Dorota Korwin-Szymanowska

Iskra - the Tank Mother

Added 2022-07-10 18:03:36 +0000 UTC

Year 2014. The ecological farm, which little girl and her deamon try to recreate into kind of refuge for different animals. Into place, where people can meet kind animals, nurture their kindness and sensitivity towards themselves. It was already the time, when little girl and Agresja have lessons with children to teach them horse-human dialogue through horse riding, taking care of horse, learning animal language. At some point parents of children were showing willingnes to also try what brings so much joy to their children. But Agresja is rather pony, than big horse, and thinking about welfare of her health, little girl started to think aboutbigger horse. To be able to show her fairytale also to adults. Accidentaly, old farmer from near village came and told about his horse who he had to sell. Little girl and her deamon rode to check this horse. They met 13 years old mix of noble Greater Poland and Silesian horse. But it didn’t matter. Little girl saw wonderful, calm, mature lady. The mare didn’t know a lot about horse riding, but little girl thought quickly – few months and Iskra will be great teacher! The owner – old farmer – decided that he had to show more of horse’s skills, so… he jumped on her back, with strong kicks forced her to move quicker, suddenly yanking the rein to the right, than to the right, kick, kick, to the left, no! right! Break! See? Iskra knows so much! Yeah… Iskra with terryfied eye did what she was “asked” to… Decision wasn’t very easy, because: first – money, second – Iskra was pregnant. This required more work, the foal requires more money in the future, etc…

But, after about a week, Iskra joined the pack. Fluffy horse with kind heart, without proper muscles, without skills, without gentleness… Like a tank. It’s so common that people treat horses with using lot of strength and absolutely don’t notice how lovely and soft giants horses can be. So first lessons began. Lessons about standing calm during cleaning, about not stepping on people, lessons titled “water doesn’t bite nor bite off legs…”, lessons that it’s good sometimes to follow this small human, not only treating him or her as a skier on leash behind Iskra… Lessons to improve muscles of Iskra – especially those next to the spine and bottom muscles. To help her finding her inner balance, to allow her finding joy of her own body. To help her with pregnancy. And many, many others.

For few months horses lived in three - Agresja, Iskra and Carmen – private horse who was trained by little girl. One hot summer day, when little girl and her demon had afternoon nap, horses escaped from the big grassland. Carmen used to be horse who didn’t respect wooden fence, she destroyed it and took other girls on… adventure! After short time Agresja and Carmen returned to stable but Iskra… vanished. Little girl was scared but with cold blood started searching with her demon. It wasn’t long when Iskra run from the woods. Sweaty, tired and terrified. It was beginning of her work on her form, so she stayed far behind others. Luckily, nothing bad had happened with her and her child in the womb health.

In the end of March 2015, Iskra’s body showed that the time of birth is very close. Nights for little girl and demon began to be very attentive, especially that their bedroom was next door with a stable through the wall. One night they strongly felt that this is the time, so they almost didn’t sleep. They played Heroes of Might & Magic V. In a common alliance against as many enemies as were possible, on the largest map. She as Sylvan, he as an Inferno. Meantime they checked stable from time to time and thought about name for a foal. It should begin on the letter “I” after mother. They decided that if there will be boy, he’ll be named Ifryt, if girl… it was difficult. About 5am they went to the stable for the last time, seeing that everything is fine, and thought that maybe it will be next night. The same day, on 04.04.2015 quick after 6am little girl, with sleepy eyes, went to the stable and saw… a horsey! Wet, still in fresh blood, alive and healthy horsey. A wonderful mare. After few days she got name Iligna, which in latin means “oakish”.

From the very beginning Iskra had shown how great mother she is. And how beautiful trusting friendship she already created with the rest of the pack. She wasn’t afraid to allow wolfdogs to get to know her child the first day after birth. It might sound surprisingly, but every day, right after walking out of the stable she took by herself a walk through the whole field with her child next to her.

When Iligna was five months old, the pack had to move on about 500 km to the outskirts of Poland. All ladies endured quite quick trip by horse lorry very well. The driver was really professional, kind for horses man. Three ladies slowly began to adapt in the new home, feeling there better and better each day.

Unfortunately, before Iskra joined the pack, she used to be farm mare, who had to give a birth almost each year, and the foal was taken from her every time. Little girl knows the natural herd, where at some point mothers just moved away from their children, stopped feeding them with milk. In natural way. But not Iskra. Iskra didn’t know how to say “stop”. So despite enormous amount of food, she became to look like “death horse”, especially that Iligna was already almost as big as mother. That’s why little girl decided to interfere and divide the meadow into two parts for some time. One for Iligna and Agresja, second for Iskra. It was the time when little girl heard… “wonderful” story from their about 80-years old neighbors what she should do. Ekhm, ekhm. She should catch the hedgehog. Kill the hedgehog. Remove the skin and attach it to foal’s nose. So when child would try to drink milk, it would hurt mother, maybe mother even kick the baby and they would both learn to stop drinking/feeding milk… They didn’t say it as a joke… What an absolutely horrible, psycho way! Little girl stayed with her idea… After some time Iskra started to look like healthy horse again. It was the time when she returned to small training for her body, she also started to be a teacher for some humans about ground work, however she wasn’t as forgiving teacher as Agresja – she knew less, that’s why.

One day, when early morning little girl went to let out horses from the stable to meadow, something wasn’t right. Horses were very anxious, but little girl behaved normally, like she used to. And this was a big mistake. At some point, Iskra – this calm tank – kicked little girl in her ribs. She landed in mud, barely breathing. The 70-years old neighbor (the previous owner of wooden cottage) didn’t notice that something is wrong and only asked if his work won’t scare horses. Little girl answered that “no, everything will be fine”… Little girl, like a cripple reached cottage to wake up demon. She needed to go to hospital, because she knew her bones were broken. Once again. The next half a year sleeping was real torture for her…

But returning to the hero of this chapter – lady Iskra. You can know her from some of my self-portraits. After all, she wasn’t a teacher for a long time. She was a happy horse, running natural calm life, great companion to many forest walks and meadow teas. However pregnancies have affected on her health, which was shown during transitional period, when she changes her fur. But she found also her inner balance, as old horse she found joy, she was able to found her warm blood sparkle to caper. Finding her inner, natural child resulted also in awakening a bit of wildness which, unfortunately brought one day even a kick to little girl and another day to Wierzba… But well, natural behavior.

Last year, when after being poisoned, little girl had huge breakdown, she suddenly lost “Roots of Spells”, all three ladies were looked after by a neighbor. In this time Iligna, in her 6th year, died painfully. It wasn’t easy task to find new, good home for old ladies. Especially that little girl promised to Agresja, that they won’t ride a lorry never more… But accidentally good place was found. This time little girl and her demon couldn’t assist during travel, but they hired a professional driver from a transport company. About 600 km, mainly through highroad took… over 12 hours! “Magic”… Horses reached new place exhausted, scared, Agresja was tied in the wrong, dangerous way, the woman who was a driver, was alone during whole travel… “Professionals”…

Luckily, nowadays after hundreds of kilometers, old ladies run calm and peaceful life in the other periphery.

Spirit - I'm Free

Photos arranged chronologically from 2014-2022 year taken by me, few by my demon and the last one by the stable girl. You can see also photos of Iskra and little girl’s demon in the horse magazine “Świat Koni” (January, 2017). By the way, thanks to Iskra I had opportunity to taste few droplets of mare’s milk. It was delicious!