'Just' a Horse

Sometimes it is so hard to come up with topics to write about, so today I thought I woul post something I read a long time ago, and figure that many people will enjoy it... What are your thoughts on, "Just a Horse"?


From time to time, people tell me, 'lighten up, it's just a horse,' or, "that's a lot of money for just a horse'. They don't understand the distance traveled, the time spent, or the costs involved for 'just a horse.' Some of my proudest moments have come about with 'just a horse.' Many hours have passed and my only company was 'just a horse,' but I did not once feel slighted. Some of my saddest moments have been brought about by 'just a horse,' and in those days of darkness, the gentle touch of 'just a horse' gave me comfort and reason to overcome the dark. Those who think it's 'just a horse,' probably also use phrases like 'just a friend,' 'just a sunrise,' or 'just a promise.'



'Just a horse' brings into my life the very essence of friendship, trust, and pure unbridled joy. 'Just a horse' brings out the compassion and patience that makes me a better person. Because of 'just a horse' I rise early, take long walks, enjoy the forest and it's creatures and look longingly to the future.


So for me and folks like me, it's not 'just a horse' but an embodiment of all the hopes and dreams of the future, the fond memories of the past, and the pure joy of the moment. 'Just a horse' brings out what's good in me and diverts my thoughts away from myself and the worries of the day. II hope that someday others can understand that it's not 'just a horse' but the thing that gives me humanity and keeps me from being 'just a woman.' So the next time you hear the phrase 'just a horse' just smile, because they 'just' don't understand.

**I did not write this, but I sure can identify with it!
 

 
 

Career Limbo

Me and Sissy

I am an equine science student at the best school in the country, I have been riding for 16 years, I have never known at all what I have wanted to do…. Except know that it might involve horses. Now, knowing that I have limited in this local sanctuary called college, I am really doing some soul searching and trying to figure out what I want to do with my life- with one parameter, horses. What a broad world this actually is, basically anything you would want to do in the “real world” you can find to do in the equine industry.




When I first came up with this seemingly ludicrous idea to attend college as an equine science student I was unsure myself of what that really entailed, I had really only been around lesson barns and a limited breeding establishment. For people who only see boarding facilities, people keeping horses as a hobby, or the typical backyard pet, the horse industry is virtually nonexistent. With that mindset the idea of making a living off of horses and the industry is akin to trying to make a living from being a philosophy major. It is very disheartening to be told over and over from parents, friends and my respected teachers and trainers that I could never do it. Sometimes it is so frustrating to attempt to explain what I have learned in 3 years to someone in the matter of a conversation. It is very sad to see college students who are just brilliant using their degrees to work in a coffee shop or making pizzas. This is the way the entire economy is today, because there are such limited jobs out there, and such an overload of willing workers, the fresh faced graduates have no chance of getting a job. We obviously do not have the experience of people who have been in the workforce so we take the jobs nobody wants. I am absolutely terrified of becoming one of those when I am just out of school. It is the same story I see over and over and it just is so upsetting to see. Most people I know are using this economy as a chance to go back to school, and I say, why the heck not? If you have no chance of getting a decent job, you might as well get more education.



As previously mentioned I have done so much looking and I thought I had settled on journalism, but now a job in equine assisted psychotherapy really has sparked my interest. I love the idea of using my experience in teaching horseback riding lessons to help people who are struggling. I have seen my friends absolutely blossom under the influence of horses. It has been an incredible journey to watch a close friend get her confidence and her control back, another to find her reason for living. Horses personally have gotten me though breakups, depression in high school, and so many interfamily battles. Recently horses have been there for me though the stresses of college and the consistency of having them depend on me is often the only constant in my life. I love paralleling how horses behave to everyday lives, horses are the best teachers I have ever encountered, they are patient, forgiving, loving and sensitive. If horses are as affective as they say they are in helping people suffering through depression, addiction, eating disorders, family issues… then I would like to be a part of helping people put their lives in line. In doing this search I am realizing the direction I may be taking in my education and finally might be able to have some sort of a career goal. For the first time in a long time I am excited about my education and where it might be able to take me.

**In the interest of finding a growing community of bloggers on here I will contiune to update this page as well.**
**Thank you for my one follower on this site, you are much appreciated, as of 3:45 on wordpess my blog has had 45 veiws! I am impressed!

new space

hey all, I joined wordpress, sorry to say, but it seems to be a better hosting site. Is there a way to cross over and follow both, yet only post in one place? Let me know. Thanks... hope you keep reading while i am there!
http://coloradobecs.wordpress.com/

Rediscovering the passion, just another day with horses

Smiles all around!

One of the greatest pleasure in my life is to have the pleasure to introduce horse crazy little girls to their dream horses, and on Sunday I got the opportunity to do just that with 3 of our lovely steeds and 11 little brownies (girl scouts). I really enjoyed the kiddos. We had about a 30-45 minuite talk about horses and then they all got to ride with a saddle, and then they got to ride bareback. I love hearing the peals of laughter that come out of the little girls when they get to trot for the first time. Or even the look of concentration on their faces as they meticulously brush the horses. It is so refreshing to spend that kind of time with horses, with that pure admiration. Sometimes as we grow older we forget why we began this adventure in the first place. I just love my job because I get to experience it over and over through other kids.

Today I had some distractions in my life and I sat on the couch simply lounging in my own misery I realized what I needed most in my life was to ride, to erase everything but the feeling of a horse underneath me. I rode Looker today, had a wonderful ride, worked on some leg yeilding and some major bending. By the end of the ride he was reaching so far underneath himself that it felt like he was ten feet tall, it is such an incredible feeling when a horse can literally just read your mind because he knows you so well. Looker is that horse for me, he and I spent all summer really getting to know one another and literally the moment I even think canter, he is rising up into the most perfect gait, feels like he is rising up to tak off into the clouds. Basically a hard workout was exactly what both of us needed. By the end of the work he and I were both sweating profusly and breathing hard. But also by the end of the work he felt so maliable in my hands that any little cue caused beautiful tension in his muscles, just waiting for my command. I gave him a good grooming, which I have grosly been neglecting. There is something very calming about brushing a horses tail until it is butter in your hands. Sometimes it takes a little step back, to see the horse in the eyes of a child, and to just spend some time with a favorite horse.

Looker today after our work, looking for a cookie as usual.

The Sunset tonight from the barn, beautiful.

Just Taboo, he is so photogenic!

New men, new horse trends

Happy Sunday! I am very excited to have brewed myself a cup of tea, do not have to be at the barn for another few hours and have the opportunity to sit and read some blogs and finally get another post up for me.

At a barn that is largely dominated by female college students you would think that any man would love to join this horsey (female) community. Of course, like any community run by women, there is dramatics and there is gossip, but this barn has highly attractive, smart, wonderful girls who ride there. Enter: the change. Very recently we have received several inquiries for beginning men, aged in their 20s to start riding with us. And these are neither cowboys, nor kids who rode in their past, they are fresh faced beginners! The first was a guy willing to do hard labor in return for lessons, I put him on a big draft cross and off they went. This guy was not suited for english- but he had the greatest attitude and listened extremely well. Next, in response to a working add, we got another hard working individual who cleans and feeds for us.

Now in the last couple of months we have had 2 new beginning guys who are ready to try riding, brand new. I say good for them, but I also say, why? I have never seen so many guys willing to take lessons, and following their newfound passion so quickly! It is so awesome. For years I have just conceded to the fact that i needed to find a good natured guy who would just tolerate my riding and my horses, but in meeting these fellows, and the guys I am dating, perhaps there is hope!
I must admit, I met my wonderful boyfriend at the barn, although he was not there to ride, he was helping a mutual friend to the morning feed. This man is truly wonderful, not only does he come and help me do my chores, but he rides with me and is doing great!

The horse industry is following an interesting new trend, there is still a very big division (speaking in broad terms) from the east coast to the west, english to western. Cowboys and hunters. In the west it is still based on the cowboy way of life, western. Using your horse to sort, brand, ride the fences all of the activities from our past. This has always been a mans' world, the Quarter horse industry, second only to the other male dominated industry, Thoroughbreds, is very much a man dominated industry. But yet, when I look at my equine science classrooms, the classes producing the new leaders, it is 98% women, and a rare man. Furthermore, the entire industry is seeing a switch to middle aged women working with horses, very different from the past. It is very interesting to hear the "old timers" the true bow legged, deep voiced cowboys talk about the changes they are seeing. They are trying to figure out how the horse industry is going to be able to support itself with the addition of this new niche. I found it interesting even looking through blogs and seeing that only two, out of dozens I looked at was written by a man, although I suppose women are more prone to blogging than males are.

I am still extremely impressed these guys took it upon themselves to join in our wonderful lifelong passions, I have the privilege of working with them and trying to teach them how to really love the sport. Hopefully we can keep them going and try to keep a balance in the horse industry.

Feel

n. the understanding and ablitiy to read equine behavior beyond the scope of normal interation

Everyone wants that gallop down the beach, bareback, no bridle, just you and your horse relationship, how to get there is the question. Tonight I spent some time watching a Pat Parelli 30 minute show. Pat is an amazing teacher, encouraging just the right amount and then directing enough, the kind of guy I would want to sit down with and really listen to, although my qualms with him come from his message that just anybody can train a horse. The basics of the Parelli system is amazing, the same way that most natural horsemanship trainers take is finding a balance between punishment and reward, by reinforcing the good and ignoring the bad. This is the same way I think much of human interaction could be boiled down to. I had the wonderful experience of being in the CSU colt training class, and I saw firsthand how these training techniques and the conventional when combined can produce amazing results.


That being said, the girl who was receiving the lesson was a perfect example of the problems I have with Parelli. The girl was hardly able to trot her huge off the track thoroughbred. He was honestly a nice horse and very willing to be put through his paces and learn the new exercises. The problem becomes when the “teacher” the person trying to train the horse can hardly ride, nor has any idea what they are asking for. Even though Pat was obviously trying to get the horse to yield his head to both sides, the girl had no idea what or why she was asking for what she was asking. This is a prime example of many of the Parelli students I have met, mind you, not all. It seems his biggest following is middle aged women who have some rank horse too young or untrained for the riders ability and they begin to work their way up the levels of Parelli, finally they have arrived at say, level 10, haven’t gotten their horse to trot under saddle, but it can kick a ball! Finally when they do get in the saddle and ask for something more than walking, the horse explodes, the lady gets hurt, and there goes any work they have made. I have heard this story over and over, and it is fine for people who literally just want to “play” with their horse, but for actual riding, they need to get a horse they can ride, or find a trainer.

I want to reiterate that I like the Parelli mission, I mean, it is basically the same as all of the rest of the natural horsemen, a balance between reward and punishment, a way to ensure trust and leadership in a relationship with a horse. Honestly, I think these guys are geniuses, they figured out a way to market themselves and sell the “magic carrot stick” with the message that if you buy this magic stick, then you too can have the perfect horse, you too can create the perfect horse, when in reality they are just good trainers with an amazing nose for making some money. Heck, if I could sell a halter and make a million dollars for a year, then I would too. The bottom line is it takes work and experience, not levels and some games to make a safe, rideable, respectful horse. I would love for every person out there to use some groundwork, some trust and some leadership to make a partnership with their horse, just I beg they do it safely and not outside their abilities.

Furthermore, although reading has formed much of my body of knowledge about horses, reading alone does not make you a “trainer.” If you have only read about techniques, or only seen a few videos, it is so much more difficult to find the timings to release pressure, to reward, to absolute quit and walk away for a day. This whole thing we call training is really a learned feel for the communication of the horse, these great horsemen marketing their knowledge have it, you automatically do not get that amazing timing just by watching the video or reading the book. My advice to anyone who wants to really get down and dirty in these methods is to actually attend some clinics, work with a horse in front of a trainer, they will fix your timing and try to teach you how to “get bigger” (or when to really establish your presence.) I hope everyone realizes that these people live and breathe training, they know the look in the eye, they know when to release or when to turn into a hairy scary monster. It is incredible, and you cannot learn this kind of “feel” from a book, from your sofa. Bottom line- watching a video or reading a book does not turn you into a horse trainer. I do not even close to pretend to be the kind of horseperson I dream of becoming, although I have been around horses for 16 years, I know it will be a lifelong journey to even have an ounce of the knowledge that is out there, to even have a pinky’s worth of the talent of the horsemen and women that I have had the privilege to meet and work with.

In conclusion, I have always admired these horsemen, Monty Roberts, Pat Parelli, Buck Brenneman, Ray Hunt, Clinton Anderson and many more. They are doing great things for the training of horses and being ambassadors for the equine language. I know this might be a subject that touches a nerve, I know the Parrelians who swear by his work- and I say again, it is great- will have a bone to pick with me criticizing his fan base. I just want people to be a little more realistic.

Harry The Hairless Horse

Upon browsing the internet yesterday I stumbled upon an interesting phenomenon, Harry the hairless horse. Harry was born from what was believed to be two siblings who were bred accidentally, according to some sites who discussed hairlessness in genetics, this is common in other species, although not widely known in horses. Harry is a 15 year old Percheron who literally has little to no hair. Occasionally he grows some hairs out of select follicles but not much.... and he was born with a fair amount of patchy hair that had apparently fallen out in utero.


What I found interesting about Harry is the emotional side of his story. He had ben to one show in his career and the announcer had to announce that he "wasn't contagious" and that he had been virtually laughed out of a couple of fairs. What is it about his something different that people cannot appreciate him?

Anyhow, Harry is a happy friendly gelding who is just like any other horse and who enjoys babysitting the juniors. He is simply a different kind of beautiful.