For most people, having a large pet means owning a very big dog. Jerome Sedelmeyer thinks bigger: He has a horse. Actually, four of them.
While living on 23 acres with a house and a barn helps, Sedelmeyer, regional sales manager for The Pinnacle Corp., and his wife of 32 years, Joanne, found that sharing space with such majestic animals offers a simple, grounded perspective they can’t live without.
Though he travels constantly for the Arlington, Texas-based software-solutions provider, he returns to his home in Semora, N.C., northwest of Durham, N.C., to a solace that he says is more his style.
Q: Can you tell us about your horses?
A: We have Sierra, who’s a 14-year-old Appaloosa. Sarah, 28, is a palomino quarter-horse; Luna, 11, is an Andalusian Percheron mix; and Cindy, 25, is a Belgian draft horse. Her feet are the size of dinner plates. She’s a huge animal with a sweet disposition and a desire to please.
Q: Sounds like your horses have distinct personalities.
A: Five years ago, we adopted a natural horsemanship training process. Horses have can be left or right brain, introverts or extroverts. We mapped their behavior. All of ours tend to be left-brain introverts, with a little right brain.
Q: What does that mean?
A: They’re thinkers. When you engage them, you have to make it interesting or they get bored. They make great trail horses because they love to go through woods and cross streams. It’s fun for them.
Q: You talked about their ages. How long do horses typically live?
A: We had a gelding, Opie, who died two years ago. He was 37. They live to 25 to late 30s.
Q: How did your interest in horses begin?
A: Out of my love for Joanne and to share a slice of her life. She’s terribly passionate; I am too. They’re beautiful animals that would normally view us as predators. Over time, we’ve become best friends.
Q: What has owning horses taught you?
A: They’re a big responsibility. You feel the weight of it. I once had to assist in a tracheotomy. It’s also humbling. When you’re mucking or cleaning the stalls, you get a strong sense of humility. I’ve also learned patience. I’m not a naturally patient man, but with left-brain, introverted horses, you have to give them suggestions. Then you wait several minutes for it to go for food or put its foot on a stump.
Q: How did you find yourself where you are today?
A: I had several jobs with hospitality before petroleum and back-office automation. I met my wife by sheer chance because we both had flight delays to Washington, D.C. When we boarded, she came up to me and said I was sitting in her seat. Two weeks later, we were engaged. Now we have two grown sons and a stable life, literally.
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