"But my quest may be for a mythical horse which no longer exists." - Carl Raswan from his book, Drinkers of the Wind
To understand Raswan better, untainted by another's opinion of him, you need to go deep within his writings. I believe that's where you will find the real Raswan, a very human and fragile Raswan who made mistakes, frustrated and angered people, changed his mind over and over and over. You will also discover the driving passion Raswan had for the Arabian horse and slowly, develop an awareness for how his passion influenced his work and therefore, his message, to improve the overall understanding for the breed and increase admiration for all of the horse's special qualities, as bred by the Bedouin people.
***In 1910, Carl Raswan picked up a copy of A Pilgrimage to Nejd and became inspired by the Blunt's story. One can say that this particular book set the course of Raswan's life. Will this be the summer when you find that one book that will change your Arabian horse life forever? Happy Summer! Happy Reading!***
I understand your quest Ralph. I think to get closer to finding Carl Raswan you must first start by looking in the mirror. I think you share with Raswan a long life of passion for the Arabian horse that was first ignited by the horse itself. In our fueled curiosity we discover people like Carl Raswan whose writings became a catalyst for our own journeys.
ReplyDeleteHaving seen some of Raswan's private correspondence I came to realize that it is not so much about the messenger as it is about the message. His passion for the Arabian horse included its message, its gift to mankind, and it seems that is what he most wanted people to remember in their journey. So he, like you and me, and many others have been given journeys created by the Arabian horse and I think ultimately the one messenger to celebrate is the horse itself. And like Carl Raswan, you have done a magnificent job of it.
Beautifully said, Joe! You and Ralph are the torch carriers for the Arabian breed along with so many others and you all have kept the flame alive and well.
ReplyDeleteWell put Ralph! So True, you hit the nail on the head. "In that moment" and to recall the time frame within which he lived. The hardships he and the horses endured. When I started into breeding Straight Egyptian Arabians is when I first heard of Raswan. I have enjoyed and been totally drawn in by his work.
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