Portrait of Aletia Reilingh

Where does your great enthusiasm and love of horses come from, Mrs Reilingh?

I was completely mad about horses even as a child. My first soft toy was a unicorn, which probably had an impact on me. When I was six years old, my parents bought a farm - I was so lucky, had so many opportunities and so much freedom. When I was twelve, I started earning my first money and mucked out stables. During this time, my parents bought me a two-year-old pony at an auction - a horse that had been rescued from misery. His name was Strawberry Cloud and I learnt so much from him for my life. I was allowed to put him in a stable, the deal was: muck out in exchange for hay. Strawberry Cloud was with me until I was 36 years old.

And then you decided to become a farrier?

No, at first my dream was to study veterinary medicine. My grandad was my great supporter - he boosted my self-confidence. When I was 16 years old, he gave me 10,000 dollars - actually intended for my studies. But everything turned out differently: at the time, one of my friends was in love with an Englishman and moved to the UK to live with him. I went with her and attended a boarding school for riding there - that's a special school for professional training in the horse sector. I also had the chance to learn from well-known dressage trainers. After a year and a half, I went back to Canada, learnt the trade of farrier and completed a Bachelor's degree in Agricultural Science at the University of Guelph. Together with Canadian businesswoman Sue O'Meara, we set up our Leatherstone Equestrian Centre for 25 horses, where I trained dressage horses up to advanced level until 2014.

What do you particularly like about Münsterland - and how do you experience the region as a horse country?

We live here in Borken-Marbeck in the idyllic countryside and yet we are international, especially when it comes to equestrian sport and horse breeding: we are quickly in the Netherlands or Belgium, which are also important horse countries. And the big cities such as Düsseldorf or the Ruhr region in general are easy to reach. For me, Münsterland itself is one big horse country - I've lived in many countries, but I've hardly ever seen anything about horses and equestrian sport in the daily papers. It's also crazy because there's at least one event with horses here every weekend. And that there is so much on offer at the same time: for example at the horse centre in Münster: stallion licensing, foal and mare shows and 1000 people come every time - in Canada there are about 20 spectators because it's so special. Horses are a real part of the culture here - comparable to shooting festivals.

How was your start in Münsterland?

I didn't find it that easy to get into the regional equestrian community as a farrier. All my certificates had to be translated and submitted so that I could also be authorised as a state-certified farrier in Germany. But thanks to my great job, I get around a lot and get to know a lot of people - and coupled with my good humour, I manage to get people to notice me. Word of mouth works particularly well. I'm mad about horses and want to support them in the best possible way with my work.

What sets you apart from other farriers?

I benefit from my wealth of experience and my open and honest manner, in which the welfare of the horse is my top priority. When you speak many languages, you know many sources and gather knowledge. I am also keen to experiment: there are 1000 ways and more to shoe a horse's hoof. Perhaps I do things differently to other farriers: I offer courses where horse owners learn how to remove a shoe on their own in an emergency, for example.

Farriery is a physically tough profession ...

Oh no! That's always the reaction in Germany. I find it interesting that there is so much scepticism here. In Canada, I've never once heard people say: "Isn't that too strenuous for you?" No! I'm doing the job I want to do! Fortunately, schoolgirls now sometimes come forward to spend their Girls' Day with me on a fitting tour. We need new blood! The right technique is important: I make sure to keep my back straight. I have a magnet on my hammer - it's my extended arm for picking up nails. I also don't hold the horses' hind legs up myself to work on their hooves - there's a special stool from the Netherlands for that. The horses quickly learn to put their hooves on it.

It's just as important to have a good relationship with the horses, isn't it?

Yes, you have to understand them. Sometimes they twitch when you hold their hind leg - then I think about where the horse has a problem. Older horses are a bit stiff, can't hold the hoof up for so long and then I give them breaks in between. The one I've just shod had some pressure on his hoof. I noticed this when he was hesitant to put his hoof down, so I reworked the area a little. When he snorted, I knew he was happy now. I love horses. Horses are just amazing. I see what they do for our souls every day.