Hello equestrians! My name is Jessica and I’m the cofounder of Horseek.ae. In this post I will be sharing with you the story of how my passion for horses grew. I will tell you about the horses of my life and also about some ups and downs that got us here today.
As for many of you, my passion for horses started from childhood. In my case this passion cannot be cultivated for different reasons. I grew up in Italy where equestrian activities can be very expensive and not easily accessible for normal families.
Since when I was a kid I also had a passion for drawing and from what I can remember all I used to do in my free time was drawing…horses. I created my own world where there was only me and my horses made of colored pencils. In my dreams I was living in a ranch and running free with my herd of paint horses. I lived all my life in an apartment in the city center of a small Italian town. I remember how amazed I used to feel when from my parent’s car I could spot horses in the nearby countryside. I would have given anything to spend an hour with them. Sadly to say, I never had the chance to start riding when I was a kid and not even later when I was a teenager.
Many years had to pass before I could afford myself a ride. In 2017 I started riding with an equestrian association near Rome called “La Traversella” where I also found a family. Before COVID appeared I had done more than 500km of mountain trails on the back of my companion at that time, Brina.
As I had to move back to my hometown during the lockdown, I went back on the saddle in may 2020 in a place closer to what was my home at that time. Accidents sometimes happen and due to one of them my new experience finished very soon. I broke my arm and later suffered from PTSD for about 5 months during which I used to wake up in tears for no reason. I was constantly replaying the scene over and over where the white horse was bucking until he finally threw me to the ground.
I thought I would have never been able to ride again. I was traumatized. After moving back to Rome I went back to the stables I used to go before all the trauma happened. At that time I also met Flavio, my amazing husband who joined my passion for horses right away. He can probably remember better than me how many times I dismounted the horse in tears for no reason, maybe just by watching the surroundings and imagining all the bad things that could happen at any time. It took me the best instructor on heart and a fantastic quarter horse named Dollaro to start getting the confidence back again.
The moment Dollaro became mine, I was still so afraid of riding that I thought many times about selling him and the tacks and just forgot about horses. But luckily our brain is made to create new paths and with so much patience and so many tries at the end fears go away (even if never completely). I guess this is how we evolve. I spent all summer 2021 at the stables grooming and saddling 9 beautiful horses, including my own Dollaro. I almost felt part of their herd sometimes.
In a very short period of time, also Flavio got very attached to the herd. We often wondered if he was able to whisper to them as when he got close they instantly felt very calm.
Flavio proposed to me during a full moon ride on the top of Monte Pellecchia. My bridesmaids were riding horses when they accompanied us to get married. I felt all of my life was revolving around horses. While all of this was happening we were also planning to move here to sunny Dubai and we knew that all of this was coming to an end.
But we all know that after every end there is a new beginning. As humans, we may change jobs, the apartment we live in, a city, or even a country. Passion will always follow us wherever we go.
Horseek was born on a friday evening after a beautiful desert ride here in Dubai. That same day at the stables we could see that our love for horses was widely shared with many other equestrians. Horses here are part of UAE culture as life in the desert is. We immediately wanted to be part of this. Horseek is a project born out of love for horses. We want to be here for equestrians that like us, regardless of where they ride or which saddle they are using are all united under the same goal: Live a life where horses are part of it as our friends and not instruments.
Horseek was born on a friday evening after a beautiful desert ride here in Dubai.
That same day at the stables we could see that our love for horses was widely shared with many other equestrians. Horses here are part of UAE culture as life in the desert is. We immediately wanted to be part of this. Horseek is a project born out of love for horses. We want to be here for equestrians that like us, regardless of where they ride or which saddle they are using are all united under the same goal: Live a life where horses are part of it as our friends and not instruments.
With Horseek we want make sure to keep up some principles in the equestrian world that are often left in the background:
Accessibility
Equestrian activities aren’t only for elites! On Horseek you will always find high quality products at accessible prices.
Inclusivity
The equestrian world offers a huge choice. You don’t need to be a champion rider to be part of it, anyone can find the best stable and activity that suits his will and goals.
Sense of community
We are here to serve the equestrian UAE community. You are always welcome to get in touch with us to share your thoughts, ideas, feedback and concerns about our business proposition or social image.
Respect
Probably the most important one. We respect everyone’s opinion, especially considering all the different existing theories about how to desensitize and train horses, how to ride them, feed and breed them. We strongly assume there is not a single truth. There is no right or wrong, every situation is always very unique and must be considered with comprehension and humbleness.
This is not my personal statement but Horseek’s Manifesto. I hope you will consider us a reliable partner for you and your horse.
Riders, I hope you enjoyed the reading! Please consider that our website will evolve a lot in the next months, make sure to stay updated through our social accounts and leave a comment to get the conversation going!
Jessica & Flavio
