“Horses in particular have been as much a part of my life as past birthdays.” p.108 West with the Night by Beryl Markham
In her memoir, Beryl discusses only a handful of horses – one in particular, Camciscan, from the arrogant stallion’s perspective. She describes this headstrong breeding stallion and his slow adaptation to East Africa life. She would ride this stallion at the age of 12 and despite being thrown and tossed about, she persistently rode and interacted with him.
This section made me wonder, why did she dedicate so many pages to this ornery stallion who tried to bite her, slammed her against stall walls and even left herĀ unconsciousĀ for several days?
Camciscan was a horse that defined her life.
Her tenacity and stubbornness shown through in her dealings with Camciscan, even though he pushed her to the breaking point.
How we treat animals reflects on the core of who we are.
Have you had a Camciscan – a person, animal or situation that has pushed you to the breaking point – in your life? How did it mold and shape you? I’ve pondered this for several days and will post a story or two next week. Each horse I’ve owned has been a Camciscan in its own way. But there is one that especially sticks out in my mind.
More next week!
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