Nino

Nino is our 20-year-old horse who has been through a lot in life – mostly bad. He was beaten, worked as a tourist horse in hard conditions and toiled in a riding school … and that is only the part of his history we know. Why his eyes are so sad and what he thinks about when he stares into space for hours, we will never know.

We met him by chance. When we went to buy Tilly, there he was. A gentle giant with big sad eyes, who leaned his head on Simon's shoulder and quietly asked us to take him along. Did we plan to buy a horse like that? No. We came for a steady therapy horse and left having paid a deposit for both. We couldn't leave him behind.

We wanted to show him that life can be beautiful, gentle and painless – and above all free. It took him a year to find his rhythm with Tilly and learn to be a horse, free and happy. When we then tried to put a saddle on him, he froze instantly and the light went out of his eyes. We put the saddle away and gave him back his freedom, his pasture and his girls.

Nino is the gentlest, most considerate horse we have ever known. His big heart beats for the whole estate. In a way he stands for the mission of our estate: a place for everyone, whatever their wounds and past, to learn to relax and feel joy.