The Jousting Life

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

About a Horse: Hugo

This wonderful tribute to the jousting horse, Hugo, was written by his longtime owner and rider Per Estein Prøis-Røhjell(aka Pelle).


Hugo and Pelle practice in the snow(photo by Renate Skeie)

The Hugo

I know that I am not alone, when I share the feeling of dread that accompanies some of our greatest achievements. Those times when you know you will stretch to your very limit, and you know in your heart that it might still not be enough.

The joust is an obvious example of this mix of feelings. A good friend of mine, Arne Koets, has a saying when we are getting armoured,"Why are we doing this again?" I think it expresses very well how it feels sometimes.


Pelle has some help armouring up for the joust(photo by Rozemarijn Keurning)

Now this feeling is of course not limited to those who joust. Any tough situation, be it meeting your boss for the first time, hiring employees, taking on a great adventure of one sort or another -- buying a house, say -- or a thousand other little things, please insert your own experience...

In all these situations, you know there is only one thing that can carry you through:
True Courage.

Many people mistakenly think that those who do scary, difficult stuff all the time, and do it well; these people are never afraid. I beg to differ. Some of the toughest people I know are also some of the tenderest hearts I know.

But this post is not about people. It is about a horse. My first horse, to be precise.


Hugo is prepared for the joust by One Enerud(photo by Oliver Dunsch)

Hugo has never been unafraid -- I think. He is not bred for courage, he is bred for speed, if anything, the Bastard he is.

But The Mighty Hugo has carried me through France, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, participating in at least one of the hardest tournaments in the world. Always afraid, always performing. Rearing, running away, stopping before the strike fell, and even turning away from the tilt. But always, when jousting, Hugo delivers a fearsome hit. Even if I don´t.


Hugo carries Pelle down the tilt at "The Grand Tournament of Sankt Wendel"
(photo by Rozemarijn Keurning)

I have seen him stay away from fights in the herd, just to calmly step into leadership the very next moment. Still always afraid, always wary.

What I want to have said here, is that fight or flight, it is the same! I believe that the courage to take out all your power in a difficult situation, is always preferable to curling up like a fetus, and just waiting until someone else saves you.

The Hugo has always dared showing his true self. I thank him from the bottom of my heart for teaching me this. Now I retire him. I give him to someone who tries to learn these same abilities. I have never met a more stubborn teacher than Hugo. It is with great pleasure I pass him on. May his fields be green, may his rider learn, and may his mighty muscles carry his new rider to ever greater understanding.

--Pelle


Hugo and Pelle impress the audience at "The Grand Tournament of Sankt Wendel"
(photo by Rozemarijn Keurning)

1 comment:

  1. much courage to you Pelle it is hard to say farewell to a friend and partner I hope things go well for you both in the future.

    ReplyDelete