Mirrabelle and H2H

Mirrabelle was my student in elementary school when she received a fierce kick in the jaw from her horse, an accident that scarred her within and out. Over the years, she has surmounted the trauma which this incident left behind by opening her heart and home to help animals in need. On any day, you will find her caring for baby squirrels, owlets, cats, dogs, goats and other injured creatures. Few people have access to a stable to rescue horses, so the existing infrastructure of stables and corals at Sharnga Guest House have proven to be a gift. In this space, she can care for the animals, who have showed to be her greatest teachers.

Mirrabelle holds much gratitude to the horses that have helped her learn to appreciate life and herself again. Having been through reconstructive facial and dental surgery she took her willpower by the reigns and let her love for horses move her forward. She learned that working with horses is a healing journey. “Horses teach you to recognize your skills and you can take the time for self appreciation. I wanted to share this discovery with others so I started Horse 2 Human (H2H) which one can follow from afar on Instagram. There is a beautiful video made which expresses the atmosphere which H2H aims to embody.

H2H is an activity of Jiva-Auroville, a ‘holistic healing approach to enhancing the inner process of self discovery, self mastery and living centered on the soul’. To seek therapy, Mirrabelle has opened the door to others to do the same. Organized group sessions, like students visiting from Deepam, learn to communicate better, do physical therapy and vocal emotional therapy at H2H. Individual sessions are arranged and an open door policy for drop-ins, if she is available, is often not refused.

Today there are seven horses in Sharnga, six of them have been rescued, treated and given a home. To understand H2H and its healing journey, one has to get to get to know its horses and their story. The pictures are below in order of appearance. 

Happy was going to be put down. He was a race horse with a leg injury.
Monsoon was purchased from Anthiyur Horse Fair. Mirrabelle had walked by the mare who proceeded to rest her beautifully white head on her chest. It was a love at first sight moment.
Nounourse was also purchased at the Anthiyur Horse Fair. A white stallion who has needed to be re-socialized and desensitized to sudden movements.
Zoe was rescued from a farm in Karnataka. She is a pony who is proving to be a great teacher to small children.
Flame came from the Pony Farm in Auroville. She had been rescued from Thiruvanamalai.
Pebbles was found in the streets of Chennai, the ECR Sanctuary called Mirrabelle to see if she could take her in.

All the horses here have a sweet temperament. Mirabelle along with teams of volunteers have given these horses the time to re-adapt to human relationships after being mistreated and/or neglected. None of the horses at H2H need shoeing; only trimming.  Mirrabelle explains, “The earth in Auroville is soft and the unpaved roads foster a perfect environment for the horses. You don’t screw on your running shoes when you go for a run, do you?” “My main request to the community is to consider side gates next to cow gates.” Sharnga has had a long history with horses. Formally a stud farm, they converted the stables into a simple guest house. Getting around on horseback in Auroville is still an option and it would be nice if the next generation could continue to experience horse riding in this way.

Mirrabelle concludes, “We would like H2H to become a self supportive activity, it brings so much healing to all involved. The monthly budget for hard feed (grains), foliage (grass/hay/rice hay) and supplements runs around Rs.65,000/month.” This does not include veterinarian or medical costs. It is a project worth supporting. If you would like to reach Mirrabelle, send an e-mail to contact@auroville-jiva.com for more information.

Picture rights with Horses 2 Human.