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An Interview With Horse Whisperer Carol Sharpe - Nihi, Sumba

Can you tell us a little bit about your history at Sumba and how you came about being involved?

I first came to NIHI, Sumba in 2013. My husband was working on a project with the hotel. He encouraged me to join him on this forgotten island and of course I fell head over heels in love with NIHI and Sumba. It’s very hard not to.

It’s all very well being in paradise but the lustre can easily be lost unless you keep yourself busy and immerse yourself in local culture and traditions.

It was on this visit that I met James McBride (partner and CEO of NIHI). He suggested (in the knowledge that I like horses) to take a walk to the far end of the property and take a look at the ponies he had bought for their guests.

I was really keen to find a role for myself, so I approached him with the idea of setting up an equestrian facility for the guests. Having worked in the field of tourism and facilities development, I felt I had enough experience to make a real difference.

How did you source the horses?

James was keen to build up a herd of horses for guests to ride on the beach. The trouble was that the local ponies were too small. We had to source larger horses. Initially it was suggested I source them from Bali, but I had heard of horses on the east of the island which are used for racing, and wondered if these might be suitable.

Most of the horses I saw, I didn’t think I could use for guests – in Sumba they are trained rough and ready and therefore too wild for strolls down the beach at sunset – but I didn’t want to give up, as I felt those that weren’t too broken might come right… And so Sandalwood Stables was born.

How did you source the staff?

The staff are all boys from local villages. Horses are a very important part of the Sumbese culture but when I first employed them, they had no idea of western methods or needs, and couldn’t grasp the concept of introducing horses to a calmer life. Most villagers have a horse or two in the family – either for racing (village against village) or transporting food. Therefore, the staff believed the feistier and more out of control the horses were the better, so it was a learning experience for me and for them to try and introduce different methods.

What is the link between the horse and the Sumbese people? 

Horses are very important part of Sumbese life. They came to the island via trading many moons ago and villages used them not only for the aforementioned reasons but also for religious beliefs. They have deep rooted traditions, and sacrifices make up a very important part of this.

At funerals and wedding celebrations, they carry out sacrifices, and animals (not only horses but also buffalo and wild pig) carry status and are a form of high currency. For the Sumbese people, the sacrifices are a very important way in which they give back to the Gods. It is a huge part of their life, and they believe their soul is connected to the horse – so if you are a horseman, you need to sacrifice a horse in order to be carried into the next life.

Pasola is a tradition that happens annually where villagers attack each other on horseback in order to shed blood to the gods. Villagers attack each other on horseback and the most noble death is to die in this way.

Some of these traditions are quite shocking to the Western horse owner – and I am sure yourself at times. How have you managed to put your beliefs on horse care to one side, and have you managed to educate them in a gentler way of handling at all?

Being a horse lover, it is clearly hard to witness some of these traditions, but over time I have learnt to come from a place of non-judgement. There are many things that have shocked me since I have been at Sumba – but when I sit back and view the world from Sumbese point of view, it helps me to come from a less judgemental stance. For example, after the sacrifice, the villagers are fed – and Sumba is one of the poorest of the Indonesian islands – so in this way, it becomes a circle of life.

It is incredibly important for me to work alongside the villagers in order to educate them, and this does not come from a critical point of view. My vision has always been to create a ripple effect of natural horsemanship. I have taught my staff to connect with horses, and they have learnt that through love, they can get so much more out of their horses.

Now the local children come down to the resort and bring their ponies to show guests pony racing, and this gives me so much joy as it is an ideal place for me to start. Many of the children then choose to spend time at the stables, and this way I can subtly teach them how to be gentler in their approach.  If I can start with the children, I can hopefully bring education to future generations.

Tell us about your staff. How long have they been with you and where the majority come from?

I started with 3 local village boys in 2014 (who are still with me) – and now we have a ten strong team. Some were employed by NIHI originally, on the manual side (garden maintenance etc), but wanted to work with horses, and the NIHI ethos is very much to keep everyone employed as one family.

Over time, I have seen these young men blossom and bloom, and they are now everything from basic farriers to vets – they can administer injections to horses, know basic first aid for horse and human, and can guide guests across the island on treks. They are learning to read and write and work with computers, and all of this has been a complete delight to witness. Over time, I have given more responsibility, so they are often named “head of farrier duties” etc, to give confidence. I am really quite proud of them all.

When did you first have the idea to hand over the reins for the community to run the stables and how long has this process taken?

It was with this pride in mind (and seeing how well they have progressed) that I thought, wouldn’t it be wonderful if one day these guys were managers of the operation, and it would become theirs. 

I planted it as a seed initially and they thought I was being sarcastic, but over time they began to understand and I am now on site only every six to eight weeks – the rest of the time they take care of the operation.

It’s been progressive over the years but over the last twelve months, I have stepped further and further back. I try to stay in the background and I leave the guests to them, unless it is the equine connection therapy – which I run.

I probably spend more time training the staff now than the horses, and I like to think their gentle ways are taken home with them.

With your continued guidance, how do you see the stables progressing over time?

Increasingly we are seeing more riders visiting (as opposed to beach ride beginners) which is exciting as it allows us to expand our amazing trail rides round the island and bring in different elements, such as Spa rides, picnics and even camp out’s.

The healing with horses and yoga and meditation has also attracted a lot more horse savvy guests, and this is great for me, as I can now look to build on this area also – which is my absolute passion.

And lastly - out of the many horses you have rescued which one would be your favourite? 

I honestly can’t say I have a favourite but if I had to choose, I guess it would have to be the first horse I bought – Covo (named after my husband whose nickname is Covo).

Covo belonged to the local mayor of a town and was a racehorse. His sale was a bargaining tool for some business decision with NIHI, so management bought this animal and I didn’t have much choice in him coming! He turned up with a terrible attitude and used to try and get me off all the time with rearing. With groundwork, he would charge at me and there was no way in the world he would be befriended.

One day, I was in the arena with Covo, trying to lunge him yet again (I had to use two lunge whips to fend him off at the time) and as usual, he kept running at me. I was tired and frustrated (I was beginning to feel pressure to get horses ready for guests and was doubting my horsemanship abilities) so I took him off the lunge and left him free rein – and as usual, he trotted to the gate and stood there waiting to be let out.

I was disheartened and sat on the ground, and for a brief second wanted to give up on him, on the whole idea. I surrendered and let go, and I am not sure how long I was there but the next thing I knew, I felt a muzzle on my ear and I could feel his breath right there on me. I stayed for a while and then I got up and moved to the exterior of the arena… and he followed me. We stayed there for a moment, motionless, and it was a turning point.

I realised at that very moment that I needed to lose my agenda. Covo reminded to stop and listen – he just wanted to be listened to – and that’s where the meditation with horses comes from.

Phoebe Oliver - The Equine Collective
Published on 12-07-2021
The Equine Collective is a representation company with a difference – specialising in everything unusual and brilliant in the equine world. We raise the profile of equine clients worldwide – from equestrian hotels to international riders, equestrian photographers to venues, stunt companies to studs and so much more. Whether you are looking to raise brand awareness, drive sales or are seeking a bespoke marketing and PR strategy, we tailor our services to meet your brief. Services include: PR, Marketing, Influencer Engagement, Brand affiliation, Sponsorship, Event Management, and Social Media. The Equine Collective is headed by Phoebe Oliver, who has run the successful travel and lifestyle PR agency Oliver Relations since 2003, and happens to be a passionate horse owner and rider.