About-Rena.html

Rena at work: self-portrait
working with a colt, his sister follwing us around

My horse, Sony, and Buck Brannaman, taught me about positive reinforcement, focus, and respect. I now work with horses, and people who want to learn about horses.
In a former life, I rode horses in the Romanian army, and in Germany. I have a few diplomas to hang on the tackroom wall, a couple of graduate degrees: Physics from Hamburg University in Germany; Science Writing from University of California, Santa Cruz. My full name is Dipl. Phys. Irinel Petrescu. Say: Pet-Rescue. My last name proved profetic: I do rescue dogs, horses, and other critters.

When Buck hugged Bif...

...I knew it was going to be a great picture. We were at Rising Creek Ranch in 1993, and I can hear Buck's voice, as he was telling us we don't hug and pet our horses often enough. We quite likely practiced all day to get horses softly yielding out of our space, but this was the time to love them.
My photo was selected for the cover of The Faraway Horses. It's a moving personal story, writen in his unmistakeable clear, flowing, style.

A city girl who 'd rather live in the country:

this was me cozying up to Transylvanian water buffaloes during summer break. At that time, there was no private property in Romania, and villagers had to make do: these are milk-buffalo-cows hitched to the heavy wooden wagon. Most could not afford horses nor oxen, so two neighbors would each hitch their alloted single milk-cow to pull or plow.

Riding in the cavalry:

As a junior, I competed in eventing, dressage and jumping. I was taught classic horsemanship by army officers. They emphasized basics without gimmicks, and we had to obey. For instance, developing an independent seat was required before a 10-year old rider would graduate off longe work, and was awarded the use of reins and stirrups. Click here to read more about: Vaulting in boot camp