Groundwork

n. lead rope and lunge riding in training.

Today was a good day at the barn, mostly spent chatting with friends and hanging out with some of the awesome horses. I had a great ride on my favorite steed, a 17.2 hand appendix QH, Looker. I taught a few decent lessons, no huge breakthroughs which can be disappointing, but also, just another day of learning. I teach riding lessons by the way, mostly beginners, and occasionally the intermediate student. Teaching is rewarding, but also a long process and sometimes frustrating. But then I look at some of my confidant great students and it makes all those long days worth it. After the snow the mud tried to eat our horses, ugh, mudboots are possibly one of my best investments ever.

Spent some time tonight with a good friend who recently broke her arm on one of our barn's horses... but she has been going through some rough patches.... but we began talking about a boarding treatment facility for troubled girls, which-to my surprise, includes mandatory equine therapy. I have kind of entertained the thought that after I win the lottery *scoff* I would start a Equine Therapy facility... but really never thought seriously about it. Now, I am not talking abut Theraputic riding, which has it's own wonderful benefits, but never has really sparked my passion, but after reading a book about a facility that uses "metaphorical" teaching to help troubled youth, foster kids and so forth. Now, I thought the only way to accomplish this kind of career was a non-profit sort of path, but seeing a very marketable area which still would seem rewarding? Wow, that seems like some new way for me to actually really pursue another horse passion... teaching about life through horses.

I think everyone who rides can say how horses seem to understand us, can really teach us more than most people can. I mean, I believe that every big learning experience, every big milestone in my life can be modeled or parrelled by something in my horse life. I mean, if I could express just an ounce of that impression on another person who does not know how truly incredible these animals could be.