Things That Last

When I was fourteen years old I sat on my bed dazed at the realization that there was no way that my knees were going to allow me to play baseball much longer. If I was not a baseball player then who would I be? Not what would I be, but who would I be? My self identity at the time was that I was the person who absolutely spattered anyone who tried to reach home plate. I was a catcher/goalie/gatekeeper/bouncer/mine field. The most exciting moments in my life were when someone would try to run over me in order to score. That was a pleasure that could not last.

Music and horses last. This is a shot from the day after Thanksgiving when we gathered at the Little House and I was teaching some of my little riders a few ancient songs with meaning. Look closely at the back of the head that you see in the picture. That is Daddy. He is about 73 or 74. He started working plow horses in the field before he was old enough to go to school. He started playing guitar a few years later. He still plays guitar, rides, trains, and helps with all of the physical work involved in keeping everything going.

When my little riders are grown they will put aside childish things but they will carry with them a knowledge and love of horses that will last life long.

Family Horses III

A few months ago Phil, Sharon and the kids were non riders who were completely new to the horse world. They are now owners of two beautiful horses, Stands With a Fist, shown here, and Bear Coat Miles, a Corolla/BLM colt. This family illustrates what the future of horse ownership can be in this country. First and foremost, they are novices with two untrained young horses. They chose not to remain novices. Phil has absorbed great books like "Soul of a Horse" and they have taken advantage of everything that RFD-TV has had to offer. The mare is now being ridden in the woods and Bear Coat will be there this spring, not because they send him off for "30 days professional training", but because they will be the backbone of his training with solid direction and assistance from those of us who have been doing this for a while.

Unlike far too many modern parents, they have encouraged Emily to work through her natural fear when riding instead of simply surrendering to it. They are teaching her to face life's challenges. They have given Andrew every opportunity to hone his newly found riding skill and he has taken great advantage of it. Phil and Sharon are teaching their children the importance of being part of something important.

They are a great family but they are not unique. The world is full of potential horse owning families like this. It is our duty to find them, teach them, and put a horse under them. The rest will come naturally.

Another Use For Corollas

For all you older teens and young women out there. Quit spending your money on expensive beauty aids, shampoos, and cleansers. If you really want to look good--ride a Corolla.

(Lea and Croatoan at the Christmas parade. You will see them both on our Corolla documentary.)

Daddy, What Did You Do In The Revolution?

Pardon me while I take a moment to wrestle with the most important question facing the future of horsemanship in America--"How can we best hasten the implosion of the established horse world and replace it with system of enlightened horsemanship based on natural horsemanship, natural horse care, and and natural hoof care?"

The established horse world is fueled by greed and revolves around competitions which lead owners to view horses as fungible goods. The constant need to buy a "better" horse (one that gets a blue colored ribbon instead of a red colored ribbon)has given rise to an industry that supports over production and most sickenliy of all, horse slaughter.

Does not a registry which supports horse slaughter as being a humane solution to the problem of "unwanted horses" indict itself? Just as some rights are self evident, are not some wrongs self evident?

In the long term the current state of the horse market may be in the best interest of horses and real horsemanship because it will help to drive those most motivated by greed into other ventures. Lawd, I sure will miss those people. With them gone who will I have to tell me how wrong I am?

Herein for me lies the dilemma. There is no hope of preserving the Corollas unless more people understand and are given reason to care about their plight. The same is true of every other strain of Colonial Spanish Horse. How can that most effectively be done? I do not believe that involving ourselves in competitions that are the underpinning of the established horse world is the best way to do so.

I believe that getting our horses out in front of the non-horse owning world is vitally important. We must attract new owners that do not bring with them the crippling baggage of being an "experienced" member of the established horse world.

I am a mediator, a conciliator, and a compromiser by nature. I view conflict nearly always as something to avoid. However, in this case conflict is necessary. I cannot pretend that there is any validity what so ever in the preachings of the established horse world and the artificial agribusiness that has grown up to support. That is the case whether we speak of bits, nutrition, shoeing, or proper conformation. For the horse's sake we must refrain from doing anything for the simple reason that that is how the experts say that it should be done.

I do not want to do anything that remotely suggests that I am seeking the approval of these people. I do not want my horses to earn the respect of such people, but I would love for those experts to earn the respect of my horses.

The only effective alternative that I see for myself is to seek to be known by my fruits, to teach by doing. People start to notice.

"Steve's horses do not wear shoes but they are never lame. Steve's horses live outside 24/7 but they do not get respiratory problems. Steve's horses were wild or at least their parents were and they are gentler and friendlier than any horses around. Steve's horses are ponies but they often carry riders weighing over 200 lbs, sometimes for fifty miles in a day. Steve's horses are trained by his little riders but they are safer and more reliable than many horses trained by professionals. Steve's horses only colic in the rarest of circumstances. Maybe I should take a look at how his horses live if these are the results that he gets."

So that is where I draw the line. Parades, such as the one pictured in the shot above, we participate in. Horse shows, except for those of the type that the American Indian Horse Association holds, we do not participate in.

Family Horses II

Here is a shot from yesterday's Smithfield Christmas Parade that says a lot about our program. Bill and his daughter Lea were two of the hits of the parade. Both were riding Corolla Spanish mustangs. Both have completed fifty mile in a day rides with us. Both have built on the knowledge that they brought to our program to the degree that both are able to train a colt to face the challenges that our horses face in the woods with each ride. Lea has a beautiful American Indian Horse named Washikie that she trained. Bill has put countless hours into helping with maintenance and construction and now handles all of our tack repair. Take a look at that saddle. He made it and his head dress.

Kids, history, families, hard work,hard riding, natural horsemanship, promotion and protection of Corolla Spanish mustangs--that is Mill Swamp Indian Horses and Bill has been a big part of making it that way.