The horse was full of sorrow and rage. He was tied with a chain to his left forefoot and could move only 1,5 meter in any direction. He had been standing like this 24 hours a day for 3 years. Nobody spoke to him, no one showed any interest in him except for feeding him and bringing him water. The sun was hot in the desert and he had nowhere to go for shadow….  

• The story in text and pictures

• Pictures
   

• Become Victory`s guardian angel

• School Funding

• Victory`s purpose on earth

• What has happened in March/April

• What has happened in April/May

• What has happened in May/June

• What has happen in July

• What has happened in August/September

• What has happened in October/November

• The last time in Egypt and travelling to Norway

• His first year in Norway 2005-2005

• The winter of 2006 and the year of 2007

This is the story

I was travelling in Egypt with my sister Berit, my brother Torbjørn, his wife Gunilla and their son Robin. Two days before I was going back to Norway ,  Torbjørn, Gunilla, Robin and I took a trip to the desert to see a group of beduins living there. When we arrived, I immediately spotted the horse.

He stood there all by himself. He was tied with a chain, only 1,5 meter long, to his left forefoot. He was very skinny, his feet were a mess and almost all of his mane was like a big knot. His eyes were full of rage and sorrow.

He snapped when I approached him. He knew that I could help him, and asked with all of himself to open up to him in spite of his behaviour and outer being.

I talked to him. He told me that he was five years old, and that he had been tied up like this for a very, very long time. He was very sad inside, because he all the time could observe life happening around him without being able to participate. Ha said that he felt sorrow because the camels were doing an important job, and he himself had no  task at all.

I promised to tell the beduin in charge of him about this, and asked our guide Mohamed Gareeb (Alex Safari) to translate for me. Mohamed called at one of the beuins, who came smiling at us. I introduced myself, and told him what my work was in Norway . Mohaned translated and the message from the horse was brought forward. The beduin told me that the horse had been given to the sheik as a souvernir – as a gift, but that they felt it was difficult to use him because of his anger. I explained to him that the horse was deeply sad and that the sadness created the anger.

I felt that I was met with friendliness and respect, and he promised me that he would give the horse something to do, so that he could become happier.

Robin and I went back to the horse, og and we could see immediately that something had happened. He was so grateful, and I could feel the tears resting in him because he knew that now there was help for him. He stretched towards us, and both of us could pet him.

When we left, I was satisfied with having been heard, and still there was something innside me telling me that the horse had to come out of the desert. I desided to listen to the voice of the heart, and not to focus on all the possible difficulties that could occur.  I knew that if I did that, thoughts like: who would help me, how to transport him, where could he stay until I received all the official documents to take him out of Egypt and go to Norway, what about treatment (he had to be treated for at least 6 months before he could travel anywhere that far…), quarantene, veterinary examinations, training etc etc

With a whisk I blew such thoughts away, and decided to focus on this one thing: to get the horse out.

A solution is closer that I believe

I had decided to do a few things when visiting Egypt . Like going to Cairo to see the pyramids, visiting Luxor and the temples and the Valley of the Kings , camelriding, horseback riding and snorkeling. Now only one thing remaied: the horseback riding.

Berit had been to the Zeytona Beach   and she had spoken to the people who worked with horse- and camel riding there. She had told them that it was possible to communicate with animals, and demonstrated to them what one of their horses said about his well being. When I first came there, they knew that I was her sister and that I worked with speaking to the animals. We agreed that I would come back another day and go for a ride.

Now that day was here, my last day in Egypt . I made an appointment with Sabry, who worked with the horses. Suddenly I found myself telling him about the horse in the desert. Something strange happened as I described what I had experienced. I saw a light of hope in his eyes.  He was sincerely interested. Soon I could feel that he really wanted to engage, and that we only needed to discuss how to do it.

We met in the evening for a cop of coffee. He told me that his brother Ahmed owned the business with tourist riding, and that he was employed working with the horses. He listen to my description of the horse, and we agreed that he should try to get the horse out. It might not be that simple, because you are not allowed to give away or sell a present. But Sabry told me that he would keep trying until he succeeded.   

We agreed to how to split the work that was to come: he should get the horse out, and I would pay the costs, also for food and veterinary for a while. Then he would share future costs for food. Sabry would do all the work with feeding, taking care of and training him. He would give him so much love that the horse could be able to believe in living a good life again..

We agreed that Sabry would take pictures of the horse and send them to me, so that I could see how he was developing. We said farewell to eachother, and I could feel that something important had happened to both of us.  

Miracles happen

A few days after I arrived back in Norway , Sabryu called me and told me that he is going into the desert to look for the horse. After that things happenes rapidly. My sister Berit has gone back to Egypt after a short stay in Norway , andis offering to help. After 10 days the horse is out.

Sabry`s brother Ahmed have been very supportive. Sabry has told him about our plans and convinced him that I am trustworthy. Ahmed went with him to the desert, talked to the beduins and finally they agree that the horse is to be sold. The price is  acceptable, and Ahmed chooses to use his own money to ensure that the horse can be treated and fed properly as soon as possible. He also gives food and lets us use a box for the horse in his own stable.

Later I find out that the money Ahmed paid for the horse, is the money he has saved for his own wedding, which is to take place 2 months later. After bying the horse he is broke…  

My sister Berit was deeply touched by the story, and wanted to help. Besides inspiring the involved persons, she paid for transport to the desert and she has taken great pictures of the horse and Sabry.

How is the horse now – and what is his name?

For a very long time he had suffered from malnutrition, and therefore the whole of his body were in a damaged state. His muscles were “dead”, he looks very skinny (thinner than what you can see from the photo`s), and most of his mane is nothing but a big  lump of hair, his hooves are brittle and inside he is like a black empty ocean. Sabry has tried to find out if he has been trained, but concluds with the fact that he knows nothing and that he needs to be trained right from the start. He has told us that he wants his name to be Victory of Sabry, as a tribute to the man who will help him regain confidence in himself again.

Sabry tells me that Victory is feeling better and is more relaxed. He is now eating more nutritional food, though Sabry has to be very careful not to give him too much food in the beginning to avaoid him from becoming sick. There is one problem though: he is scared of the other horses, and is screaming whenever he is with them. 

What happens to Victory now?

He is going to Cairo with Ahmed, and walk freely on green fields for a couple of months. He will learn to be with other horses there. After that he is going back to El Gouna by the Red Sea to be with Sabry, who will teach him all that he know. I will contribute by speaking with Victory and transfer information between Sabry and him. 

When trust and confidence prevails

Both Sabry and I were true to the feelings in our hearts when we decided to trust eachother. We had met and spoken for 2 hours only, when we just through ourself into acting. Now Sabry is one step closer to his: starting a school in Egypt where he teaches in the training and caring for horses. May be also I am a step closer to my own dream: spreading knowledge of communicating with animals – and teaching others to do the same. I want people to see who the animals are: great helpers  in teaching the human race about our emotions and our spirituality – and love animals unconditionally, like they love us.

What has happened in March/April

I talk to animals all the time, and it does not matter where they are, but with Victory something was different. To communicate with him from Norway became almost as a joke.

I do not want to talk to you, he said. I want you to come here and then I will talk to you a lot.

So I went back to El Gouna in late March. When we saw each other again, I sat down and let him approach me. He came, bent down and kissed my face all over. And he talked. I am so grateful and so happy that you have come. I know that you love me, and that you want us to be friends, and I want that too. I will be your friend all the life, and I have been waiting for you for so long,

Many things were different from when I saw him the first time in the desert. He had developed a calmness within himself. He was still afraid and sceptical to human beings, and he was very skinny, but there was a noticeable difference both physical and psycical.

Sabry and his brother Ahmed had been working with making him calm, show him trust and to see the strength of him. They were carefully increasing his amount of food, to adjust his body to normal feeding.

What has been done

The time had come to cut his mane. We had to let most of it go, because of the big lumps of hair all entwisted.

Sabry and Ahmeds brother Said came to visit from Kairo and worked with the horses for 2-3 weeks. As soon as the weather permitted, he gave Victory a good bath and we could all see the beautiful golden colour of his skin.

Victory is given a daily training of just a few minutes, so that he can learn the most basic of movements. Sabry teaches him things like walking left, right and in circel and how to walk with people and still be safe.

I communicate with him on a daily basis and concentrates in telling him that he is safe now and that he is with people that will listen to him. I tell him that all the lonely and sad years are gone, and that he can direct his consciousness to what he wants from his future. He wants to work, he tells me. He wants to be of use.

One day his hooves are adjusted and taken care of and he gets shoes for the first time in his life. This becomes a difficult experience for both of us. I am present and can feel how afraid he is, but I can also sense the relief when the job is done and he can feel his feet and his body in a more balanced way.

After this he is a more happy horse. He has been very afraid of his body, and have had to warn us many times when we have not touched him softly enough, or when he has been afraid that we would not take enough care.

He has been afraid of the touch of our hands onto his body, but slowly he will let us massage him and brush him.

His skin is dry and looks like a mess. Like some kind of baby fur, and much of his fur falls off when he is brushed ever so gently. After a few days we can see that his fur is developing a weak glow, and we get a feeling of how beautiful he will become with time.

He has put on some weight – not much - but and his bones are not sticking out so much any more. It probably will take 6-8 months until he is fully recovered.

What happened in April/May?

Victory becomes more and more healthy, he has had his mane cut, he has daily showers, he is trained and gradually the food can be increased. He has put on some weight and it is easy to see from his eyes that his life is meaningful to him. It is a joy to see him now!

What happened in May/June

Ahmed feels it will be good for Victory to come to Cairo to learn how to cooperate more with other horses. Victory wants to "show off" to the other horses at their stable on the beach in El Gouna, and Sabri and Ahmed do not have the time to train them for cooperating. The horses have nowhere they can run free, and Ahmed promises that Victory will be able to run free on green grass in Cairo. Victory agrees, he wants to be on the green grass. Let me stay alone on the land for two weeks first, he says. And then I will be ready to go with the other horses. 

I am now in Norway talking to Victory on a distanse. He tells me that he is in Cairo, but where are the green grass? He tells me that I must talk to Ahmed about this and about castration, because they are planning this. And then he says: Please - it is better for me to go back to El Gouna. This is the first real home I have ever had. I don`t like it here. It is noisy. I talk to Ahmed and ask him to move Victory back. I call his brother Sabri and tell him they must do this immediately, because Victory  does not feel good in Cairo at all. I ask them both about Victory being in the fields, and I get no strait answer. I feel something is wrong. 

My students are coming in this weekend, and we all talk to Victory together. He describes the area where he is to be desert. I know that Ahmeds stable is in Giza, very close to the pyramids. And I know that this area is desert. When we talk to Victory about castration, he first says that he is willing to do everything to please the people around him. But he also says that castrating him is not necessary. Just give me some time, he says - and then I will make friends with the other horses. I have not been with other horses before, and I have no other way to show myself but being a full horse. 

When I contact Ahmed and talk to him, I reveal that he has promised too much, and he has to admit that Victory is not at all in the green fields. He describes it like this: "If I should take him to the green fields, I would have to transport him to and from every day. If I leave him there during the night, he might be stolen". And when I tell him Victory`s view of castration, he says: "Victory is not friendly with the other horses, and that is why we have to castrate him ...." 

Sabri has arrived in Cairo and when we have contact over the phone he tells me that Victory has fallen ill. Very ill. He has malaria and have had trouble with his stomach, too. Several vets have been to see him, and he has been given medicines. The good thing about this, is that all three vets say that Victory must not be castrated, because when he has suffered so much in his early life, his manhood is the only thing he has to show himself as a real horse to the other horses..." ( thank you for the support of the Egyptian vets!!) 

His condition becomes critical when he again suffers from malaria. I ask my students to join in and communicate with him and send him healing, and to pray for him. Slowly he recovers. Now I feel strongly that he has to be moved back to El Gouna as soon as he can make the travel. He needs to be a place where he feels at home, to become happy enough to recover fully from his illness. I leave my bills alone, use the last money I have and leaves for Cairo. He is really happy to see me, but his life force is desperately low. 

One week after my arrival he is being moved back to El Gouna. He is tired after his illness, but already the day after his arrival I can see that he is coming out of his lost state of mind. He meets me with optimism, and we work with communicating and healing until I have to go back to Norway. When I leave, I know he is safe again.

The Victory Team

Thank you for the wonderful work these happy boys at Zeytouna Beach in El Gouna have done for Victory to recover to a good life. Left: Rahd, Said, Sabri and Ahmed.

Victory experiences his first sand bath.

Look how happy he is! He digs some with his left forefoot before he falls down into the sand and rolls back and forth. Inside he is all joy!

Our first walk

Victory behaved like a lamb when we had our first little walk together. He walked by my side as he had never done anything else. No demands, but being happy, just being. And then he says to me: I am Victory in your heart...

What happened in July

In Norway I continue to talk to him. He becomes more strong and more happy, and our conversations runs easy in spite of the great distance. Slowly I can feel that he wants to tell me something, that is not easy for him to say. When I ask him what is wrong, he says that he is afraid of saying something wrong about the people caring for him, doing the best they can for his well being. But then he admits that he need to be more free, to run free and not to do the kind of training they have started with him. I ask him what they do, and he says that they try to make him stand on his hind legs, and that this is very bad for him. But he does not want to complain....! He dare not try to tell the people that he does not like this... 

Again I talk to Sabri to make arrangements of letting Victory be more free ouside the stable, but unfortunately they cannot meet his needs. We agree that my sister Berit, who now lives in El Gouna will visit another stable and see if Victory can move there. 

Yalla Stable are owned by Dolores Gallo from Switzerland, and she agrees to take Victory if his health permits. Berit and Dolores go to see Victory, and she confirms that he can come to her stable. Berit feels that he is being trained to become a "dancing horse", and Sabri says yes, that is what they are doing. Now Victory`s own description of his situation is more clear, and since he does not like this training, they deside to move him. The same evening several animal communicators are in contact with him. He is terrified that he might "be thrown into the garbage" - and at the same time he almost can`t believe that he is free inside the box. Slowly, step by step - from being tied up for three years in the desert, his life is improving. Ahmed and Sabri promise that they will visit him at the new stable. 

I ask Dolores for extra care for Victory because he really needs to feel love and to feel that he is wanted. He also asks for a job, to feel that he can give something back. And, please, he says: do not use any kind of whip in any way. I am terrified of the whip. 

Dolores communicates with me by mail. She looks forward to hear more from Victory himself about what he needs and how he feels. He has some rash on his back, and she has given him a good bath and put soothing oils on his rash. Both herself and her daughter Alexandra will ensure him of their love and affection, and Alexandra will ride him so that he has a job. He need some equipment, and Dolores has nothing that he can use. But she can buy second hand from Cairo. 

A few days later my sister Berit, visits Victory and sees Alexandre ride Victory Bareback. His eyes are twinkling and he is optimistic. Berit says: We did the right thing!

Yalla stable: Victory`s new home

Yalla Stable is also in El Gouna, this beautiful tourist town situated by the Red Sea.

What happened in August/September

Every morning Victory and one of the stable boys are riding to the laguna, so that Victory can train his muscles and increase his strength. The trip takes approximatelt one hour and afterwards he can rest in the shadow. El Gouna in August is at least 40 degrees centigrade, but from time to time a small cooling wind from the desert to make the conditions a little bit better.

Dolores, who is the owner of Yalla Horsestable, tells me that Victory is making progress - and after 2 months at her stable he has put on more weight and they can no longer see his ribs. His has told us that his hoofs needs special care, and they are also giving him vitamine treatment. Dolores travels to Cairo from time to time, and when she was there in August, she bought full equipment for him. After this he has been allowed to work a little (which he has been asking for from the first day I met him in the desert!). A 6 year old German girl has been riding him for trips into the desert, and Dolores`daughter Alessandra is riding him mostly every day.

But something strange happens: Victory starts to bite Dolores and even throws her daughter off his back. Dolores ask me to talk to him and make him describe what is wrong. I do, and what he says is quite challenging: he tells me that in a previous life Dolores owned a stable in Bayern - he was one of her horses - and during a parade she had slapped his back, and now the time had come to make an excuse... Well, she did - and he stopped biting and became very soft with her.

For some time Victory is quite sad because he misses the horses on the beach, especially the fole that was born in May. Still Victory tells me that he likes this place, mostly because the horses are allowed to be free in their boxes, and for the reason that the animals are seen. But he is terribly shy, and it is a great challenge to communicate with him and make him tell me what he really feels. One thing is for surtain: he will be the one to choose his own future!

What has happened to Victory in October/November 2003 

I had been away from him for more than 4 months when I returned to Egypt. I went directly to Yalla Horsestable in the afternoon November 11th. He recognised me immediately! I looked at him and could see that his body were shining, he had developed a “belly” and he looked good. But something was wrong. His psyche had changed. The soft and warm Victory was gone. His presence had changed. He was biting again. 

When I spoke to him, he said: “You came to me and I loved you. Then you leave me and I am unhappy – every time”. For him time was different than for me. He lives his life each minute, while I most of the time are ahead of things and looks to the future. I knew that something would change, that he should come to Norway and that we would be together like he whished for. But he could not understand that this was true. He is like a child, the “here and now” is everything.  

I visited him every morning, stayed for some hours whispering, small talking and caressing him. He bit me sometimes, but mostly things went well. He needed to express his frustration, and he made himself perfectly clear. 

Every day I brought him and his horsefriends gazzar (carrot). Chod gazzar? I asked him and he approached me to eat. He wanted all of it. Would not share with the others.  

The days were frustrating for me, even with my knowledge of animals and communicating. I was used to feel love flowing between us, and I admit willingly that tears became familiar to me the first days.  

Planning Victorys travel out of Egypt

The day arrived when I should go to Cairo, visit the isolate to which Victory had to go and talk to transporters who would take him from Cairo to Ostende in Belgium. Everything went smoothly. I had been worried of him staying in an isolate for 40 days, while his health examinations were done. After seeing the placeI felt calm. He would not be on his own, there were people around him all the time, and he would share the isolation with fellow horses in the same situation. I visited El Sahra, the horse breeding stable where they would do all his papers, and I felt that I entered a place where the horses were seen. Big flocks of horses together under huge old trees. Several stallions in each flock.

Meeting Dr Ashraf al Kalla

The last day I met with the veterinarian who would have the responsibility for Victory while in Cairo, Dr.Ashraf Ibrahim al Kalla. It became an exiting event. My sisters husband Mohamed, started with telling him how he as a Tour Guide had taken me to this beduin place where I met Victory the first time. Mohamed talked about how I and the horse had been speaking to eachother, and his own role with translating to the beduins. At this point Dr. Ashraf interrupted, tured towards me, and asked: ”Are you a whisperer?” I confirmed and he said: ”I want to learn this! If I learn this I will be the best veterinarian”.  

Dr Ashraf al Kalla is a specialist in equestrian epidemiology, he is the offisial vet for the Egyptian Equestrial Federation og chief of the Cavalry horses in Cairo. 

The rest of the evening an into the night we discussed animal communication. I talked to 4 of the horses in the Cavalry Camp (total of 250 horses), and it was like a dream to me. He immediately understood and accepted when I explained that animals can carry the problems belonging to the people around them. He recognised information on this level, and he confirmed information about physical problems. The horses old him about physical problems yet not discovered, and he examined them there and then – and confirmed them. We agreed to keep in touch, and the next time I am there I will teach him and his assistants.  

Back in El Gouna – and Victory receives his real arabian saddle

He liked his new equipment, but felt quite shy at first. Could he really be worth this fine saddle? The distance between us was still there, but he was softer with me. I told him all about what had happened in Cairo and about his travel. Slowly we will find the way back to each other, and from my work as an animal communicator I know that love is the strongest tool and the only way. But in real love there can be no demands. My needs must be nothing – and I have to be in a zero silence within. The time had come for priorities. My animals at home – or him. My animals in Norway had been with me long enough to know that I loved them – and they were safe enough to enjoy staying with someone else for some time. 

He needed me more right now. I made up my mind: when I go home, I will arrange for someone to stay in my house and I will come back to you and stay with you till your journey starts. I will be with you, follow you and explain to you everything that will happen. So you can feel safe. When I said this, something inside of him relaxed. 

A week after I returned to Norway, everything was set. Elke Schöniger, who have studied with me and communicates with animals, will stay over the winter with her cat Bapo and her dog Niak. Elke is familiar with my house and the animals living here. And she is in an education called T-Touch, learning to treat animals with physical and psychical problem. The luckiest solution ever! My animals will go into a period of luxury while I am gone. Everything happens at the right time – and the parts of the puzzle are falling into place. 

Victory now talks to me from Egypt: I am so happy! You are coming back! I am going to be happy with you again. The woman who are taking care of me here, says to me: don`t be afraid. But I am. I am afraid I will not be good enough for you. But I am extremely impatient to die from my old life… 

The last time in Egypt

Again, and now for the last time, I travel to Egypt. It is March 2nd 2004 and the purpose is to take Victory to Norway. He insists that he is finished with Egypt. he has accomplished what he should do here, and learnt what he should learn. Now he is ready to go to another country to develop further. "I have to go to a country where I can run free on green grass", he says. "I have never been free. Never felt freedom. My whish is to feel freedom. And I want to work. I want to give something back".

Almost every day we are riding by the Red Sea. Victory is afraid of the water to begin with. But when I finally can talk him into trying, he is joyful and happy when he feels the heavenly blue water caress his legs. Abdu Skander from Yalla Stable is with me. He is one of the good friends we have made at Yalla. Sometimes Abdu is singing and teaching me the text of the popular song "Ana aish mosh”. We are galloping in the desert, singing loudly and feel the joy of living to the full. Victory loves these long gallops!

When the day of leaving is upon us, everybody at Yalla is sad. Abdu, who never had a problem of letting any horse go before, is almost crying. "I will miss this horse - he has become very special to me", he says.

Also for Allessandra this is a very difficult moment. She has been riding him almost every day for months. Only the two of them in the desert, running wildly. But when I ask Victory about how it will be to leave her, he answers me: "She has been a good friend to me. But  I have taught her all that I can teach her. Now she is able to take good care of herself". Alessandra tells me that he has taught her a lot about her own feelings. Still it hurts to say goodbye.

Faraq who works at Yalla, has waited to go for his holiday for 5 days. He will accompany Victory on the drive to Cairo. Faraq will be sitting in the back of the truck with Victory, until he is surtain the horse is safe. The driver, whose name is Fathe, have been driving from Cairo early in the morning. He will just have a rest and some tea, and then they will be on their way. But faith is changing the plans...

Victory genters the truck easily. Before they can go outside the city borders, Dolly and I have to go to the Security office to get documets to accompany the transport. The driver needs a permission to take the horse with him, and we have to confirm this allowance. After some to and from, they are ready to go. An hour later I am told that they were stopped at the first control-post. They are not allowed to go with such a big car during the night.  Victory has to stay one more night. Early by sunrise they are on their way. During the night I enter the bus to Cairo accompanied by my sisters father in law, whom I call Baba. We arrive at 8 am, and Victory arrives the stable at 2 pm.

 The stable ”Stallion” in Ahmed Orabi, Cairo

When I arrive at Mohamed Khalifa`s stable in Ahmed Orabi Victory is there in a box waiting. he is hungry, thursty and tired. he has small injuries on his hind legs from the transport and needs to have antibiotics and cream to treat his wounds. veterinarian and specialist on equine epidemiology, dr. Ashraf al Kalla meets Baba and Taher who is our neighbour in el Obour. Victory is being examined and haves his treatment, and can finally eat and drink. The first part of our long journey is over.

Mohamed Khalifa and I feel like old friends. He has been a professional horse jumper, and now he is teaching others to do jumping competitions. he impresses me with his enthusiasm and his skills. He has really proven that it is possible to create something big from his challenging start 12 years back - with only two horses. He is also very interested in communicating with animals, and we make an appointment that I will return and teach. May be there will be one or more seminars in Cairo late autumn 2004.

Also here we make many new friends, both horses and humans. Victory is being trained by Magdi, who is the "one" at the stable who are called for whenever there is a "difficult" horse to attend to. He feels that Victory is easy to handle. A stallion playful and wild, but they should be like this. Horses with a temperament is great, says stable owner Mohamed. Slowly it occurs to me how little knowledge I have...

Dr. Ashraf asks me to teach his daughters and his wife, who is also a veterinarian. To me this is a completely new experience. In Norway people are so skeptical and need many "proofs" to believe that they have a talent. Here in Egypt they have the confidence and trust to do it "just like that". During a short afternoon all the three of them have proven that they have great talent in communicating with animals.  

Out of Egypt

All the examinations are over, all the documents are ready and we can start the journey for Norway. Victory is impatient to go, but at the same time it is again difficult to say goodbye to his friends. At midnight April 28th the car arrives and he is off to the airport. We spends the whole night there just waiting. It is chilly, the air is humid and we are cold and uncomfortable. Luckily the boys have given us some "bersim" (clove) and Victory spends time during the night eating. Two other horses are also going with the same aircraft. The healer horse Mona is accompanied by her owner Hans from Germany. Mona is going to Hans` wife who are waiting for her in Germany. Hans tells me that they arrived 3 years earlier and his wife was very ill. After some time they discovered that the horse Mona was helping her to recover. The love they exchanged was so great that it became impossible to leave Mona in Egypt.

No camera in the airport….

Victory behaves quite "inappropriate" at the airport. He runs off and jumps on both Mona and the big Sudanese horse. Caos is upon us for a while. Finally the container arrives, and the horses are loaded. It pleases me to find the container to be open, and that the 3 horses will stay quite close to eachother, supporting one another during the travel. The Sudanese, who are huge, are being placed in the middle. But Victory is really scared when he is tied to the box. I am there for him for a long time, sending him all my love and comforting him. Making smalltalk - telling him all about the journey once more. He will be accompanied by Ashrafs best groom. In Belgium Francine from European Horse Services will meet him and take care of him at their stables for two days. Then he will be picked up by  Potijk horse transport to go toHolland. he will stay there 4 days, and then the hourney for Sweden will take two days. In Sweden my friend and horse trainer Dennis Holmberg will meet him and take him over the border to Sørkedalen near Oslo in Norway. ”You knowDennis”, I tell hime has been speaking to you many times from Norway”. Victory relaxes and becomes like a small trusting boy. I tell him that I will go from Cairo to Norway the next day, and I will wait for him there.

When he arrives Ostende ni Belgium, he has turned in the container. He tells me ”Suddenly there was a bang and some cargo changed place.When it was moving under my feet, I became very scared. I did not know before that I was afraid of flying, but now I know"...

The journey to Norway

Thursday April 29th in the evening Francine calls me to let me know that Victory arrived safely, except for turning in the container. He is being examined by a veterinarian, and they are making Euro-pass documents for him. The following day he is moved to Holland, where he is resting until Tuesday. The journey by car to Sweden is no problem, but comments about his wildness and making a lot of noice is rumoring during his travel. Wednesday May 5th he meets Dennis for the first time. Then he changes drastically, he follows Dennis like a dog. Dennis sends me an sms-message. It is very short. ”This is a very wise horse”. 

Like magic the transport from Oslo to Trondheim is arranged. My friend Eva Høegh is a trot- and gallop-trainer, and she often travels the 500 km distance. ”Accidentally” she is going to Oslo the same day as Victory arrives there. And she is going back to Trondheim two days later. She can take Victory with her.

Finally there
The world turns upside down in many ways. friday May 7th my father dies. This same day Victory arrives. He is tired but content. "I made it. I have passed the border, and I have arrived into the country that I longed for. I will be here with you for a while. To teach you all that I can. And then I will move on to my destination", he tells me. He has told me this before. That he only will stay for a while. That we shall develope the love we have for each other, and then we shall let go".

Days are passing and he is resting. He is walking on the green grass. he is standing in the stable door just looking. And looking. "The light is all over, I want to stay here and look - and look again - and think and rest. I want to think about what I left behind, and I want the old things to die inside of me. It has to die in my soul. The feelings that is about being treated as a low, unknowing being, and the memories of being beaten. I need to learn to trust people again, and I will make it happen. But it will take time. Be patient with me. Give me time to ajust, and to believe that I really matter. Because I am a soul with great meening".

I wish Good Luck to you Victory! And I wish  Good Luck to myself as well. Hoping that I will be open to receive what you want to give to me. And may you experience many good days here with me, slowly letting go of the memories that killed your trust of the good in mankind.

And may I learn fast, so that you can arrive to the place where you want to stay. With people who will love you and cherish your strength, your pride and your trust in the world.

Victory in Norway

He rested for a long time. His new stable was open day and night and he could go in and out as he pleased. He was watching and watching. He looked at the trees and the grass like he never wanted to do anything else or long for something more. Him and me went through many phases in our relationship, and he always prepared me to each new phase.

During the first period his eyes were full of suspicion when studying people coming to visit.  He challenged and tested us all. There were situations that clearly could be defined as dangerous, and I had to pass through my own fear and helplessness. I knew so little about the physical language of the horses. How I should express myself through body language. Luckily I had friends carrying a lot of knowledge who came to rescue. Dennis Holmberg, who picked up and transported Victory from Sweden to Oslo, Norway Sverige. He has worked with horses for more than 50 years, and he came to visit and instructed me through my first steps in caring for Victory on my own.  My good friend and neighbour Ola Risstad, came to help and Eva Høegh, who transported Victory from Oslo to his new home, showed me that even if your body are tiny, you can manage to handle a mistreated stallion with your inner strength. Einar Hagen and Elisabeth Foss Tjelle walked with us so many times in any kind of weather, and slowly my self confidence increased. I could become more than the person who were close to him in spirit and mind. Slowly his eyes came to life. He changed from someone who would challenge you and attack you when he felt threatened, to a horse with velvety eyes. He became like a foal again - like his life had a completely new start. He had made it to "the other side" - he had transferred himself from violence, mistreatment and to a life in dignity.

Horse friends

In September 2004 Mirox - the arab gelding - came. He stayed for 3 weeks, and we learned a lot from his visit. Victory was proud having a companion, but strangely not sad when Mirox left. I asked him why, and he answered: "It is perfectly OK. I am used to being alone - and by the way - he was not a real horse." (probably referring to Mirox as not being a stallion...)

In May 2005 Toledo came. He is a 17 year old Danish warmblood gelding, and a former professional jumper and dressage horse.  Toledo had a leg injury and needed a long vacation. He said that he very well could handle Victory, becaused he thought him to just a youngster. They are the best of friends and co-operates perfectly in sharing their big box and the outdoor areas. Toledo was known to be "a horse that warns you not to get too close, and many people had to jump out of his way not to get hurt. After he came to live here, he has been such a gentleman - the way he really is. Now his conditions and surroundings are like he prefer them to be, and he is my joy and partner in raising Victory. One day when Victory were teasing me a bit too much, Toledo turned around and said in a sharp tone: "One does not treat a Lady in such a manner!" I wished I had a video camera to catch the look on Victory`s face ... he looked like a small boy caught in doing something bad.... I was happy though - I had just got myself an allied...

The first winter
I had been incredibly worried about how Victory would adept to the Norwegian climate - and what if the winter would be icy cold? And it did... Days and days of icy cold winds and snowstorms that never ended was what we were facing. Many nights I got out of bed and went to see him in his open stable, but inside was a quiet oasis. I just closed the door 4-5 times during the whole winter, when the wind was easterly blowing right into his stable. Twice I put his blanket onto him. The first time he took it neetly off. The second time he tore it to pieces. And he loved the snow! He rolled and jumped with snow all over him. What a strange and yet beautiful sight to watch from a horse used to the heat of Egypt.

Life and Play
During the winter he invited me to play. We could play in so many ways, he said. "I can teach you how to be clear about your borders, and you can play this. You can play yourself strong and confident. You can play the fear from your own childhood out of your mind and body, even out of your unconscious mind. You can heal yourself by confronting my strength, and see that what used to be extremely dangerous to you, will not be so anymore. Because I will force you to act . You will no longer be the "frozen child" and when you are melting, I am melting too. By healing yourself, you will heal me from the many wounds that I carry from many lives of humiliation." I could remember what Victory told me and my students during those first days in Norway: "I can see your future - and it is painfully leading towards becoming unvulnerable"....

I had been warned by so many people: "You must never play with a stallion. It is very dangerous." For a long time I had been feeling this fear coming from other peoples minds. How could I believe differently, I who had no experience at all except from talking to a lot of horses? But one day - it was TIME - and Victory said to me: "Come - I will show you how to play without it being dangerous for you. I felt myself at the edge of life itself when he was dancing around me, standing on his hind legs - running from me jumping. he ran towards me, but stopped at the very moment I asked him to do so. He eagerly looked at me and said: "Look - I am perfectly willing to serve you. It is not dangerous to play when you trust yourself. Play with me at a distance. Teach me how to demand from you the trust needed from you towards me. teach yourself to trust me, but mostly to trust yourself. When you trust yourself, you will know that it is not dangerous. Because you can create the distance and the trust in the same time." So I let him lead me. I continued to believe that I was protected, and that this was a "Holy Play". I held on to the thought that everything that happens is well planned and syncronic from this very thought: "I am strong enough to endure the moments. And through these moments I will become strongers. I had accepted the Holy Task. I knew that you will become unvulnerable by going through the storms and the fears, and that by doing so I would set myself free and embrace life. Victory had told me: God asked me to help Him with you. And after the first year I have finally thanked God for sending me Victory.

The magic of Play
Many times we played the snowball wars. The first time he instructed me, while I was "on the edge of fear". "Trhow at my head" - and when I threw he would jump wildly and make small sounds. Then he said: "Now throw at my bottom" and "throw at me while I run". Slowly my tension would pass and I was laughing my heart out. Through the play the barriers from violence of the past would melt away. The play was extremely funny when he would hide behind a tree and and all of a sudden jump forward and run while I tried to hit him with the snow. He always stayed at a distance, and I could be completely free with no thought that he might come to close.

Victory has friends all over the world! From people in New Zealand he received a beautiful hand made bridle brought to Norway by Synnøve Bakke.

The winter of 2006 and the year of 2007
Victory enjoyed being alone again. He has all the space to himself and did not need to care for anyone else but himself and me. But as time went by he felt the loneliness. It had been good to be alone, and good to be with someone from his own species. We were going along well, but something was missing: the good leadership. I had been attending as a student of Klaus Ferdinand Hempfling for a year, and learnt a lot about body language and inner strength. Knowledge that it takes years to develope. Still I did not trust myself completely. It took time to make the knowledge a part of my whole self.

Being as sensitive as I am is not always a good thing. I can feel how the animal feels inside, and in a split secong I have to disregard it to be able to be there for the animal and myself. Over and over again I had had to meet the fears of Victory and me. Sometimes I got trapped in it - and both of us were loosing.

During a short period in the autumn challenges were given to me that claimed 100% trust and that slowly established the fundament of leadership. He asked me to find him a mare. Ok, I thought - that will for sure give me some challenge. So we tried a mare, and quite quickly we could see that this was not the right angel of approach as yet. Except for the fact that for two days I had to show Victory that I was the one in charge, - and it took a lot of effort.... He had not yet given me the accept of me as the leader.  So the descicion was clear: I had to establish the leadership now! I told him: "Many times you have said to me that you have reached Paradise. Well, that is true - and .... in Paradise there is a boss, and that is me." He loooooked at me. He was not to decide? "The time has come to let go of your past completely and to accept  the here and now and whatever is to come. It means that you have to accept that you are safe." I let him think about it for a few days. I could understand that this would be difficult for him. And it also was difficult for me. Always being alert makes you tired. Living with a horse so damaged by human beings is quite challenging and demanding. I felt that at this point I needed help.

One of the persons who had met Victory during his time in Norway was the horse trainer Ole Johansen. So I called him, and he adviced me to contact Bente Fremo. Together the two of us work on establishing what I had started: the full leadership. Training Victory now went into a stage of no compromise -  and it led to accept, calmness and trust. And then came Kantir.

The plan had been a gelding. But the day before the owner was to bring the gelding, he called me and asked me to take the stallion Kantir instead. Strange - when I had been there to meet the horses, the gelding walked away from me and the stallion followed me. I had asked him if he was the one to come and stay with us over the winter. I understood that by the owner asking me to take the stallion, faith asked me to do so. I let it happen.

The first meeting was fabolous! Half an hour after Kantir came, we let the two horses meet up close. The "fighting" started right away, and Victory was bruised and bitten, and his body was "stiff" for a few days. For me it was so good to see how gentle Victory was to Kantir. Now reaching the end of November, I watch them play and fight every day. Victory enjoys life in the company of someone equal to him. And my job has become a lot easier!

Victory og Kantir became friends and playmates quite fast. Two stallions and a human lady is the perfect life for the time being. Victory is so proud - and so easy for me to handle. He told Kantir that I was their boss, and Kantir follows me like nothing.

Victory`s purpose

I know that all animals has their own purpose on earth (just like humans), and I asked Victory what his purpose is. He answeres me: I will show the world that it is possible to help one. If many people can see that it is possible to help one, they will long to help just one themselves. And then many animals can get the help they need. And many hearts will be opened. 

Become a guardian angel for Victory

Will you become his guardian angel? Even if he now has arrived in Norway, he still needs support to arrive to his final destination. By supporting him with a small amount of money each month, perhaps $5, you can help him travel to where he wants to go. You decide yourself how much and how you want to pay. A monthly amount or one sum a year. Join in the Guardian Angel Group to help Victory to a better life! Go to School Funding for information about money transfer.  

The School Funding

 In Egypt the suffering among animals are tremendous. All over you can see skinny horses and donkeys with open wounds. Fundings will be used to start a school in Egypt. In this school teachings will be given in caring for horses and donkeys, how to ride them and how to talk to them. In time this will contribute to how they are treated and increase the respect and understanding of animals.

Do you wish to contribute?

Whatever you want to give, whether it is equipment that you no longer use or money, it will be highly appreciated. If you want to donate money, use account no 4243.07.01236 in Sparebank 1 Midt Norge, (Swift code SPTRNO22), 7467 Trondheim , Norway.

Any thoughts you want to share?

Go to our Guestbook and let us share your thoughts. May be you want to give us some useful information? Or maybe you only want to say something about how this story touched you??  

Be with us in the process!

We will have pictures taken on a regular basis. Follow the process here on the internet, and see for yourself how Victory is doing. Go to Pictures