Such a sweet soul, this horse named Shiloh. This picture was taken a few years back in Colorado while I visited my sister with my family. Shiloh is my sister’s horse. The little girl is my animal loving, super- sensitive, and caring daughter. You can see the connection between them… nothing like the love between a girl and a horse!
But this horse has had a rough past. An off-the-track racehorse, Shiloh’s early years were not easy. Pressured to compete from an early age, he experienced emotional trauma and abuse. He quit racing when he was 5 years old and changed hands several times. My sister came into his life when he was 13, and took ownership of him when he was 15 years old. When my sister met him, he was known for being a “difficult” horse, and labeled “kooky,” being very untrusting of humans and not easy to ride.
My sister soon realized using traditional horse training methods would not be suitable for this horse; he was shutdown and genuinely fearful of humans. She started seeking alternative methods and found the Parelli style of horsemanship, focusing on horse behavior, psychology, and the bond between horse and human, trying to rekindle Shiloh’s faith in humans… or at least in her. The bond that they have created is amazing. Her compassion and patience for him is beautiful, opening up her heart to this beautiful animal and showing him unconditional love, allowing him to have a voice and to be with a human on his terms, for perhaps the first time in his life.
In late autumn 2017, Shiloh seemed to not be feeling well. My sister had recently received a diagnosis from a veterinary neurosurgeon that Shiloh had dyspraxia and was “unfit to ride.” I was asked to do a Reiki/animal communication reading with him. As my sister and Shiloh live in CO and I live in RI, it was a distance session.
When I do a distance session, I can visualize the subject of the session (person or animal) in my mind’s eye. Reiki has opened so many channels for me, including animal communication. I am blessed with being able to not only feel their energy, but to also communicate with them in the manner that they prefer. Sometimes it’s verbal, where I can hear their thoughts. Sometimes it’s through feeling, where they project to me how they are feeling. Sometimes it’s through pictures, where they will show me images of what they are thinking. Often times, it’s a combination.
I connected with Shiloh late in the day. He was cold, as late autumn in Colorado is already feeling like winter. He wanted warm food, protein. He asked me to tell my sister, she would know what it meant. He had been relocated to my sister’s house. His prior location was with other horses, but he was alone now. I asked him if he missed the other horses, he said yes, but said he was strong on his own.
Shiloh and I talked about riding, whether he liked it or not. Shiloh said he liked nice rides, no pressure, just for fun. He told me that he liked being here, with my sister. “These have been the happiest days of my life. I’m happy to have finally found my person.”
I did a body scan on him, checking his overall health. I detected pain in his hips and knees. He shared with me that he used to rear up a lot, and he used to get beat for it. Some of this communication was in words, some was in feeling, some was in images. He also had pain in his head. He shared that sometimes his brain feels heavy there, behind his eye. Then he shared with me a flashback, a memory. I saw him in a stall… he was sweaty, looked tired. Then I saw him through his eyes… The transition happened quick, and disoriented me at first, as I couldn’t understand why I was suddenly so tall. Someone was with him, yelling at him. I got the sense that this was during his racing days, and he had lost a race. The person with him was furious, calling him awful names, telling him he had lost all his money. Shiloh kept backing away, he was scared and feeling the verbal attack to his core. The person then suddenly picked up a large shovel and in a fit of rage he smashed it into Shiloh’s head, right over his left eye. I felt pain explode in my own head… then I was released from the memory. But still felt the raw shock and lingering pain of this memory for Shiloh.
This poor horse! This was heart-wrenching, I cried for this tortured soul. I directed healing energy to his eye. I performed a Reiki procedure called psychic surgery on him. With spiritual sight, I saw a gray, mushy spaghetti-like substance around and under his left eye. Energetically, I pulled out this substance from around the eye, behind his ear, and the top of his head. After, his energy felt lighter, and he seemed more alert. I closed with beaming Reiki energy, for the physical and emotional trauma that this beautiful creature had endured and shared with me. I was humbled and honored that he entrusted me with such a powerful memory.
About a week later, I asked my sister how things were going with Shiloh. She shared with me that she had a follow-up appointment with the vet. She had some radiographs done on his spine, but there was no damage. However, in speaking with the vet about his sunken eye and gray hairs there, the vet said that he often sees that when a horse has had a fractured skull due to trauma or injury, most likely from a long time ago.
I often receive messages that validate my energetic findings. I was amazed and so grateful that I could help Shiloh, and so grateful for the gift of Reiki. Thank you, Universe!
Love & Light,
Jen