People have asked me why I work with
horses. The only thing that I can think to say is that horses make me a better person.
When I am with a horse, I feel like I am truly living in the moment. Something happens to
me on the inside. Horses seem to have a strong need to make things right and maybe there
is something in me that feels the same way. They are also so forgiving, and will give you
their heart. They are good at drawing boundaries with each other, and they put a lot of
effort into what they desire at the moment. I have learned a lot from different horse
people (and non-horse people) along the way. But mostly I have learned from the horses.
And I know that this is a journey that will continue to present new things to me all of
the time.
I was given my first horse when I was 8, growing up
in Texas. I had been taking jumping lessons since I was 6 yrs old. I rode my horse
everywhere… and I mean everywhere. To town,
through cattle fields, to the local pig farm, through pecan orchards, and everywhere I
could dream to go. I went horse camping and trail riding with my family, and I started my
first colt when I was 12. I had a knack for jumping and did some showing as a teenager. I
jumped and learned dressage on the show horses, and continued to ride my own horses at
home. One thing that sticks out the most was how easy the horses were when I was growing
up.
After taking my early 20’s off to travel and
see the world, I decided to get another horse. This was after I moved to California, and I
was ready to settle down with a horse again. It didn’t take long for horses to
consume my life, and shortly thereafter I bought yet another horse. Both of these horses
presented problems to me that I had never encountered before–problems that came from
human-imposed agendas. I felt a little lost with them because I had never encountered
horses who were so bound up with issues.
I was lucky enough to be in the right spot at the
right time and was introduced to a fellow named Harry Whitney, a clinician who came to the
barn where I boarded. I had never ridden in a clinic, so I had no idea what to expect. My
first clinic was interesting to say the least. I was on a horse sold to me as a
“finished” horse who didn’t need any training. Needless to say, I found
myself on top of a horse who was out of control and
questioning someone’s idea of what “finished” meant. Coming from the
English world of riding, as a general rule, putting a bend in a horse was not something we
did. At this first clinic, on top of this mare who was basically running wild, I learned
from Harry about how the horse’s thoughts and hind end worked together. Helping the
horse disengage the hind quarters helps to disengage, or let go of, his thought and be
more present with the rider. By the end of the clinic, I had a mare who was soft and
willing, and trying real hard not to run away with me. And a door to a whole new world of
horsemanship had just opened. I could not wait until my next clinic! Eight years and four additional horses
later, I still go see Harry every year. He has taught me how to see the inside of the
horse and to read how they are feeling about each situation being presented to them. He
has taught me how to direct their thoughts, change how they feel, and basically how to
work with a horse from where the horse is at and from the horse’s point of view.
When I
was riding full time around ’98, I found myself experiencing back pain. So, once
again, I was in the right place at the right time and met a woman named Peggy Cummings. Peggy helped me to release the tension in the saddle and really ride
with a balanced seat, which I found also helped the horses.
Another interesting timing moment was meeting Mark
Rashid. I hit a point in my own horsemanship where I felt stuck with two of my most
sensitive horses. Mark has an amazing sense of the physical and the energy body. He helped
me to identify physical restrictions in horses, and helped me to tune in to a deeper part
of myself. I found a place of softness and began to learn the subtleties of how deep we
can go with our horses, such as how they can respond off just a change in our breathing,
or a change in our own thoughts.
Each of these people have taught me self-awareness
and horse-awareness, and have influenced my horsemanship to become what it is today: A work in progress and a life commitment to helping
people see what I see. I take pride in my work, and I honor the integrity of my work
place. This is more than just my business–it is my life. I have dedicated myself to
teaching people to honor the spirit of the horse. |
