WE SUPPORT YOU
I send you the warm thoughts and soft support during this holiday season.
I bet that you, like me, find certain moments to be especially challenging when the unforeseen wash of sadness envelops you. I think we all share that.
“I KNEW THAT WAS YOU”
The morning after Zane made his transition to a heavenly life, I got in my car and turned on the radio. Immediately the song “Holes In the Floor of Heaven” came on. (Perhaps if you have not listened to this song in a long time, you are meant to hear it now.)
“MOVING FORWARD”
Have you ever said, “Well, moving forward, let’s __________ .”
You let go of anything that holds you back. You look to what you want to create next. You focus on progress, a move in a positive direction. Roadblocks are released and all is right in your world once again.
Don’t you love that feeling?
“STAY IN YOUR HEART”
This past Sunday morning on 9/11 I was sitting on our deck, drinking coffee and appreciating the softness of an approaching Fall-like breeze. I reflected on that horrific day for America. I thought about the victims. I extended comfort in my heart to the family and friends of those lost. I felt for the all Americans. I sent a prayer up for everyone.
“Just Stand By My Side”
Recently I was in a gorgeous spot in Montana. I was rendezvousing with friends and teaching, so it was a combination of work and play.
One of the new people I met asked if I would have breakfast with her. The purpose was to get to know each other better and perhaps explore doing some kind of event in the future regarding women, horses, mental skills training and horsemanship.
“STAND STILL”
If you’re like me I bet you want your horse to stand still when you get on. Of course you do. You would like to think you ride a well mannered horse, right? Plus, it’s super comfortable to have a horse that stands still as you throw your leg over the saddle.
Ideally you want to know that your horse would stand there all day if you didn’t ask him to move. He should be truly relaxed and content to be motionless. There’s a big difference between that attitude and a token five seconds of standing still all the while with ants in his pants!!
When a horse truly remains motionless and stays relaxed as you get on, there is a lot of benefit to starting your ride this way. Here are three additional reasons why it’s important for your horse to stay quiet as you mount up:
1. The number one reason is for your safety and for the safety of everyone around you. A horse who stands perfectly still and patiently waits for you to tell him what to do next is predictable … and predictability spells safety for you.
“WHEN YOUR HORSE GETS ANTSY”
It’s a natural instinct.
When your horse gets nervous and starts “antsing” around, you try and calm him by looking down at him, petting him on the neck and loosening the reins. A loving look, a pat on the neck and a release of the reins are three responses that would seem to take the pressure off of him, right?
“Get Ready!”
Factors to Consider When Preparing Your Horse
Horses emerge from a stall or a pasture in a very specific state of mind, body and emotion. Just like us, every day is a new day. You can never take for granted that your horse comes out in a particular way on any given day. Your job is to tune into your horse so you can get him ready for the day’s task at hand.
“Why Does My Horse Get Numb?”
Have you ever had someone tap you on the arm to get your attention? Your response was probably to turn and see what was going on.
But sometimes, we are in the middle of something and we can’t respond right away. Most people stop tapping if we don’t respond.
But let’s pretend like they didn’t stop. They just kept tapping. Let’s also pretend like we absolutely could not give that person attention for a couple of minutes, but they kept tapping anyway. What would happen? Chances are we would grow numb to the tap.
“Exercise: Flexing Your Horse”
What does flexing your horse mean to you?
There are lots of ways people apply this idea of flexing to their personal style of riding. I’m going to talk specifically about doing an exercise after you mount your horse and before you take your first step.
This exercise is best for a horse that has some time on him (i.e. I am not talking about when you first start a horse).
In Our Horseback Riding Lives, Change is Always a Challenge
And, Change is a Gift
There is always change in our horse lives.
This can happen when our horse has to be laid off. Or, we might experience a change in our financial capabilities to follow through on plans. Or, we might get the news that a trainer or a vet is moving. These are just a few examples. You fill in your own blanks.
Change is the only thing that is sure in our lives.
As I write this article, I am feeling that ultimate happy/sad state that change can bring. There’s a big change happening in my life right now.
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