In Their Rhythm: Living, Learning and Listening With Horses
At Laima Ceramics, our creative work with ceramics and glaze is deeply connected with life on the land. Part of that life is our horse sanctuary Laimes Zirgi — a place where ceramics, nature and meaningful relationships meet.
We believe that horses deserve to live free, in a way that respects their nature. So we created a “Paddock Paradise” — a living environment that lets them move, rest, socialize and just be — as close as possible to how a horse would live in nature. This gives them physical health, emotional balance, and freedom. Only when a horse’s basic needs — movement, food, shelter, companionship — are met, can we speak of real communication, trust and a shared journey. That’s the foundation of our approach. We don’t aim to “train” horses — we aim to become partners.
Here are our wonderful horses — each with a story, a character, and a gentle soul.
Our Horses
Harmonija
Born: 2011 · Hanoverian mare · the heart of our herd.
Harmonija is the core of our herd — offering deep, quiet presence and extremely honest feedback. She is sensitive, independent, and very clear in her boundaries: she gives fully, or not at all. You cannot approach her with haste or assumption — only with calm, presence, and truth.
After a brief sport career, life brought us together. She became my first horse, my teacher, and the reason I started this journey. Harmonija was not an easy “first horse” — it took years to thaw wounds, old stories, and experiences she carried from people before me. But exactly that led us to find a new way of communication: quiet, slow, respectful.
Sometimes the greatest gift is simply to be together — without demands, without pressure. That is what she teaches.
Since Harmonija has genetic back issue (“Kissing Spine”) and thin hoof soles, the Paddock Paradise environment and free movement are essential — helping her body heal and mind relax.
Her teaching:
“Listen. Remember — trust is not a demand, it is a gift.”
Sahara
Born: 2019 · 75 % PRE (Savana × Ligero de Gredos) · born right here on our meadow.
Sahara is our sunshine girl — born and raised here in freedom and safety. She is curious, brave, and warm-hearted, always ready to engage and learn. Her presence feels light and joyful — like youth without fears.
She is often the first to step up when a session begins. For her, discipline is not important — what matters is communication, togetherness, and the feeling that we’re doing this as a team. She learns quickly and with joy, which makes her a wonderful partner.
In 2022 she experienced an in jury in the paddock that left a hip scar with four stitches. Since then, we have been doing gentle, supportive rehabilitation to help her regain full strength and freedom of movement.
Element (Chinese system): Fire — warmth, joy, movement, spark.
Her message:
“I live to move, to communicate and to love. And the most beautiful things happen together.”
Sahara is our princess — sensitive, wise, and extremely talented. Truly, a little miracle.
Livino de Gredos
Born 2017 · PRE · arrived to us at one year old.
Livino has always carried a quiet kind of confidence — calm, aware and steady.
He is an introvert: thoughtful rather than reactive, soft rather than stubborn. His presence is grounding — the kind that makes you breathe slower without noticing.
He has taught us to communicate not through pressure or cues — but through energy, subtle signals and intention. With Livino, everything is about harmony. He is the kind of horse who will walk beside you to the very end of the world — if the connection feels safe, respectful and peaceful.
Beyond the paddock, he becomes an explorer — curious, funny and expressive. Inside him is a beautiful contrast: strength and softness, confidence and humility.
His path shifted when health challenges appeared — including hay-dust asthma and heart arrhythmia. Because of this, Livino is not a riding horse. Instead, life gave him a different role: a teacher of stillness, presence and quiet strength.
Today he enjoys life like a wise aristocrat — calm, dignified and deeply observant.
Chinese element: Earth (with Metal qualities)
Personality archetype: The Steady Eddy
His teaching:
“Nothing needs to be rushed. When you are seen and safe — everything unfolds.”
Miervaldis
2019 · 50 % PRE (Harmonija × Ligero de Gredos) · born on our meadow.
Miervaldis is Harmonija’s firstborn and her only son — born in freedom, with the chance to grow into who he is meant to become. His nature is sensitive, attentive and thoughtful. He was born a timid perfectionist — a horse who, if something didn’t feel right, instinctively thought: “Better to run away.”
Watching him open up step by step — from a shy little one to a wise, loving and courageous horse — is one of my greatest stories of pride and gratitude. Today he is one of the calmest horses in the herd — even in strong wind or storm. Miervaldis is our quiet philosopher.
For him, safety is the priority. When he senses a worthy person, he gives himself wholeheartedly. As a perfectionist, he holds a never-ending determination to “do things right,” combining deep sensitivity with playful spirits.
Miervaldis is available for adoption.
If you’re searching for a horse to build a deep, respectful, long-term bond with — he might be your soul partner.
Contact us to get to know him.
Element (Chinese system): Water — fluidity, sensitivity, reflection.
Personality type: Perfectionist — sensitive, loyal, thoughtful, with huge potential.
His teaching:
“Courage doesn’t come as strength. Courage arises when you are supported.”
My journey with horses began very differently than I imagined. When I bought my first horse, Harmonija, I expected partnership, riding, and steady progress — instead, I met resistance, fear, trauma, and a level of emotional sensitivity I was completely unprepared for. Nothing from traditional riding made sense with her. The more I tired, the more she withdrew — until one day it became clear: the problem wasn’t her at all.
After a year of confusion and frustration, in 2017 I made a decision that changed everything — I stopped riding and stopped trying to make her do anything. Instead of asking obedience from her, I began searching for communication that respected her as a living being with needs, boundaries, emotions and opinions. Over the years, I learned from holistic trainers and horse-centred teachers around the world, slowly shaping a new approach built on observation, choice, consent, trust and quiet dialogue rather than control or compliance.
As this work unfolded, I realised that most horses don’t struggle because they are “difficult” — they struggle because they are rushed, misunderstood, or asked to meet expectations long before they feel safe or ready. By watching foals, young horses and sensitive individuals like Harmonija, it became clear that real education doesn’t begin with tasks or technique — it begins with understanding how a horse experiences the world.
Today, our horses live freely, communicate openly, and participate in training as partners rather than tools. Their presence shapes not only how I work — but how I live, how I create, and how I understand connection.
Appropriate Education for Young Horses — “The Art of Walking”
Before riding, before lunging, before asking for performance.
The Art of Walking became one of the foundations of my work: a simple but profound practice where the focus is on balance, nervous system regulation, posture, breath, rhythm and communication through micro-signals rather than pressure.
When done well, this early education builds a horse who is confident, emotionally balanced, and able to move with ease — rather than bracing, resisting or disconnecting.
It is slow work. Quiet work. But it is where true partnership begins.
Heart-to-Heart Connection — Relationship-Based Training
Over time I learned that training is not something we do to horses — it is something we create with them.
Relationship-based training means:
The horse has the right to say no
We build trust before expectations
Emotions are acknowledged — not ignored
Safety comes before progress
Movement is natural, not forced
Communication is mutual, not one-directional
Instead of obedience, we cultivate connection, curiosity and choice.
When a horse feels understood, respected and emotionally safe — learning becomes effortless. Their body softens, their breath slows, their mind opens. That moment — when a horse chooses connection — is the magic I work for.
Horse Speak® — A Language, Not a Method
A significant part of my development came through studying Horse Speak® — a system created by Sharon Wilsie that decodes the silent, subtle communication horses use with one another.
It is not training — it is translation.
Horse Speak allowed me to:
read herd social dynamics with clarity
understand calming signals and thresholds
recognise emotional nuance
respond in a way the horse actually understands
It replaced force with presence, and technique with conversation. Through this work, many moments of confusion suddenly made sense — because for the first time, I was speaking in the horse’s native language.
Horse-Centred Tools and Practices
Today my approach combines:
positive reinforcement and liberty principles
body awareness and somatic regulation
biomechanics and healthy movement development
energy-based communication and relational presence
slow groundwork and mindful handling
enrichment, movement and natural lifestyle design
Rather than relying on bits, dominance, pressure/release cycles or desensitization, we use tools and exercises that support nervous system balance, communication, choice and physical well-being.
It is not the fastest training path — but it is the most truthful.
Because a horse trained through pressure may obey —
but a horse trained through connection will walk beside you freely.
Our Philosophy — From Horses to Everyday Life
At Laimes Zirgi, we begin with one simple belief:
A horse’s well-being must come first.
Our herd lives in a Paddock Paradise environment designed to support their physical, emotional and social health in the most natural way possible.
Their home includes:
a track system encouraging movement throughout the day
free-access shelter offering shade, protection and comfort
a heated water fountain for winter
salt and mineral stations for intuitive self-regulation
constant access to roughage — hay, straw, and seasonal grazing
varied surfaces, sand areas for rolling, space to play, rest and explore
This living setup strengthens the entire horse — body and mind. Natural movement builds healthy muscle tone, cardiovascular resilience and strong hooves. Freedom, choice and social bonds support emotional balance, confidence and peace.
And it is only from this place of safety and fulfilment that true communication can begin.
Partnership, to us, is not obedience.
It is shared rhythm.
It is listening.
It is respect.
Here, horses are not objects to be controlled — they are sentient beings with their own personalities, needs and boundaries. When we meet them with softness rather than pressure, the relationship becomes something far deeper than training: it becomes a dialogue.
The Intersection — Ceramics, Horses & Mindful Living
Our horse sanctuary is not separate from our ceramic work — it is the quiet heartbeat behind it.
Living with horses teaches us patience, rhythm and presence. They remind us to slow down, to breathe, to feel instead of rush. This way of being naturally pours into our creative work with clay. The pieces we make carry a sense of grounding, stillness and intentionality — the same qualities found in a peaceful moment beside a horse.
Our ceramics are designed to become part of daily rituals: morning coffee, evening tea, shared meals, quiet moments.
Just like our horsemanship, our values stand firmly in:
Handmade. Well-made. Slowly-made.
In a world that is fast, loud and disposable, we choose slowness, care and connection — with the earth, with animals, and with the things we bring into our lives.
If This Resonated With You…
If something in this story touched you — the philosophy, the pace, the way of relating to horses — then you may be happy to know that our work doesn’t end with our own herd. We gently weave this approach into our small, private courses and retreats, where horses become quiet teachers alongside ceramics, nature, and ritual.
You’re welcome to explore these offerings:
Pottery courses & Retreats — where horses, ceramics and slow living meet in intimate, intentionally crafted experiences.
(see: Opportunities)Private Horse Sessions — for those who wish to train one-on-one and add horse-based learning to an individual residency or creative stay.
(see: Horse Course)Horsemanship Internship — a deeper, immersive path for those wanting not just a taste, but a true introduction to natural herd living, communication and horse-centred care.
(see: Horsemanship Internship)
Here, everything happens slowly — with respect, curiosity, and open listening.
Whether you come for a day, a week, or many months, the invitation is the same:
Come as you are.
Learn at the pace of connection.
And let the horses meet you there.
