Love Illuminated: A Horse, a Rider, and the Glow of the Moon
Kseniia Nikitina might never know how or why the bay gelding with the old soul found his way into her world.
Whether it was fate, fortune, or a touch of both that brought horse and human together is uncertain. What matters most is that they did find each other – and that discovery changed everything for the young woman who moved from Russia to Canada four years ago.
“Every time I come to see him or do a lesson with him, I know it is going to be a great day,” said Nikitina. “I appreciate every day I have with him. That is the feeling we need to give to horses – that they are so loved and appreciated, no matter what. The need to know every minute and every hour we spend with them is important. They deserve to feel they are the best horse and most important thing in the world.”
That is precisely how I Am Resilient, a Thoroughbred whose career spanned 18 races, is regarded by his devoted owner.
Ever since coming to Canada, Nikitina had dreamed of owning a horse and even made plans for it – but for now, it remained just that, a plan.
It was a visit to a southwestern Ontario farm that would change her life in the most unexpected of ways.
“I wasn’t looking to buy a horse,” recalled Nikitina, a longtime show jumper and dressage participant. “A friend of mine asked me to come help her look at horses at a place in Caledon (Ontario) and it was honestly love at first sight. There was a sea of bay horses in the paddock at the property we visited – about seven to nine. I had no idea it was the horse I was going to ride that day.”
The instant connection Nikitina felt grew exponentially when she sat in the saddle of the handsome 6-year-old son of Pool Play out of the Silver Train mare Mourna, whose lone racing win came courtesy of a head score, over six furlongs on the Woodbine main track, on September 22, 2023.
His final start came on June 24, 2023, when he finished sixth at 1 1/16 miles, also at Woodbine.
“It is so rare to meet a horse who has so much curiosity and with such a kind heart,” said Nikitina. “He was open to anything I was doing around him, about him – when I rode him, he was really trying to reach and commit to making sure he was doing a great job. I just felt like he was a kind soul.”
Others noticed the bond between Nikitina and I Am Resilient that day.
One particular conversation led to an offer.
“I’m usually very cautious around the horses I don’t know. But I just felt so comfortable around him and that feeling just continued every moment I was around him. The owner, who had him at the time, came up to me after I was done riding, and told me if I really liked him, I could buy him.”
It was something Nikitina would have to sleep on.
Falling asleep, however, was not an easy feat.
“It took me just a night to realize what was going to happen. I couldn’t close my eyes. Pretty much the next morning, I called and said that I wanted to buy him. I just realized he was the horse for me. I didn’t quite believe in the soulmate kind of thing, but I did now. It just felt so right, and I knew I couldn’t miss out on this horse and this opportunity.
“The night before I went to see him, I had no thought of being a horse owner in my wildest dreams.”
Two days later, the once unimaginable had become a reality.
Nikitina made it official last April 1 – she was now a horse owner.
That I Am Resilient’s racing career was modest – one win, two seconds, and $40,248 in purse earnings – was irrelevant to her.
The horse, bred in Ontario by Dr. Paul O’Brien and John Carey, was every bit a champion in her eyes.
“I definitely felt he understood me from the moment we met. I also felt like whatever the initial bond was that it would continue to grow. I think the owner saw that connection and knew it would be a lovely match.”
And it has been.
“Having a horse is such a magical time. I wanted to make sure everything was right for him. My priority was to find out what would make him happy. If show jumping, dressage or anything in that realm was not suitable for him, my goal would be to figure out what he is about and what he really likes.
“But he has turned out to be a lovely jumper, very brave and willing. I took him for his first jumping competition about a week ago and he was just the bravest, kindest soul. He was so relaxed when he headed home. We are also going to try cross-country.”
It has given Nikitina, an Equestrian Canada–registered coach, the confidence to pursue a show jumping career with I Am Resilient.
“He is thriving in that field so far, showing initiative and his commitment being prioritized – we will try our best to get into competitive show jumping. It’s a privilege to be able to lead him to a new career after racing. I would love him to be recognized as a show jumper in Canada. You never know if one day it will lead us to bigger international events, but we will be working hard to make those dreams come true.”
Whatever the path ahead, Nikitina will be by his side to guide him along the way.
“I want him to choose his direction, but I want him to know that I can help him find whatever that is. I feel wherever we end up, no matter the ups and downs, we will always get to the right place together. I know I can be there for him every step of the way. I know that he is there for me too and he knows what is going on in my life.”
Something that is reaffirmed each time they see one another.
On a recent visit to where I Am Resilient now calls home, an equestrian barn in Mount Albert, Ontario, Nikitina experienced an unanticipated, yet treasured moment with her horse.
“It was the vet’s day, so I wasn’t expecting him to gallop towards me or start nickering. When I come up to him, he stands there and that connection we have is within that moment. On this day, he was lying down, taking a deep nap and he allowed me to sit with him, pat him, and we took a few moments to enjoy that time. We were late to the lesson, but that was okay. He never had a thought of standing up, he just wanted to fall asleep again. It was just a wonderful thing.”
Every ride reminds Nikitina of how far they have come and how far they will go together.
“It is an incredible feeling. It is a reminder of how grateful I am and how absolutely privileged I am to ride him and to be around him. It is mostly being grateful for every moment I am with him. He allows me to be in every part of his world. It is a wonderful feeling to know he feels safe around me. It is sometimes difficult to put into words just how much he means to me.”
A certain photograph could very well be the perfect depiction of the bond the two share.
Taken by award-winning photographer Clive Cohen, the image shows Nikitina and I Am Resilient silhouetted against a brilliant full moon.
“On the weekend before the full moon, I was taking a walk around the Prima Equestrian property – my wife’s horse is boarded there – so I usually go up with her when she rides and realized that the moon might be rising perfectly over a rolling hill in a few days,” recalled Cohen.
“The funny thing is that I’m always looking for nice, rolling hills where I can do sunrise or moonrise photos, but there aren’t very many that are facing the correct direction.”
Now all Cohen needed was a horse and rider to capture through the lens should the opportunity arise.
“On the way home from the barn, I was telling my wife about this possible photo idea. I described what kind of photo I was hoping to get and right away she told me that I Am Resilient and Kseniia would be perfect for it.
“She had spoken to Kseniia about her adopted Thoroughbred the previous week and she couldn’t stop going on about how sweet the horse was and how much they loved each other. They seemed like a perfect “couple” to capture in that special moment.”
And they were.
“While shooting, I could see through the lens that they adored each other deeply – they stood perfectly looking at each other as the moon rose behind them,” recalled Cohen.
For Nikitina, the photograph is more than an image – it’s a symbol.
“I was absolutely speechless. It is a picture that reflects the bond we can develop with a horse and a reminder of the beauty you can find in this world. My dream came true having a photo like that – it is truly special. You don’t often find something that can truly capture the feelings you have. And this did.”
It also captures the magic of that first meeting – the moment she saw the horse who would change her life forever.
“When I came to Canada, I knew I would continue my connection with my horses in some way. But I never thought I would own a horse. And I never expected to own a horse like this.”
She smiled.
“I completely fell in love. I’m not sure how we found one another – maybe it is something that was just meant to be.”
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Chris Lomon, Woodbine
Chris Lomon