For about five years during my thirties, I endeavored to have a horse again. Unfortunately, none of my attempts lasted more than a few months.
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Danny and Blitz were going to be my “dream team.” I would train and show them as a way to build my reputation in the horse business and attract more clients for lessons and training.
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My love affair with Sherman began long before I ever rode him. In fact, if you had told me that I would one day ride that exuberant gray Andalusian stallion on a daily basis, I would have told you that it was just a dream of mine! Sherman had spent time traveling with The Royal Lipizzan Show as a solo act and I had seen Barbara ride an exhibition on him at my first horse show four years earlier before I had even met her. He knew all of the Grand Prix dressage maneuvers, as well as fun tricks like cantering-in-place, rearing and bowing.
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Barr could do it all…and then some! From the very first show that my trainer, Barbara, allowed me to ride him in, we were a winning combination. He was a plain-looking quarter horse gelding, a far cry from the fancy Arabians I had been riding, but such a talented athlete.
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She started me off riding Squire, an Arabian stallion, in a dressage saddle. My love affair with dressage and all things fancy began there. Squire was so incredibly sensitive that with the slightest touch or shift of weight he would be moving sideways. I never realized that a horse could respond to such a light touch.
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When I was twelve, I started taking riding lessons. My first riding teacher introduced me to the English saddle on her horse, Khuzabar. I immediately fell in love with riding English and learned to ride over cavalettis and small jumps.
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Since my first two trainers had graciously let me show their horses, I easily became hooked on the horse show world! Now, at thirteen, I was ready for a show horse of my own, who I hoped would also be my forever horse. Lucy-B came to live with me in Montana from Tulsa, Oklahoma. She was a 3 year old gray Arabian who had the most lovely floating trot and such a kind eye. She was perhaps the sweetest horse I had ever met.
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Armed with my 4-H Colt Manual, I set out to train my new filly. I didn’t realize, however, that being a hot-blooded breed, CLI was more on the reactive side of the spectrum. With no tools or knowledge for how to train a reactive horse, I learned to “tip-toe” and “sneak” around very quietly so as not to set her off. I had never heard of desensitization, except for the paragraph in my manual about “sacking out” your colt, which just seemed cruel to me at the time…
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I am a woman who…
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He was a three-year-old, green-broke Morgan/Arabian cross. I absolutely loved him! I’m pretty sure I didn’t take him for a test ride or learn how to handle him. I was eight and we had no experience with horses. To this day, I wonder what my parents were thinking!
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I was getting ready to head to the barn the other day, when I realized that all of my “barn” jeans were in the laundry. Remembering that I had a pair of riding pants, or breeches, I set out to find them. They were tucked away in the back of a dresser drawer, hardly ever worn, heck they looked brand new. As I was about to step into them, I had a thought, “You are not worthy to wear these riding pants. Who do you think you are? What kind of horse woman are you anyway? People are going to think that you are trying to be an equestrian.” Actually, that was quite a few thoughts and they stopped me in my tracks. Whoa! As I considered NOT going to the barn that day based on my pants situation, I had another thought. “Is it true?”
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After spending three decades teaching, I approached year 31 a bit differently. I had always let the state standards and district curriculum drive my lessons. However, something had shifted within me. I asked myself what my teenagers really needed to learn this year and how our time together would be the most impactful on their futures.
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Looking back at our experience, I recall many things that did not help, some that did, and the blessings that have come from living through this tribulation with Matthew. Following is what I learned about supporting a loved one who is experiencing a Kundalini Awakening.
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I have had horses for most of my life and I am amazed at how much I am still learning about how to train and care for them. This new learning has caused me to rethink a lot of things that I have routinely done with horses and inspired me to make some changes. Here are 5 things I will always do for my horse, Boston. She means the world to me and I want more than anything to build a trusting relationship with her that will last a lifetime.
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A bit over a month ago, I made the difficult decision to sell my mare, Mesa. You can read about my journey with her and other decisions I made about her here. I had been riding her daily and just never felt safe. She is a cow-bred horse with a lot of spark; a horse who needs a job and has energy to spare. I am an older rider with some age-related physical limitations who enjoys a relaxed ride around the dressage ring. Both of us were feeling frustrated.
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I feel like I’m constantly learning new things, especially with my horses! This week I learned that sometimes the best thing you can do with your horse is nothing at all.
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Making a decision can be one of the most daunting tasks to tackle. I have made numerous decisions regarding my lovely Paint mare, Mesa. Sometimes I followed a prescribed method, sometimes I followed my heart, and once I let my decision come from a place of fear. I am going to discuss my most important decisions about Mesa, how I came to each, and what I learned as a result. Maybe you can relate to one of these.
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When he approached Boston with the dewormer syringe, she freaked out and ended up throwing herself on the ground! Whoa! With that, deworming was accomplished. However, I was in for quite a challenge when it came to deworming her again.
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