Me and Thelma had one thing in common. We both loved to run. Ever since I was little I was running. My mum said that when I was a toddler, I never walked, I ran. My house was 8 miles from the stable, and I would run with my dog through the forrest both ways almost every day. Running made me feel alive and powerful. It was like therapy for me. And the "funny" thing is, that right after Thelma got injured, I got injured as well. I overdid my running, and ran so much that I got chronic inflammation in both my legs. The doctor said I could not run anymore. It was the first heartbreak of my life. 

Thelma was locked away in the stable. All the horses were out in the pastures, but she had to stay put for months. And she hated it. I remember looking in her eyes, and I knew exactly how she felt.  She was boiling over with energy and all she wanted was to run and feel free. She was angry, frustrated and sad. Just like me. In that moment I realised we were the same. We felt the same, and we made a connection I will never forget. I took care of her every day and slowly started to build up strength in her leg. I couldn't ride her, and for the first time I had to get to know a horse from the ground. We developed so much trust and love, and after 1 year we took her back to the vet, and they were shocked because her leg was completely healed. Good as new. 

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We spent an amazing year together. Riding, practicing dressage, going on hikes, working from the ground. I taught her how to rear and gallop and together we were like bees and honey. Perfect match. The only problem was that my deal with my parents didn't quite play out well. I was supposed to lend her to another person two times a week to get some income, but that didn't happen. Every person besides me who tried to ride Thelma, got thrown off. So we didn't get any income. Secondly, her medical recovery had been very expensive, and she had cost a lot more than expected. After 2 years had passed, my parents told me that I had to give her back. I refused. I loved her. I loved her so much I can't imagine being able to love someone more. I started to look for solutions and found a western ranch 2 hours away that needed help. I could bring my own horse, live there for free and get paid in education. I contacted them and got the job. A few days later, Thelma and I were on our way to a new life.

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I was 17 at the time and like I said, I knew I was a good rider. At the western ranch they asked me to ride my horse so they could see my level. I did and felt it went really well. Then they asked me to walk with my horse and show them how I did that. "Are you kidding me? You think I can't walk with a horse?" So I grabbed the lead rope and walked with Thelma in front of them. Their answer was that they could see I was a good rider, but I didn't know anything about horses. And I was not allowed to lead any of their horses without supervision and more training. I was shocked, and hurt. But I swallowed my pride, and after just one session with them showing me how to lead a horse and explain how to use my energy to guide the horse, I was hooked. I realised they were right. I had so much to learn. I knew in that moment that I wanted to become a horse whisperer and a professional horse trainer.

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THE BIGGEST REGRET OF MY LIFE:
I did well at the ranch and learned so much. I spent all day, every day training horses of all kind: problem horses, young horses, got lessons with their horses and of course with my horse Thelma. I loved being there and it changed my life. But, I was only 17. Fall came, and my parents said I had to go back for school. "I needed an education". I wish I was strong enough to not listen. My heart and intuition told me to stay, but my mind told me to listen to my parents. I knew if I went back I would loose Thelma. And still, I went back. It shattered my soul and my heart broke into a thousand pieces. I knew the owners could not keep her so they would give her to someone who would not understand her. I knew that ex trot horses usually ended up in bad situations. Every time I think back, I never understand why I did what I did. How I could fail myself and her so badly. But, maybe if that didn't happen, I wouldn't have turned into the person I am today.

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A year went by and when I turned 18 I moved to Bergen, the city I was born, to live with my aunt. I needed a fresh start. A few days later my friend called me and said she found Thelma online. There was an ad that said that she would be slaughtered unless someone took her because of her crazy behaviour. I called them and soon after Thelma was transported to Bergen. I was really nervous to see her again. I was scared she would not forgive me. How could she. I could never forgive myself.  When she came out of the trailer I didn't recognise her. She was so skinny, with her mane cut off. She didn't even look at me. I took her to a big pasture where she could live in a herd and graze through summer. The moment I took of the halter she ran. I knew it would take time to build up our trust again. But I could feel a piece of my soul return. After being lost for a year, I was finally on the right path again.

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Long story short, Thelma was never the same. Every month she had a new medical issue. I spent all my time, energy and money trying to save her. I had to move from one stable, to a cheaper stable, to a cheaper stable, because the vet bills became too much. I even spent hours each day picking grass with my bare hands, so I could save money buying hay. I felt so guilty and hated myself for failing her. It continued like that for 3 years. Eventually she became so sick that I needed to treat her morning, mid day and evening. It was impossible with the way my life was. I had to be brave and quit school, quit my job and go for what I really wanted. I had to find another ranch where I could live with Thelma so I could take proper care of her and evolve as a horse trainer. I found a western ranch in Denmark that needed help, similar to the other ranch I had worked. And I got the job. We came down there in summer and it was magical. Thelma's main issue at that time was her front legs. They became swollen and she lost all her fur from the knees down. So many vets tried to figure it out, but nobody did. The ranch was close to the beach so I would take her in the ocean every day and let the water heal her. It worked. I was sure she was gonna be okey, but then winter came, and her disease exploded. It was like the cold weather made it 10 times worse. It became so bad, yellow stuff leaked out of wounds that would never heal. Her front legs looked like elephant legs and it started to look like her hooves were detaching. Test results came back and said her entrails were failing and her sickness was auto immune. She could never heal. I had to say goodbye.

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The day after, the vet came to put her to sleep. It was snowing. As the needle went into her neck she fell and her head was in my lap as she passed on. I sat there with her for hours, until it was dark, and I was freezing. I had promised to save her, and I failed. 

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I left the ranch. I didn't want to be around horses. It was too painful. But every evening I would continue to study the methods of Buck Brannaman, Pat Parelli and Stacy Westfall. I read horse books, watched horse movies, studied wild horse documentaries, and did everything I could to prepare myself for doing better next time. After 10 months, November 2013, I finally felt ready to find a new horse. And that is when I found my boy Bonus. He was 2 at the time and he had a spark that filled my heart with hope and love. Together we started our business "Tara Orlin Horsemanship". I started with putting out an ad where I offered free help with anything - problem horses, trailer loading, start green horses, and got called down from people needing help. I worked with new horses every day, and every horse issue I met, I overcame. People started to talk about me and my business was officially alive. 

 

Bonus, my two dogs and I, moved to a ranch in 2015 where I could help out with the owners horses, and let my business flourish. I started to teach clinics, and trained lots of horses for clients at the ranch. For the first time in my life I had a good income. I could buy a stronger car, a horse trailer, even a second horse, Jack.  Each day I felt more and more like myself again, and more and more pieces of my soul came back. I was finally ready to forgive myself for failing Thelma and myself. I wanted to make up for it by helping as many horses as I could. 

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July 2017 one of my biggest dreams came true. I had saved enough money to go to America to meet Buck Brannaman and study wild horses. It was amazing. Life changing. All my life I have felt connected to the wild west, native Americans and the spirit of wild horses. I felt more alive there then I had felt anywhere else. For the first time in my life, I felt like I was truly home. When I came back to Norway, it felt so small. I felt like I couldn't stay there anymore, not after what I felt in America. I lived on a beautiful ranch, I worked with horses and lived a life most people can only dream of, and my business was going so well. But still, my intuition told me to go. I wanted to move to America, but I would never leave my horses behind. Not again, not ever. And I did not have enough money to fly them overseas. I let my intuition guide me in my search. I hated snow and winter, so I wanted to go somewhere warm, a place I could drive to, with my horses. So I started with countries that had warm winters, like Spain. Northern Spain could have snow, so, south of Spain, almost Africa. I researched and found out that Jerez is the horse capital of Spain. It felt right. At that time there was a show on Norwegian television about a horse trainer in Jerez called Alfonso. He had a vibe, and I immediately felt a connection. I sent him an email, told him about me, and asked if I could bring my horses and learn the Spanish art of riding Doma Vaquera, with him as my educator. I told him I only rode bitless, and hoped we would still be willing to educate me. He said yes.

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So, I packed my things, loaded Bonus and Jack in the trailer, made a cozy bed for my dog in the car, and off we went on the most spectacular adventure. I stayed in Spain for almost 3 years, travelling back and forth to Norway to teach clinics in the weekends. I loved living there and I loved training with Alfonso. It was like living in paradise. I couldn't belive the life I was living. I learned so much and evolved so much as a rider. I wanted to stay there forever. But, as you know, the world faced a huge problem in 2020, Covid. Countries went into lockdown, police were patrolling the streets, and I began to freak out. Not because I was scared of Corona, but because I could not travel back to Norway to teach clinics and keep my business alive. 

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So, I had to move again. I drove back, with Bonus, Jack, and my four new horses: Dakota, Khaleesi, Sunshine and Poderosa, and my dog Luna and my new wolfdog Rebel. I sold Sunshine to a friend, found an old farm at Flisa that my family helped me to buy, and started to build my new ranch. I was pregnant when I arrived to Flisa (another long story) and had my son Khan in March 2021. 3 months later, my ranch was ready to welcome horses in training and I tried to teach clinics as often as I could. 

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And that brings us up to date! I am currently living on my ranch in Flisa, with my son, my four horses and two dogs. I built an indoor arena in May, and I am improving the ranch as time goes by. After being pregnant and building up my ranch, and becoming a mum, all my horses are now 100% back in training and I am back to working full time with horses.

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There is so much more to tell about my journey, but this is some of the main things that have made me into who I am today. My goal is still the same, help as many horses as I can and become the best horse trainer I can be. I have had a lot of struggles and hard times, but one of my biggest strengths is that I keep on going. I don't give up. I am on a mission and I am planning on succeeding. I want Thelma- and all my horses to be proud.