Louie has decided to do his own thing. The young horse breaks free from the herd and gallops down the beach, bucking and kicking. Rather than make chase, staff watch him, laughing at the one-year-old’s energy and exuberance, before he happily trots back to his herd. Because that’s how horses act here at Nihi Sumba – they’re encouraged to follow their natural instincts and act wild and free.
It’s a striking change from how we usually see domesticated horses. Training or “breaking” horses tends to involve metal bits in the animals’ mouths, necks pulled into unforgettable-looking “outlines”, and the use of whips and spurs as aids.
A spotlight was recently shone on the way humans interact with horses when British dressage rider Charlotte Dujardin was suspended from the 2024 Paris Olympics after a video emerged of her repeatedly whipping a horse’s legs during a coaching session. There have also been increasing concerns over horse racing, with the excessive use of whips coming under scrutiny, and concerns raised about the number of animal deaths – three horses died in just one day at Cheltenham last November. It seems that the equestrian world may be facing something of a reckoning.
But at Nihi Sumba horses are viewed differently. They are used for beach and trail rides, as well as swimming with guests, but the focus is on encouraging horses to follow their natural instincts rather than being forced through fear or violence.
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Louie’s antics occur during the running of the horses on Nihi Sumba’s beach when the herd gallops from their yard at Sandalwood Stables, along the shoreline, to graze in the fields overlooking the beach.
Situated “on the edge of wilderness” on the idyllic island of Sumba in Indonesia, a short flight from Bali, Nihi is one of the most admired hotels in the world thanks to its exquisite combination of simplicity and luxury. At the soul of Nihi Sumba is its horses – everything that the hotel stands for is embodied in these animals: a sense of spirituality, rugged beauty and connection with nature. The spectacle of a herd of horses galloping along the white sands has,…
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