Houyhnhnm: empathic relationship with the horse and its environment

Abstract: Between 2009 and 2011, I lived in Stonehaven, near Aberdeen, on Scotland's north east coast. I was finishing up my doctoral thesis. It dealt with environmental artworks that demonstrated empathic relationships with trees and forests. During the summer, daylight is much longer in Scotland. When I became tired of writing, I visited a herd of horses in the Dee valley. I enjoyed watching the herd eating soft grass and grooming each other in the emerald green valley. They came little by little to the fence where I was standing. Spending some times with the horses clarified my thoughts and shaped my writing. In this paper I talk about empathy and reflect on my memories and experiences of the horses.