A bond of trust has existed between man and horse since time immemorial. For centuries, the basis of that bond of trust was formed by work in agriculture or transport. In recent history, this relationship has mainly been expressed in equestrian sports, for example on the trotting track in the Groningen City Park.
For decades this was the area where the bond between man and horse grew in a way that was both special and intense.
For a long time it was thought that animals have no emotions. Marten Fokkema knows better. In 1972 he had been a loyal visitor to trotting races for 45 years. He talks to horses, can read in their eyes whether they feel lonely. More than just a fly swatter, Fokkema interprets a raised tail as a sign of excitement.
In the photo he demonstrates that humans and horses can also express a close bond through their body language. That is not the way we, lingual people, do it, but with a sugar cube in his mouth, Fokkema manages to express himself in a language that the horse understands.
The Groningen Archives select a photo from the press photo collection every week and write about the story behind it. Do you have any questions or remarks? Email to [email protected].