It’s said that dogs were the first animal to be domesticated by man. Horses came relatively late to the party, some ten thousand years later, after the goat, the camel and even the guinea pig. But no animal can have had such a profound effect on human civilization. Horses provided transport and status, and were once so important that early engines were measured by how many “horsepower” they produced.
But the motor long surpassed the mare, and cities have developed around the automobile. Is it still possible, in a 21st century metropolis like Beijing, for children to learn to love and care for these magnificent beasts? We spoke to a mom and daughter who say the answer is emphatically “Yes!”
Vanessa Vandevraye grew up in her native France without a horse of her own.
“I always loved horses as far as I remember,” she tells us, “but I also loved to play piano and my mother had not enough money to pay for both activities so I had to choose. I had to wait until I was grown up and getting my own money to start riding lessons. Then I owned my first horse when I was 24.”
Becoming a riding instructor was a natural next step.
“I had the chance to combine my two passions. I wanted to become a teacher and I had the opportunity to become a horseback riding instructor.”
As a result Vanessa’s daughter Dakota grew up around horses.
“She likes to say that she started riding when she was inside my belly!” Vanessa laughs. “It’s almost true. She has been with horses every day, and got on their back each time she wanted to since she was a baby. She did a lot of vaulting (gymnastics on the back of the horse) when she was 4, but she starting progressively to really learn how to ride around 5 or 6 years old. What she just loved was to take care of them. We never pushed her to ride, always let her ask for it, and taught her nothing except what we normally teach to a toddler: left and right, colors, how to count, coordination, balance. But then when she said she really wanted to ride, we made sure she would do it on a regular basis and stick to it.”
Dakota’s passion for riding is certainly genuine.
“I like horse riding because I love horses, and when I ride them I feel like I’m free or that I’m flying,” she tells us. “I like to try to understand how they feel the day I ride them or care for them: if they feel sad or happy, if they feel scared or confident.”
The family came to Beijing seven years ago, and Vanessa and husband Joel now run a riding school in Shunyi. This has given Dakota plenty of opportunity to deepen her interest in horses.
“I also love to train the new ponies who arrive in our club,” she says. “Usually they are shy or scared of people. I teach them to be confident in humans and in their new environment. I also like to give them their new English or Chinese names. I have special bonds with some of the ponies and horses of the club, and if I feel sad or if I had a bad day I go see them, and they always try to make me laugh or cuddle me.”
While she cares for all the horses and ponies, she owns four of her own – plus a dog called Mickey.
“My horses’ names are Andalou, Aladdin, Gucci, and Hawaii,” she says. “My favorite horse is Andalou, he was given to me by my parents for my 10th birthday. He’s now 5 years old, and his color is grey and his breed is Spanish horse. He loves hugs and kisses. He loves eating so he’s always a bit fat. He likes apples and carrots, but his favorite is watermelon. When I arrive in the stables in the morning he calls for me and becomes crazy if I don’t come see him right away. And he doesn’t like when I leave. Every afternoon, he goes out in the paddock with Gucci and Hawaii and the other horses. They are all girls, so he is very proud. He bosses them and protects them. His favorite mare is Happiness, who is the tallest horse of the club. He is also very smart because he’s learned many tricks, like opening the door of his stall by himself. We now also play horseball together, even if he doesn’t really like to have the ball landing on his head.”
Dakota is now 12, a student at the Lycée Français International Charles de Gaulle de Pékin (LFIP), and the demands of schoolwork are beginning to increase.
“We are a lucky family because we are all involved in horses,” Vanessa says. “My husband is also a horseback riding instructor so Dakota can go to the club anytime she wants. However, this year she entered middle school, and her planning is very busy so she has less time except on weekends and holidays.”
“This year it is difficult,” Dakota agrees, “but I try to make sure my homework is done far in advance. This way I can spend more time at the stables. Sometimes I feel tired, but when I see my horses it gives me courage and then I have energy again. I know school is very important but I feel sad because I have less time to go to the stables. And horse riding is also a very important school of life.”
We ask her what she learns at this school.
“First I learn patience,” she says. “Then I learn responsibility. I learn that nothing is easy in life; if you want to be good you must work hard and always pay attention to details. Even a very gentle horse can kick you.
“The most important thing I learned is that we call ourselves humans and the other kind the animals, but we forget that we also are animals. We are not ‘the humans’ and the horses our slaves; even if we don’t speak the same language we can learn how to communicate with each other and respect each other. Horses they are very sensitive, they really have feelings and if we pay attention we can share our feelings and they can show us how we feel. They are like mirrors, so we must be a good person if we want our horse to be good.”
Mom too sees the value of the time Dakota spends with her horses.
“Horses require daily attention,” she says. “It’s not a toy you just put back in the box when you don’t want to play anymore or you are too tired. It teaches her empathy, leadership, communication skills, self control, discipline, independence… what amazed me the most was when last year she came up with a daily planning of all the tasks she would do during her holidays. She had set it up herself, and was ticking a box each time she completed the tasks.”
But Dakota still finds time for other activities.
“I have always done Taekwondo, thanks to the extracurricular activities of the schools I went to. I now train with my favorite teacher, Bruno from NB8. He knows I love horses, so he always says my brain is half horse on the left, half horse on the right, and horse in the middle! My best kick is the horse kick. I also play piano and hulusi [a Chinese woodwind instrument]for my pleasure but I don’t learn with a teacher, just by myself.”
Not all of her school friends share her passion, Dakota tells us.
“At the stables I have many friends and ride sometimes with them. My friends who also love riding think that I am so lucky to have my own horse and to live most of the time at the club. At school my best friend rides a little bit. Many of my friends don’t ride, but they have other sports they are passionate about. For my birthday, I invited them to the stables and they got to ride for the first time and they all liked it and liked the horses so I was very happy.”
Vanessa says it’s not a hobby that’s out of reach for most people, though it can become an obsession.
“If you don’t own a horse, it’s easy! Even if riding is much more expensive in China than in Europe, it is still affordable to ride on a regular basis. If you own a horse, then it’s terrible because then you want the pretty saddle and bridle to go with it, all the equipment, with different colors, the best grooming kits, you become a fashion victim! Attending competitions can be expensive too, and of course horses are like kids – you pay attention to their health, to what they eat, if they have one hair upside down you call the vet…”
But she emphasizes the importance of doing things properly.
“Every parent wants to make sure that their kid will be safe,” she says, “so I would tell them to find a very professional place with certified instructors. They have to visit the place before trying to ride and go see the horses. Do they look happy or aggressive, are they in good shape or skinny, are there ponies for the kids? Is the environment healthy, clean and quiet? Will the kid be taught how to care for the horse before and after the riding? If you want to have all the benefits that horses can bring into the life of your kid, this is very important.”
For Dakota, life without horses is now unthinkable.
“I will always ride, there is no way I will stop riding. In fact I would like to be a horseback riding instructor or director like my parents when I grow up. If for any reasons I cannot be that I would like to be an archaeologist, but horses will always be part of my life.”
This article appeared in the beijingkids October 2019 Family Foodies issue
