Maya and Kyra have settled in with the herd and I can spend so much time watching the dynamics. It's just fascinating to me. Watching Kyra get more comfortable with the big horses has been a joy. She initiated play with Morado which he thought would be fun and reciprocated.  Then she got frightened and had to run to the other side of Maya!

Over the past few days I've seen some of the horses want to groom her on her back and she's not so comfortable with that yet. To my surprise she turned around and pinned her ears at Morado as to say, "keep your distance" and he moved away.  Ringo can't keep his nose off of her and she allows him to sniff her. While I was watching this he proceeded to grab a few hairs of her tail and play with it. She stood there and allowed it until he got bored with her. Who knows what they do when I'm not there though. They probably run around and play and have a party. I need a pony cam to see who pulls the blankets off the rack, rearranges the brush boxes and halters that are in the arena. 

One of the most interesting parts of the dynamics is what Adelantado is doing. He drives Maya and Kyra around alot. Not chasing, not even very fast, just slow, consistent pressure.  He moves them into the arena, out of the arena, around the manure pile, through the gate, to the round bale, back through the gate, back to the arena and on and on. Then he was cutting Kyra away from Maya and Kyra kept going back to the other side of her mommy.  He was trying to get in between the two of them but she's so little and just scoots around behind Maya. He must not have been too serious about it because he eventually just stood there and guarded them.  Maya  looks annoyed by the whole thing. I figure there is a lesson in it for Kyra or Adelantado wouldn't be doing it. He's a socially very well adjusted herd member so I'll let him do what he's supposed to do. I trust he knows what he's doing. He's fair. And who am I to judge what's fair in the horse kingdom? It's only my perspective through human eyes and emotions.

The horse family that l am so fortunate to study is one of the best parts of my day. It makes me better with horses. When I can come even close to matching the clarity of their communication skills I have a chance to be better in all my relationships with humans, too.  As I've said so many times, "I want to be more like my horse". 

Photo credit: MaryAnne Machis

Kyra and Maya's first day out with the big herd.

For those of you who have not met Maya and Kyra let me briefly introduce them. Maya is a 12 year old Spanish mustang mare of Sorraia bloodlines who is of exceptional character and spirit. On November 14th she gave birth to a beautiful filly who, in her own right, is exquisite on so many levels. Kyra was born in broad daylight, during the warmest and sunniest week on record in Vermont. Her shimmering blue eyes, which are more turquoise in color than any blue eyed horse I've ever seen, are mesmerizing. Kyra, (or Ki-Ra) who's name translates in many different languages to "universal light force", or "first light" has brought a ray of sunshine to many people in her short time here on Earth.  Her sire is Little Creek, our Choctaw Indian pony who has since been gelded. 

 After two months of Maya and Kyra being in a pen in the indoor arena at night, the 10 horses in the big herd have finally lost most of their curiosity of Kyra. I know they stand right next to her pen at night and "protect" her. I let momma and baby out with all the others yesterday and Maya made a straight line to the hay and started eating. Kyra obediently followed. They had a round bale to themselves while all the others stood at a distance with ears and eyes on the new pair. No one initiated the move to go investigate. I could tell clearly they were surprised to see them integrated. I knew the herd dynamics were going to be interesting so I watched closely.  Finally, Estrellita, a 5 year old filly who has been obsessed with Kyra from day one went to visit. Then Augustine, then Turtle. One by one they went over and Maya gave them a look only a mother could, and everyone kept their noses to themselves and just stood and watched. After a few minutes they were accepted to share the bale and before I knew it most of them were happily dining together. All Maya had to do was lift her head and pin her ears and everyone stayed in line. She's got power!

Later on in the day I saw Kyra laying in the middle of the big pile of round bale hay, surrounded by the rest of the herd. Maya,  now realizing that she has a lot of babysitters, took advantage of it by resting. A few hours later I saw that Adelantado had taken Maya and Kyra as his responsibility. Although Morado really is the lead horse out there, he and Adelantado share a lot of the alpha responsibilities. I saw Morado standing guard 20-30 feet away while Kyra napped, but it is Adelantado that follows her and Maya around. The truth to his responsibilities for them came later when I brought him inside the arena and Kyra followed him. This was the farthest away from Maya I have ever seen her. Maya only looked back over her shoulder to see where she was going but was not at all concerned. Kyra didn't feel safe enough to go into the arena with Adelantado, and chose to high tail it back to mommy instead. Adelantado was all upset now that he couldn't be with them.  After I was done with playing with him I let him loose and he ran back to them shared hay.  He stood between them and the other horses and gave all the appropriate nasty looks when anyone got too close. 

What was real cute was when one of the horses got to sniffing Kyra's rump, she turned around and pinned her ears at him and gave him a little baby buck! She's so tough! Kyra has picked up on all of Maya's little idiosyncrasies like banging the panel doors at grain time, fiddling with the snap on the gate, pinning her ears at the big horses, etc. She also has picked up on all of Maya's endearing qualities like friendliness and softness and trust. I've not haltered her yet but have put a thin rope around her face, chest, and rump and have had her yield her body parts from pressure. She lets me handle her legs and feet, mouth and ears and I can rub her anywhere I want to. I'm not a fan of imprinting foals at birth. Just love them and set boundaries like their moms do and they turn out fine...probably better. 

The other day in one of Kyra's more exuberant young filly moments, she came trotting up to me, turned her hind end and kicked out. Surprised, I stepped out the way quickly to avoid a blow to the leg. Then she came up behind me and I could tell she was thinking about jumping on my back (I've seen her do that to Maya) so I squealed like a mare and kicked out behind me. Not only did she go prancing away, but Maya turned around quickly to look at me like, "Where did you come from?" She was as surprised as Kyra! Kyra approached me again, a little more cautiously but with the same intent and this time I backed up and kicked out again, grazing her chest. The third time she stood about a horse length away and just watched me :)  Effectiveness is key! It was a great moment and one that caused no confusion about boundaries at that moment.

I'll tell you in another blog entry about Little Creek's episode last week finding his way to Maya's pen and his interaction with the herd. He thinks very highly of himself! There's always plenty of stories from the Center.

As 2012 comes to a close,  I am thinking back to what our year at The Center was like. It seems so long ago.  Stay tuned for an update of all that happened at The Center in 2012. For now, check out the daily showcase of our horses on Facebook!

I believe in Magic

The last two sessions with Magic have shown me where his greatest blocks are. It's good to know these things, then there is a place to get started. He's got a pretty good amount of brace in his poll and neck so teaching him to release those muscles has worked great so far and he's learning that it feels good to just relax there. Then, we're working on moving that body of his around in small cirlces, disengagements, lateral work and lateral flexion.

As he's becoming more familiar with how his body works, he's softening quite a bit from poll to tail. In between these excersices I let him out on the 40 ft. line to just move freely at any pace he wants. Free's up his brain alot too. He's a worrier at times but is very willing to try.

Originally I had him pegged as a right brain extrovert, meaning that he's more of a flight than fight kind of horse, often living in that instinctual place in his head. Unlike a left brained horse that is dominant, confident and has a "what's in it for me" attitude. But now that I get to know Magic I'm seeing more left brained extrovert tendencies regularly now. He's playful, very curious and engaging. It's nice to see that change coming. His confidence is building daily. That's really a basic fundamental training block right there.

I believe Magic is learning those basic stepping stones.

It's Magic!

Today a new horse came to The Center for training. His name is Magic. He's a 7 year old registered Paint that has some TB blood thrown in there. He's a big boned fellow and reminds me of the older style Paints, not the stocky halter type that look more like bulldogs than horses.

Magic is very lucky to have the owner that he does. He's had some past experiences that weren't pleasant. No one knows for sure what happened in his earliest years, but you can tell he's been handled roughly. His current owner has treated him with love and respect and she came to a point recently where she knew he needed more than she could offer him.

Magic and his owner attended my most recent natural horsemanship clinic. He arrived anxious and sweaty and high headed. He left more relaxed and she went home with a few tools, and I got a better glimpse into what we were working with. When he arrived today we got right to "work". It hardly feels like work. Work meaning that I spent the next hour evaluating him. He's a horse that lacks confidence, although he's curious. He's fearful, but will trust. He is reactive without thinking it through, but he also began asking me questions. In a short hours time, Magic and I made some connections.

He's not as complicated as I first imagined. It's just that Magic has a lot going on in between his ears when he's in a learning environment. My friend asked me today if he was a horse that just needed good leadership. I had to think about that. Too much leadership with this horse will send him over the edge. He would perceive me more as a predator than a leader. Today, I had to be a passive leader. Hardly a leader really. Just maybe more of a tour guide!

I thought he made some really positive changes in the time I was with him. I found his "hot spots" as I call them. Things and places that cause him anxiety. Those areas will be addressed as we develop our relationship. First off though...the three R's: relaxation, release and respond. No progress can be made if there isn't relaxation. I can teach him how to relax, how to release the tension he holds and how to respond positively. Once that's all in place everything else comes quickly and fairly easy for the horses.

I look forward to the next few weeks with Magic. The most rewarding part to me is seeing the changes take place and helping horses like him feel more comfortable in their own skin. And each horse has something to teach me, too. I've said before that they often teach me more than I teach them.

another journey

Today, the rescue horses from NM will begin their journey east. If all goes well, they should arrive Thursday. The plan is to unload them right into pens in the indoor arena where they will be closely monitored and get settled. Although the horses will have some winter coat, inside the arena they will be warmer and protected from the wind while they recover from their long trip. I am very excited to see the horses again!

The arrival of these horses is a bittersweet event. The Baca family has dispersed their herd. Sixty years of breeding Colonial Spanish horses has now come to an end. It is very sad for the family. The aweful drought and Mr. Baca's failing health has prompted this dispersal. No matter the reason, the herd is seperated.

Just a little history: The Baca Chica farm sits directly on the Camino Real, the first road to carry Spanish explorers. In the late 1500's Don Juan Onate led his people to Inscription rock at El Morro National Monument along this road. The actual road, over 400 years old, is still clearly visible on the Baca property. The horses would often cross this path in their daily meanderings. Sixty years of the Baca family breeding America's first horse produced a unique southwest strain recognized as "critically endangered" by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy.

The first time I visited the Baca Chica Farm I stood on this dirt path under the ancient cottonwood trees and it was a moving experience. To envision the Spaniards exploring the new world on their little horses, the same type that the Baca Family has preserved, was powerful. I remember that moment clearly.

The dispersal of this herd is more than just relocating some horses. It's the end of an era. Most of the mares are retired from breeding now, a few young ones are still looking for homes, and only 4 stallions of this strain remain. One will be with us in Vermont. One is in Texas, and the Baca's hope to keep two of them on the farm.

In 2005 when my first trailer load of Baca horses arrived in Vermont, (Morado and Ringo were on that load) they were blessed by a Catholic priest before they left. He felt so strongly and often said that these horses were bridging the gap between New Mexico and Vermont. They were here to help educate people about the rich history of New Mexico, the Spaniards, and how important these horses were in shaping America.

Now, 7 years later, as we await the arrival of this small group, the last and finest (in my opinion!) of the Baca horses are arriving at The Center, a facility and organization that was inspired by Adelantado, our first horse from New Mexico.

There are a lot of mixed emotions today. Feeling sad for the Baca's as they watch the last of their horses get loaded, but also so excited to be able to help the horses and care for them, and to provide them a bright future. They are beautiful spirits.We are able to carry on the legacy for the life of these horses, although sadly, I feel it is too late strengthen the gene pool at this point.

If not for the support from people all over the country this would not be happening. We raised almost exactly enough money to cover transport expenses. From here on out we are looking at additional expenses for hay we had not planned on.

Fundraising is not easy. It takes energy, time and committment. It means going out of our comfort zone asking for help. The goal at the Center is to be self sufficient through revenue from our programs and other events. We do not want to rely on private donations forever. We are writing grants and working diligently to raise money. Until then however, we are developing a sponsorship program for these horses exclusively, reaching out to individuals and businesses who are interested in supporting the horses.

As the horses begin their trek, I will be in close touch with Tony from Troja horse transport. I know he will take good care of the precious cargo. I will be blogging daily on their whereabouts and updates.

Thank you everyone for your well wishes. May we continue to serve the horses with your help.

Stephanie
www.centerforamericasfirsthorse.org

Out with the old...

in with the new!

Amazing another year has come and gone. The list of accomplishments we've had at The Center for 2011 is long. Too long to remember or list off the top of my head. I know I had a number of live radio interviews, we had newspaper and magazine articles, the movie Buck made a great fundraiser for us, we held events and clinics, afterschool programs, our official non profit status was granted, new horses came in, made new friends and reconnected with old ones, the recent rescue of the Baca horses. That's just the tip of the iceberg though because beyond this list, we learned alot as an organization, and personally I've become aware of the continuing self development that the horses have inspired in me.

Having a lot of faith in humanity, and the Universe helps get us by. That pretty much sums up my year! Have had to do a lot of envisioning, manifesting, trusting, and taking the high road. Lifes lessons and opportunities keep coming no matter what. That's the moral I think. So many things have unfolded, so many truths founds, and still yet, many more in front of us.

The Center runs its affairs based on the values of honesty, hard work, love and finding humor in a lot of situations. Among other things, but those come to mind right now. We laugh alot, we worry alot, we work alot, but we do these things together as a board which makes it easier. We've been blessed with moral, physical and financial support this year, as our still newly organized venture is moving forward in it's own development and branding.

So a big sincere thanks to the Board of Directors, Jo, Brenda, Mary Anne, Elsie, Deanna, Sherry and Dierdre. This year wouldn't have happened like it did without your hours and hours of dedication. All for the horses.

Cheers to everyone,

Steph

Baca horse rescue Update

Please check out our latest update and news. It's good!

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Rescue-Update.html?soid=1104030126606&aid=qrCPNx1_hk4

A hearfelt letter from the owners of the rescue horses.

Our statement, and a letter from Annette Baca Gonzales. Thank you for taking the time to read this.

From The Center
A rare and unique herd of Colonial Spanish horses in New Mexico are sadly being dispersed. From one of the last original families who have bred Colonial Spanish horses for six decades, the time has come for them to place individual horses into the hands of others. The Center for America's First Horse has been asked to take a stallion, a mare and her 2011 filly at her side, and an 11 year old broodmare. They must be moved immediately! The owners are not able to support or care for them much longer. We must act now!

Not only will The Center be providing a loving and forever home for this group, but we will be continuing the legacy of these bloodlines. A number of offspring from the stallion already reside at The Center and are proven performance and ambassador horses. Our purpose as a non profit organization is to assist in rescuing Colonial Spanish horses in need, and aid in genetic conservation. An opportunity awaits them!

Please help us assist these horses by making a donation of any amount. If you can't give financially, consider a donation of goods or services which could be sold or auctioned on Ebay. Your contribution is fully tax deductible and will go towards transportation, feeding and care.

Please read the heartfelt letter below, written by Annette Baca -Gonzales of Baca Chica Farm.

For the horses,
Stephanie Lockhart and the Board of Directors

***************

Sometimes the best thing you can do is the hardest thing you have ever done.
From Annette Baca Gonzales of Baca Chica Farm

This year has been one of the most emotional years that I have ever experienced. But our faith will carry us as it always has. "Lift it up to the Lord," my Mom always says. She is and has always been right. 2011 went down in history as the driest, hottest summer on record in New Mexico. No rain for months, no grass on the field where our horses graze, just dead barren ground. Hay was at $9 to $12 dollars a bale. No breeding for years and years and as timing would have it we were blessed with 8 new foals this year.

Going through times like this just breaks something deep inside of you. These animals depend on you and everything inside of you is crying with despair about where their next meal is going to come from. Fortunately our farm has been a recognized part of the community for over 60 years. It was the most rewarding feeling when we finally reached out and felt the most overwhelming sense of support. It is so frightening how in a matter of weeks a healthy mare can drop weight when she has a foal by her side, even though you are doing your best to feed them.

I want to share our story because there are times when these situations are real and innocent and not at all a result of lack of love or due to neglect. We worked desperately to help them. As a family who loves their horses we made the very difficult decision to place our precious horses. Within a couple of weeks they had all been placed or reserved. The mares are fine now; I think our recovery will take longer than theirs.

As I watched while we loaded each of these horses onto the trailer, I saw my father's eyes well up as he said goodbye to each one of the horses individually. Each he had known from birth. Blessing them and just saying a few words just like you would a really good friend. It was just so hard to breath and tears fell from my eyes.

His life's work was the preservation of this breed. He just wants the whole world to know how important they are, but more than anything he wanted them to be taken care of. Only a few months ago he suffered a severe sub dermal hematoma. Dad wasn't supposed to survive and once again here he is, but he realizes that it's time that we hand off that proverbial baton. It was so hard to see him say goodbye but we knew that it was the right thing to do and the right time.

And poetically in the end, from the dust, broken hearts and tears as we sit looking at each other feeling so confused, we suddenly realized that all our dreams, all our prayers, and all our promises have been fulfilled.
Our "Baca Chica" horses will live on helping children at the Sandhill Child Development Center with Linda and Ralph Zimmerman, our angels, and with Stephanie at "The Center for America's First Horse". Stephanie and her family were sent to us in such a miraculous way so many years ago. Our hearts are overflowing with how grateful we are for the kindness they have shown us. In addition, we will continue to raise awareness with the help of Mary, Maxine, Tina and Greg Parra, Carla, Linda and Bruce. We can continue to offer breeding services with our 2 stallions and enjoy our small group that we will maintain at Baca Chica Farms. A new plan, but the same passion for the preservation of the Colonial Spanish Horse.

We are working hard to raise funds to get a small herd up to Stephanie at The Center For America's First Horse in Vermont. Anything anyone can do to help would be greatly appreciated. Contributions will go directly to transportation, feeding and care of the horses and will be 100% tax deductible.

The last day of class

Today was the last day of the 6 week natural horsemanship class I taught at The Center. It was great to see how the 10 women in the class had built their confidence and skills with their horse. Today, we ended the session with doing work at liberty in the round pens. It is still an awesome thing for me to watch when people are using their energy and body language in a way the horse understands. RESULTS! YES! It's an empowering thing to cause a horse to move, stop, back, change direction, face you and look at you with two very attentive eyes and ears perked forward. All with out the use of ropes or halters.

More than just being tasks, what I have learned and want to teach, is that while at liberty it's really just a dance of the amount of life in your core, the timing and harmony with the horse, along with a strong sense of focus. Not focus with eyes, but focus of intent and a lot of visualization.

It's a learned skill that takes practice. It takes a lot of practice. And lots of mistakes are made in the process which are really not mistakes but just learning curves. It's all a learning process. Even when it comes naturally and comfortably, I'm still learning and observing the horse and being receptive of what he has to say to me.

I'm really proud of the group of gals that spent their Saturday mornings at The Center. I know first hand how much learning a new thing can be humbling and awkward. Frustration can set in. What a great opportunity for growth. So many times the horses give us just what we need. As long as we stay open and find the humor in it all is well.

A new beginning

Lightening's owner came today to spend time with her "new" horse. She looks the same but she asked, "What happened to my horse?!" Lightening greeted her with a sniff, perky ears and a soft eye. It just warms my heart to see the two of them beginning a partnership now. I hadn't seen what the previous relationship looked like, but could pretty well guess it was Lightening running the show.

Today they had dialogue. There was asking, telling, questions and answers. There was purpose, feel, patience, understanding. But there was also a lot of love. I have always liked the Parelli-ism, "Love, language and leadership in three equal doses". So often do I see the imbalance, with LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE being the only component of the relationship. Usually with women who are new to owning horses! Too much leadership and the horse becomes resentful and feels like a puppet. Not enough language or communication and things can go awry pretty well. So balance is the key as I understand it.

The other thing that struck me today was that so often we bring our own baggage into the relationship. Especially if there's been some disharmony with the horse somewhere along the line. I experienced it myself this spring with Morado. Just had a hard time trusting and it snowballed into a confidence issue for both of us. Glad that is behind me now...and I've learned how to let go of any negative thinking when I enter into Morado's world.

Attitude is the most important factor to me when working with horses and their people. Making a conscious decision to stay positive and knock old thinking out of the way is hard, but doable. It just takes practice and an environment where that is the norm. Both Lightening and her owner are on the right track to a better way with each other. It's satisfying to be part of it.

On the Baca horse rescue note...Things are taking shape. We still have a good amount of money to raise but each day donations are bringing us closer. I am contacting transport companies searching for the right match for this precious load. It's a special load of horses that is going to take a knowledgeable driver, and one that will closely monitor the horses health along the way. I've had enough experience with hiring transport now that I know what I'm looking for.

We've had an enormous amount of generosity shown towards this rescue effort and am so grateful for everyone who has helped in some way. Our goal is to keep the momentum flowing and get the horses here as safely and quickly as possible. Will keep updating news as it happens!
Thank you!

It's good to have friends

This afternoon I caught Lightening and Turtle having a friendly moment together. They both are on the bottom of the pecking order and I have watched them jockey for the second- to -lowest- rung -on -the -ladder position for a few days now. As Lightenings confidence around other horses is developing, she has given him "the look" and he "looks" back at her but neither really moves. A lot of gesturing going on there. He's not a very assertive guy in the herd. It makes people feel bad for him.

But today, I spied on them standing side by side, head to tail. Alone in the arena they stood next to each other, almost looking as if they were going to groom each other. It was an awkward moment, like two teenagers who were going to kiss for the first time! Neither one really knew if they should or not.

Then they saw me walk in and immediately, as if they got caught doing something wrong, moved away from each other. I see Turtle allowing her to share hay with him now and then. But she has to ask permission. It's so subtle. How I wish I could be that subtle and respected as a mother of teenagers! I can learn from Turtle and Lightening. I think they really are friends and probably during the night hang out and I don't even know it.

On another note...some of you may be following the rescue situation at the Baca Chica Farm in NM. Today we were blessed with friends of the horses who sent in donations to help with shipping. It's been amazing the support and generosity that has been shown to assist us in bringing these horses to Vermont. I know we will reach our goal, and exceed it with so many friends and supporters. Many thanks to everyone who has donated or shared the story with others. It makes a difference for the horses. We are grateful.

The Center to the Rescue

I have recently been notified that a rare and unique herd of Colonial Spanish horses are sadly being dispersed. From one of the last original families who have bred Colonial Spanish horses for decades, the time has come for them to place individual horses into the hands of others. The Center for America's First Horse has been asked to take on one stallion, a mare and her 2011 filly at her side, and an 11 year old broodmare. The horses must be moved immediately! The owners are not able to support or care for them much longer. We must act now!

We want to bring this breeding group to The Center to continue their legacy. The Center for America's First Horse will be the only facility to have a stallion and mares from these rare bloodlines. A number of offspring of this group of horses already resides at The Center and are proven performance and ambassador horses. Our purpose as a non profit organization is to assist in rescuing Colonial Spanish horses in need, and aid in genetic conservation. An opportunity awaits these horses.

Our organization is ready to bring these horses to Vermont as soon as funds are raised to ship them. $800 has already been donated towards this project. The mare and filly will be placed in foster care near their current home until the spring. The stallion and broodmare are waiting for us to raise an approximate $2,200 in additional funds before they can come to their forever home. It is critical that these horses be transported before our winter weather sets in for good.

Please help us assist these horses by making a donation of any amount. If you can't give financially, consider a donation of goods or services which could be sold or auctioned on Ebay. Your contribution is fully tax deductible. Www.centerforamericasfirsthorse.org

With gratitude,

Stephanie

CurlyQ is on the payroll

Enlightening had a job today. It was first her job since she's had her enlightenment. It was a simple job, but an important one nonetheless. She really didn't have to do much physically, which made her happy. She didn't have to make any tough decisions, and her only responsibility was to be quiet and at ease. If all jobs were so easy for us humans.

All she had to do today was be one of the demo horses for our saddle fitting workshop. I could have used a number of my other horses, but I wanted her to have a purpose for all the changes she's made recently. While we oohed and ahhhed over the pretty saddles presented to us, Lightening stood next to me and waited for her time in the spotlight. She didn't fidget around much but was curious. A little girl spent time kissing her nose and petting her while I sat down holding her on a loose rope. She called her CurlyQ. It was pleasant to have CurlyQ standing next to me with a hind foot cocked and her head low. She was patient. That in itself is a big lesson accomplished.

We put a number of different bare trees on her and fussed with the saddles, learning about shimming and placement. All of us staring at her back can create discomfort, as the horse can perceive it as pressure. Nine sets of eyes focused on her at once made her a little bit unsure of the situation but instead of getting pushy because of her discomfort, she allowed me to guide her and help her feel okay. She relaxed into it and started to enjoy the attention. She got a lot of praising and smiles and in return, she relaxes. It was such a subtle moment and possibly I was the only one to notice it.

Many horses are happiest when they have a task or purpose. The more jobs they have, the more their confidence builds and they learn life lessons like being calm and trusting. I can't expect CurlyQ to build her confidence if she doesn't get an opportunity to be part of something. I have to trust her as much as possible and allow her to trust me too. Self esteem in horses is as important as our own self esteem. When they are able to put their new skill sets to work and get rewarded, they'll begin to look for the right answer. I like horses that ask questions. It's the beginning of a partnership based on communication.

Of horses and humans.

I strive to be more like my horse. He is a clear communicator to those of the same species, he is a good leader, recognizes dangerous situations, has a high level of self preservation which keeps him out of trouble, and has a respectable level of self esteeem. My horse is not overly egotistical, however he knows his worth and is not afraid to portray himself as who he is. He is honest with those around him and with himself.

Then...there are some horses that I really would not want to be like. Some are full of fear, disrespectful to others, unfair and show little emotion. These are the horses that have most likely been brought up in an unnatural environment for a horse. Those that have been spoiled, treated as overgrown lap dogs, and completely misunderstood by the humans surrounding them. These are the same horses that often end up in auctions, or passed around as a problem horse, or worse yet, euthanized.

And it is no fault of the horse they behave like this. We have a responsibility to our animals whether they are hamsters or horses. The horse owner that admits there is a problem with the relationship with their horse, and takes action any way they can by getting help is on the road to the right place.

Not everyone can afford to take regular lessons or send their horse to reform school. Not every horse needs reform school either. Most common it's the owner that needs more understanding of their horse. But in cases like Enlightening, she really needed to understand a few things first since she had missed some essential lessons from the herd.

I watched with interest yesterday when she pinned her ears at Turtle and drove him away. She had been on the bottom of the pecking order the last 5 days. She half heartedly nipped at him, I could tell she wasn't really confident about driving him away from her hay, but she gave it her best effort. And Turtle moved, much to her surprise. She's gaining confidence within the herd. Enlightening is working towards finding balance in her life.

In the end, I guess that's really what I'm looking for too. That, and being more like a horse in a herd.

The struggle with change and why it's important

Thanks to a new horse I have in for training, I felt inspired to make time to get back into the blog mode.

Most of us are in the know that horses can be metaphors in our life, can be a catalyst for change, and bring way more to our lives than meet the eye. This 9 year old Curly mare, Lightening, who I now call Enlightening, has been a great example of the change that can come when boundaries are set.

Enlightening's owner sent her to me for a week initially, after the mare bucked off her young grandchild for no apparent reason that made sense to the owner. I believe the horse had no intention to hurt anyone, but through her lack of respect she had no reason to carry this child any longer and acted on that impulse. Not a good situation for anyone.

This mare was pushy, opinionated, disrespectful and due to not being raised with other horses, she had no sense of what moving to pressure meant. My other horses gestured at her and she didn't respond. I "gestured" at her by swinging the tail end of my rope and the response I got was to barge into me. So that was the first problem we had to fix, then I figured the rest would come pretty naturally to her. And it has.

In 8 days, Enlightening has had a...well...enlightenment! She had been labeled an extroverted personality, never relaxed, her feet always moving, a real busy body. With her new boundaries set and an understanding of leadership from humans and her new herdmates, she is now a relaxed horse and has crossed the line to more introverted, calm horse who I believe is her innate horsenality. I've seen her hard eye change into a soft one, she licks and chews at each opportunity of new ideas, she sighs and carries herself with more softness and flexibility in her body.

To allow Enlightening to make these changes took a matter of only a few hours. But those hours weren't pretty. She was resistant to make those changes initially and I had to be as firm as another horse may be. Clear communication, and passive persistence on my part was the key.

Her changes have been made into her core. She has a feeling of safety being with the other horses and feels safer with people now. I believe she never had a leader in her life and was always running on adrenaline because of it. I can see how she has finally "let down". I can see it emotionally in her but also physically. She spent almost two days sleeping. I was on the verge of calling the vet she was so sleepy. Laying down on and off all day. As her owner and I stood with her talking she layed down flat, closed her eyes and fell asleep.

Enlightening is here for another week or so and my hope is to blog each day about her progress. Perhaps it can raise some awareness of the fact that there are no bad horses, just ones that need boundaries set. The result is respect and trust.

A Call to Action

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http://centerforamericasfirsthorse.org/a-call-to-action.html

Besides organizing many of our events which are scheduled right around the corner and teaching quite a bit, I'm making time to get back in the saddle so to speak. Morado and I have really been getting it together and it's sure opened up a lot of new thoughts on training at a higher level than just starting them out. I've spent the last number of years bringing along young and unhandled horses, horses that had not been undersaddle, and those with some "issues".

My recommittment to continue developing Morado has spiked my enthusiasm to study dressage from a different viewpoint now. He is far enough along in his training that we are able to get beyond the basic level and start to visit collection and lateral work more indepth, and correctly.

Because of the foundation of natural horsemanship that Morado has been exposed to since he was an unhandled three year old, he is a willing partner with a lot of "try" in him. He has taught me as much as I've taught him. I will continue to leave my own agenda at home and follow his lead on when he is ready to progress to the more demanding movements required for dressage. For now, our focus is on balance, connection, and building his strength. After having at least 18 months off of little to no riding, his topline needs building. My requests for working more off of his hindquarters has been answered by him with willingness. For that, I am thankful. My presentation of more difficult work must be alright then as he continues to have a good work ethic and is happy in his work. That will always be my goal and I will gauge my success on his attitude.

I've been very fortunate recently to have a mentor and friend who has been a classical dressage instructor for many years. Her deep understanding of equine anatomy and biomechanics, her intuitive strengths, and understanding and appreciation of the Colonial Spanish horses have made her an important part of my team. She lives and believes in the softer way, always keeping the horse first. She respects natural horsemanship in ground work and riding. A rare find for her level of expertise. I am grateful for her time and input. I finally feel that I have connected with the right person to bring Morado and I along.

With each ride I am reminded of why I work so hard for these unique horses. They have such heart and desire when interested in their training. It's up to me to not fail them by rushing them or lacking patience. That is something that natural horsemanship has taught me and how fortunate for the horses I was ready to learn that. I hope I can share that with others.

BUCK The Film

Tomorrow, July 22nd is the showing of BUCK to benefit the Center! I'm so excited!!! Oscar and Thunder will be arriving at the Essex Cinema around 5:00 to meet movie goers. It's been a great opportunity for us to promote the movie and The Center at the same time. Hope to see everyone there!

On another note...we are gearing up for the 2nd Equine, Arts & Eats Festival September 17 to be held at The Center. This benefit event features visual and performing arts, organic and local food vendors, and of course horse demonstrations and activities all day long.

We are offering vending space to artists, handcrafters, and those in the healing arts field. For more information go to our website www.centerforamericasfirsthorse.org and click Equine, Arts and Eats!