Entering the zone...

Appears that the summer lesson season has hit at The Center. I have 6 hours of lessons to teach today and it's heavy the rest of the week. Thank goodness Tori and Eliza are available to help, along with Brandon (intern) who takes up so much slack around the place.

We had a riding lawn mower generously donated by land neighbors, Suzanne and Noel Dodge. Brandon spent 6 hours on it the first day mowing in places that I really wasn't so sure it could handle. It's looking like a park, with all the flowers in bloom and the freshly mowed fields.

Our woman's Vermont getaway weekend is going to be great fun! A friend is coming from Maine with her two Spanish Mustangs along with other folks from the area and beyond. It'll feel like a mini vacation for me too!

As much as I'd like to continue writing a long post today, the horses are waiting for me so I best get going to start the day...!

Progress continues

It was nearly one month ago I posted about my lesson with David Lichman and Morado. Since then I've committed to working with Morado daily. What a difference it has made. It's been difficult to set aside an hour a day for him, but I know if I am to make any progress, then that is what I have to do. And I'm glad I have.

It's been rewarding to watch the changes that have come when he gets regular attention from me. No surprise there. I did ride him on Monday which is the first time in a year or more. We walked and trotted in the arena with a halter on. He was fine, I was relaxed. There was still something about him though that didn't feel right. I am now going to examine the fit of the saddle more closely and try another saddle on him. He felt sticky in his forward movement. Knowing from past experience that it's a precurser to a more athletic exhibition, I opted to just finish on a good, confident note for our first ride in a while! No pressure, no direct line thinking, no agenda.

If only other parts of my life could more regularly be like that one hour with Morado.

The learning never stops

I spent Wed. and Thurs. at a clinc with JoAnna Mendl Shaw and David Lichman. The two of them together with their combined knowledge of movement and horsemanship was impressive. I've been licking and chewing, as we say when the horses are thinking, the last few days on the information I got from the clinic. One significant thing that was confirmed for me was that technique and skill aren't as important and heart, energy and intuition. Technique and skill level can be taught and enhanced, but there are so many other components that the horse is aware of when we work with him.

On Friday I had a private lesson with David. I've struggled for a while now with some confidence issues with Morado. Both of our confidence! "When the student is ready, the teacher appears." It was just what I needed. My emotional attachment to Morado has somehow made it difficult for me to intuitively troubleshoot the challenges I've faced with him. In the meantime, I've been doubting myself when working with him, and my lack of confidence has worried him. Sort of a snowball effect.

David has put me back on track, offered follow up support and he validated my feelings about what's been going on with Morado. It's been as if a weight is lifted off my shoulders.

I've recommitted myself to Morado's development, which is committing to my own development. I am inspired and excited to track our progress starting yesterday. For the next 30 days, I will be blogging about Morado and I and getting it together again!

Back to the Blog

My apologies to my blog followers for being gone for a month. Just not enough time in the day to fit everything in. Without rehashing what the last month has been like, I'll just say that there have been a lot opportunities for personal development between our construction of the barn and other business items that needed our attention.

The good news is the grass is growing, all horses remain healthy and happy, and activities are picking up speed at The Center. Our newsletter reaches over 900 people, and we've had great response to the important work we are doing!

Some important dates this summer: Sept. 17 our big fundraising event: Equine, Arts& Eats Festival to be held at The Center. We are accepting art and food vendors now, and looking for sponsors from businesses and organizations, and individuals. We will have all of our information posted very soon.

Memorial Day weekend, keep your eyes open for the Stowe Guide magazine where you will read a feature article on the Center. It should be a wonderful way to spread the word of what we do.

And today...I have an hour long radio interview with Equess radio show, an internet radio show which features women in the horse industry. The show will be posted to the internet on Friday!

Well friends, that's all I have time for right now, but keep visiting the blog as I get back into the swing of things..

Sincerely,

Stephanie

Attention Hidalgo Fans!

Tonight we've announced an exclusive offer to raise funds for our organization! You don't have to have a Facebook account to view. But I'll tell you here too!

A beautiful horsehair bracelet has been made and donated by Crazy4 ponytails.com out of Oscar's tail hair (our equine celebrity). It's gorgeous, with sterling silver charm and beads. It will be auctioned off on Ebay starting April 30 and ending May 8th.We'll post the link to ebay when we start the auction. The bracelet comes with Oscar's autograph, certificate of authenticity, and a Hidalgo dvd! Please share this info with your friends! http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=10150565691390094&set=a.10150194877085094.433185.10150104999335094&type=1

Jeezum Crow, or is it Geezum Crow? (Vermont saying for you out of towners). Where'v I been? Fallin' behind on blog posts. For a day or so there I thought it was spring and got all excited about it. Turned to flurries the next day, but never fear ...spring is almost here. Down to three layers on the top today. Was one year ago exactly that I moved the horses to the Johnson land. The week before, Kara, Jo and I had spent our time pounding a few hundred cedar posts for fencing. Glad I'm not having to do that right now. Still got two feet of snow in some places. Top wire of the fence at the horses elbows in the back 40. Two different vehicles got stuck in the mud in the driveway today. Not too bad considering the traffic around the Center. Had a couple of horses up and down it, four or five trucks, a couple of cars, and a Subaru. Subarus don't count as cars around here, or as trucks. (They're the un-official Vermont car and are in a category all by themselves.) Can't drive up next to the Caboose for a bit of time till things dry up. Take note. Won't mention the site around the arena foundation. Might lose your boot if you walk in too far. Won't mention anything like that to the crew till they get here early next week... if their foreman gets out of the hospital. THAT has really held things up. Have learned alot lately about accepting those things we can't change. Like the weather and sick foreman. Found some used spring tiles on craigslist. They were practically right in our backyard and at a price I couldn't pass up. Funny language the guy spoke when he pulled in with a 36' trailer to deliver them and thought he'd make that narrow turn at the bottom of the driveway. Guess we gotta fix that culvert. Couple of words I didn't quite understand when he got his rig stuck in that mud a bit later. Dang...hope his day got better.

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