TY - JOUR AU - Hofstetter, Angela PY - 2023/03/28 Y2 - 2024/03/28 TI - The Pursuit of Virtù JF - Humanimalia JA - humanimalia VL - 13 IS - 2 SE - Articles DO - 10.52537/humanimalia.13275 UR - https://humanimalia.org/article/view/13275 SP - 31–45 AB - <p>The Pursuit of Virtù is a personal narrative revisiting a pivotal riding lesson that unlocked the uglier side of the adage that the horse is a mirror to your soul. The beating heart of the essay reflects on how a rider’s trauma can manifest in the body of the horse as well as how classical dressage—the pursuit of courage and collection—can provide a map to return to a harmonious state of balance that is as much mental as physical. Mostly, it is a prayer asking forgiveness from all horses who have had to carry the unbearable burden of human hearts and minds heavier than their bodies could ever be.</p> ER -