Maybe a Bright Spot

Yesterday I rode several hours with the vast majority trotting or gaiting. I rode Manteo, a Corolla stallion, and Joey, a Choctaw. Great weather--great exercise--great to sleep so well.

This morning I got to the horse lot super early, took care of everyone and had time to gait 50 minutes through the woods on Holland. If somehow I can keep this up I expect dramatic improvements in my over all health.

Yesterday Ethan rode Ta Sunka behind Joey. While Joey trotted and gaited Ta Sunka cantered to keep up. It was the most cantering this new rider had ever done--Ethan is an athlete and in pretty good shape, yet he felt the full body workout that hard riding gives one.

Heals the body and clears the mind.

The Death Of Your Horse

I have no understanding of grief,or,more particularly, the process of grieving. Most cultures develop various rituals to aid the living in dealing with death. In that regard, I know that my own feelings are not instructive. I cannot think of a single ritual, sacred or secular that gives me any more comfort than would putting on a straight jacket. I realize that there are very few who feel this way and it is good that there are so few. Death rituals are one of the most important building blocks of social cohesiveness.

Yesterday Kelly taught the kids, and several adults, tribal wisdom regarding death. She did so by directing a ceremony where I buried Red Feather Thursday. I am so glad that she has the knowledge to do such things. This is another aspect of being the educational institution that we strive so hard to be.

Theodore Roosevelt dealt with the death of his young wife by never again mentioning her name and struggling to keep her out of his mind. On the surface this might seem cold and uncaring but I am not in a position to judge what he had to overcome simply in order to continue to exist.

What I am certain of is that there is no emotional pain greater than that of loss. I do not know how to control it. Perhaps the cold,simple recognition of reality before the loss occurs is helpful in reducing the impact of a loss. When entering into a relationship with anyone, human or animal it is good to keep in mind that since the beginning of time every single relationship has ended either by death, desertion, or forced separation.

And this relationship will not break that mold.

Horses die. People do too.

People also simply leave.

Such things happen.

And when they do, it is best to remember that you still have work to do and it is time to get up and go get that work done.

Coming Home

( Below is a post that goes back to 2009. Rebecca's family has been living out of state for several years and as I type this they are en route to their new home back here in the area. That means that I will soon have Rebecca and her boys back in my horse lot.The end result will be a significant uplift for the horse lot and for me)

Rebecca came to ride with us as a present from her husband on their first anniversary. She quickly became a skilled rider. She was in her early twenties and had been a gymnast for years. Within a few months she had gone from merely learning to ride to becoming my most serious student of natural horsemanship. Monday through Friday she would commute nearly 1/2 hour to come out to the horse lot before the sun rose to help me break horses. She then would spend the entire day on Saturday riding and working colts.

Rebecca gentled one mare that I feared had been too emotionally scarred to ever settle down. She turned her into a solid trail horse with patience and skill that one would never expect in a trainer of such relatively little experience. To this day she remains the best person to work a scared horse that I have met.

Over the years she has continued to take an active role in everything that we do at the horse lot. I have learned to trust her judgement on matters ranging from whether or not to acquire certain horses to making major purchases for the horse lot.

People often asked me how I have been able to put our program together by myself. The answer is simple. I didn't.

(In the picture above she is riding my Spanish Mustang stallion, Ta Sunka Witco, after breaking him to saddle when he was a colt.)

Mill Swamp Indian Horse Views: Compassion Without Action....

An old post--this year is our best chance ever to get the bill passed:  Mill Swamp Indian Horse Views: Compassion Without Action....: ....does exactly the same amount of good as does cruelty. This foal died after being born with severe birth defects. It was one of the...

Deliberate, Confident Training

Swimmer is the largest formerly wild Corolla mare that I have seen. It had been a while since anything had been on her back and she was resistant and fearful.

Yesterday we moved her to another pasture. Without any prior plan to do so I took a moment and ran her through a session with the monsters. We progressed from the pool noodle, to the rock monster, all the way up to the bag monster.

I was surprised that she took the bag monster so well. It is a bag filled with cans and empty bottle. When shaken it makes a tremendous racket that generally sends horses into a panic. She quickly recovered from her fear and stood patiently while I shook it across her back.

Then a blanket and saddle and in short order I was standing in the stirrups.

There were several things that made this work. She is a Corolla and has the steady mind of a Corolla. I was not rushed. She has been living outside twenty 24/7 all of her life with a diet based on hay and grass. I was not afraid of her. I doubt if my heart rate increased at all while working with her. I was not worried that she might "disappoint" me by blowing up.

Proper technique, control of emotions, a horse living as naturally as possible, and deliberate and confident movement that allowed the horse to relax resulted in two days worth of progress in less than half an hour.

She was once ridden fairly regularly but has not been ridden regularly in years. Her new owner is looking to ride her in endurance events. This summer we will get her ready to take that rider anywhere.