Aw, that's a bummer. I took riding lessons for a short time, and most of it was mechanics (foot goes here? horse gets poked in ribs; use with consideration) but there was plenty of How To Speak Horse in there as well.

They do have a unique smell, and it's comforting.

>> Just not the school of riding them that treats horses like machines?

Yyyyyeah. They aren't, and treating them as replaceable and unimportant is lousy and can be dangerous.

I'm glad you got your wish at least a little bit. :D