. I could not even believe what I was seeing. My sister was actually riding Hoku. She was gleefully saying to me, “I’m riding Hoku, I’m riding Hoku”! She was so ecstatic, and I was moved to see the bond that she created with this horse. It was so enchanting to witness.

Through patience and perseverance, love and trust, my sister Lei healed the most broken of spirits I have yet seen in an animal. In this life, they both won. And I was taught a valuable lesson in love; never give up especially when the going gets tough and you feel like there is no hope, there is if you believe in it and in yourself. There is always hope even for broken spirits.