Letting Go....~

Fall in Georgia is one of the most beautiful times of the year. Especially with the horses, they are a little frisky and love to play. The wind blows and they want to run and kick up their hoofs!! Although this  fall and past summer have brought me sorrow in letting go of two precious companions.

When letting go of pets whether through death or economic situations it is horribly painful.  It can resinate in you for months.  My experience from last summer losing my English Labrador Sunny of 13 years and this fall having to sell my precious 9 year old Belgian Mare Pearlie Mae, I have had my share.
These days I find myself driving or just sitting quietly, and a big wind of grief and sorrow comes across my heart,  I can hardly breath thinking about either of them. Thinking what I could have done different to save them or the situation. As God teaches us that we do not have control over these situations and everything that happens is a part of his plan. It is just sometimes so hard to swallow or believe.

I have been digging deep to process why these animals become such huge part of us.  Maybe it is because they were always there for us, maybe it is because there was an unspoken bond between us. Or maybe it's just LOVE?? I think it is a combination of everything.

Sunny I raised from a pup he was with us at bad times, happy times, holidays and family trips. We watched him grow up as he watched us and my children. I wished I had more time with Sunny and was there for him more. We do this to ourselves, when in reality he lived an awesome life and will be with me always in my heart till I get up to heaven and see him again.

Pearlie Mae on the other hand is still alive and with a different owner.  I think she could be very happy with her, but I feel deep inside she is not.  Although I cannot afford to get her back and she will have to stay with her.  I feel, I let Pearlie Mae down. When she came to me she was just a pasture horse and I became her friend and mamma.  Bad economic times and not being able to sell our house brought me to the point of selling her. I think about her everyday and wish I had a farm with a big pasture for her to run in. I am trying to process the fact that maybe she is happy and maybe it is just me that is sad.

These are thoughts can sink us, if we could just be happy for them and stop being sad for ourselves.  Owning and raising animals of any kind is an emotional bond that some people can never understand. while others like myself never underestimate the power of that love.  For those of you out there that have experienced the love and lost you can relate. knowing that we all go through the same feelings of grief is humbling, but comforting to know we are not alone.
With everyday that goes by we are shown by our God that there is a new path that opens, a path
he has made for us. The past events are just stepping stones for us to learn for the new path.

My new path ended me up with a beautiful new mare, she was free rescue that came to me through a friend. Her name is Kenya and she is a 6 year old Arabian/Draft mare.  So my future begins again with her.
My new canine path has ended me up with a new puppy his name is Gunner and he is almost 5 months old.  So you see, with loss there is birth and how we learn from these situations will help us to teach others, that life does not stop.  It continues whether here on earth or up in heaven.  We will always all be together in the end.

As they say the "Circle of Life" goes on, hold on to that my friends in any kind of loss......!!

The Power of Touch~

The Power of Touch......

Whether in humans or animals the power of touch is essential. We know when a foal is first born the very first thing the mother does is starts cleaning and licking. If not born in the wild, we then touch and rub all over it. Taping it's hoofs, rubbing the ears and all over to familiarize the feeling of touch and love.

Not only with newborns, but in everyday associations with your horse touch is a powerful communicator.
It not only shows kindness, it shows respect, corporation and protection.
Recently I watched a segment with Rick Lamb interviewing Linda Tellington from Hawaii. She has written many books of The T-Touch or Tellington T Touch. It is a way of communicating with your horse through the power of touch. As she describes rubbing your horses with the gentle circling of your fingers. This "Effecting the behavior of the horse through learning without force."
As with the Parelli techniques it is so, we want "corporation instead of competition"with our horse, we want to "act instead of react". All these work through the power of touch.

"Corporation instead of competition", Forcefulness in working with horses, is not only inhumane it does not work. Many of you have seen trainers work with force, letting the horse know that they are boss.
This not only sets resentment into your horse as it would a human. It can instill distrust in the horse for a life time. Corporation on the other hand is essential to natural horse training. Knowing how your horse thinks in the herd and how he reacts to learning in nature. This can only make it much easier to train and understand your horse. As with the herd there is always a lead horse that the others follow. In training we are the lead horse, the horse does not lead us. Yes, essentially being the "boss" (if that what you want to call it).  Instead of force we training through corporation and reward. Not only will you be winning the trust of your horse he will be able to learn a lot more then you ever dreamed of.

Knowing a horse can pick up on almost any emotion we have. That is where the concept of "Act instead of react" comes from that Pat Parelli teaches. If we act upon danger instead of react, there will be an entirely different outcome with the horse.  I know it's hard with human emotion to always remember this, but if we can remember that the horse is wanting or hoping we are as aware of danger as is he.
For example if we don't "act" on the danger he will, which almost always turns into fear and fear is where we get into trouble. If we take acton on the danger by not going anywhere near it; we can usually have a safe outcome. On the other hand "reacting" such as screaming or jumping can cause a reaction in the horse to spook and take off.

Remembering movements of touch do communicate a great deal to our horse. The way we react to situations sets the tone of the horse. That is why people say all the time, if you are scared the horse will pick up on it and know.  These are smart and intuitive creatures, I think that is why we become so close to a horses soul and why people are attracted to horses.  As with humans some horses and humans get along beautifully and some just can't get in sink together. Through natural communication we can begin to understand our horse and our horses needs and wants.

When God made horses he definitely knew what he was doing.  Setting a priority in your life of knowing how to communicate with your horse, will ensure a wonderful lifetime of enjoyment.

Remember horses are a gift from God, they are special treasures that some people never get to experience.
Enjoy your time with your horse and most of all.....
ENJOY THE RDE!!~

RESPECT........

"RESPECT"....With horses there is "Respect" within the herd. Although there are always one or two that deviate, as there are with humans. Understanding the realm of Respect, gives us more clarity of how to act and appreciate the serenity a horse has to give.
When we greet our horse, we come into the herd with RESPECT.  The way we approach will set the tone of how our encounter or ride will go for the that day. Horses treated with respect and love will give back double in return. Remembering this will set our minds in the direction of the horses and enable us to communicate with them in a closer more serene way.
Enjoy your time with your horse, communicate with him in the deepest of ways.  He is a blessing in your life here for your enjoyment.

Enjoy the Ride~!

Me today with my horses

Pocohanus 20 year old Quarter Horse Paint Mare

Today I begin the journey of starting my Blog.. very excited to share all my experience and experience yet to come with those of you who were born with the "LOVE" for horses.
First I would like to introduce you to our three horses.
*The one and only Pocohanus She was actually my 2nd horse, my first horse I ended up selling she was not a great match and we had personality conflicts.
**Pearlie Mae, she is my beautiful Belgian Draft I have always dreamed of owning a draft and Pearlie Mae fell in my lap about 3 years ago.
***"Abby" Dunit Absoult Beauty she is out of the Hollywood Dunit blood line. She is from Canada we purchased her for my daughter Addison for Christmas.

Pearlie Mae 6 year old Belgian Mare

Dunit Absoult Beauty 5 year old Quarter Horse Buckskin/Dunn Mare

Today we board our horses at a barn in North Georgia, The Farm at Pamelot. A beautiful farm we love it, but are in the process of trying to sell our home so we can purchase our own farm. 

I teach riding lessons, training and summer camps there along with Juliette a good friend of mine who owns the barn. There are about 18 horses there right now.

My family, I have a wonderful husband Willie or Bill you see me call him Willie. I have two beautiful children Ryan who is 18 and Addison who is 15.  I am so very proud of both of them and we are all super close. Ryan is not in college now, he is working and did some ferriering on the side, he told me that its his back up plan.  He plans to go back to college next fall.

Addison is is 9th grade and is at a hybrid school so its a little homeschool and private combined. Addison is our barrel racer, pretty good, could be better if she was totally into it, but she is 15 and there is a lot going on at 15!!....lol. Abby is her horse the both of them have learned to barrel race together and compete in local shows and NBHA shows (National Barrel Horse Association).

For you , what I would like is to be able to give you my insight to horses and the communication that has brought me so close with them.

I hope you enjoy this journey as much I as I do.