Many of us work in career fields that expose us to traumatic and emotional situations on a daily basis.   Police, Corrections Officers, Fire Fighters, Emergency Response, Medics, Doctors, Nurses, Social Workers, Lawyers, all members of the justice system, Personal Support Workers, Hospice Care, and many, many others.  Sometimes one tragic event can affect us in negative and self destructing ways.  Other times it’s the chronic, habitual exposure to life’s darker moments that, over time, impact our own health, well-being and state of mind. 

Horses have the ability to be present in the moment.  Every moment.  While they do hold past memories, and can often, themselves, suffer from post traumatic stress and from negative experiences that can make them fearful and uncertain in the moment, they have an incredibly strong drive to let go of the past and cleanse themselves of any negative energy so that they can be totally present in the now.   They long to return to a steady state, no matter what their experience, and are quite adept at coming back into balance. 

They want to show us how to do the same.   Some of the histories of the Harmony Herd horses are tragic, horrific and sad.  But they have overcome and forgiven us humans for the cruelty inflicted upon them.  We call them Wounded Healers and the lessons they can teach us are profound and life-altering. 

Before opening Harmony with Horses, Tricia Rudy spent 15 years in the sales and marketing industry providing health and safety solutions to the Canadian Police Services, including soft body armour and tactical gear.  She has known personally, officers that have been shot and even killed in the line of duty, or wounded in a car crash, or knifed in a bar fight and understands the long-term effects that that duty to serve and protect can have on someone.    For the last 14 years she has worked in the justice system as a Court Reporter and Transcriptionist, actively listening day after day to the tragic and often horrific details of crimes committed and allegations alleged, bitter divorce and custody proceedings, civil actions that pit neighbours against neighbours, contractors against home owners, accident victims against insurance companies, and on and on, and so on.   She understands personally the toll that takes on a human being.  She has heard it all.

She has gone to the horses herself, for healing and release.  And they gave her HOPE.