Equine Evolution

A little bit of snow this morning but that hasn’t stopped the sun from shining! Did you know that Budd was the horse that inspired, nudged and encouraged me to take the leap into leading my heart based businesses. Who inspires you to create from the heart?

I found myself on the wrong side of the creek, looking at the horses who were looking at me. I knew I was on the wrong side the side where I may not find a safe spot to cross , ,but it kind of felt like an adventure. So I walked along noticing that the water has come up knowing that it was freezing cold. I thought about the summer when I would just take my boots off and feel refreshed as I navigated to the other side but today that wasn’t an option. It was looking like I wo...uld have to walk back. Until I found a spot where there was a ledge and a shallow spot on the other side. I would have to jump to make it but it looked possible. As I stood there my logical mind kicked into over drive, showing me all the possible outcomes what if you slip? What if you hurt yourself? What if you get wet!? And then the quieter voice What if you don’t even try? And so I took a few running steps and leaped right on over to the other side. Watched the horses gallop away and then circle back. I grinned at the experience because it was beautiful I could witness all the conversations in my mind the doubt the fear and then the knowing. The knowing was that all logic pointed to I would make it just fine. And so the horses and I walked away together in knowing that taking that leap , propels us into possibility. When have you taken a leap that propels you into possibility?

Be Still and Know ~ On my nightstand sits Glennon Doyle’s book Untamed, where I read one of her favourite quotes Be Still and Know, which really resonated within me. One because I love the power of simple words strung together in a stunning way and two because it is one of the most difficult things for me to teach. Each moment each breathe we take with the horse they whisper this. An ask to be still, an ask to be quiet and listen to the vastness of the being that resides within you. Here is where you will really find all the answers, here is where if you get lost you will find your way. The horses will happily lead you on the way to feeling this knowing. Just close your eyes, Be Still and Know.

She will show you the way, to uncage yourself , and claim your wild! When you see a horse galloping through the field, unbridled, free what is the first thing that you think of? Close your eyes right now and see that, feel that, what’s the first word that popped into your mind.... If you are called to share, pop that word in the comments section

The Cast Horse It shouldn’t surprise me anymore but I suppose it still does. The interweaving of life’s messages, signposts and how they always seem to reflect in a larger scale to the teachings I recieve from the horse. During the week as I was driving away from Aspenview I happened to look into the neighbors field where I saw one of their horses was cast. A cast horse is one that is stuck often seen in a stall situation, but this of course can happen anywhere, and this poo...r horse managed to cast himself against a fence. I prayed that he wasn’t to badly tangled in the fence and went and got help. Eventually three of us stood around this sweet boy who lay on his back grunting and groaning thankfully not tangled in the fence at all but clearly stuck... a bit more psychologically than physically .Completely vunerable to us, yet trusting, I kneeled at his head petting him asking this sweet boy how he had managed this! To be safe and give him options the fence was taken down as soon as it was clear we all expected him to hop to his feet...but no he layed there like he was suspended by some imaginary force. He needed a bit more of our help. As we began to maneuver him encouraging him to roll to his feet, I noticed there was the smallest of ledges built by the earth, that had become the large barrier to his ability to get to his feet. So the three of us encouraged him to roll the other way and voila he stood up. I think we all expected him to next charge off in the other direction, but instead he stayed as we chatted, like he was thanking us, and of course monitoring the progress on the fence repair. I drove away feeling so thankful that we could help this horse, working together, that he was unharmed and all ended well. But my gratitude grew as I realized the preciousness of this lesson. Fear of the unknown can suspend us on the smallest of barriers and all we need is to accept help from someone else, or to notice that we may be focusing on what we can’t do instead of focusing on what we can do, Life is 10% of what happens to us and 90% of how we respond to it. From horse to human we may find ourselves in these sticky spots but when we connect with intention together anything is possible. Even moving a 1200 pound horse! So I leave with you the story of the cast horse, as a metaphor of leaning away from the thing you may think is a hurdle that has you stuck, to leaning into the large space that is just on the other side if you set your intentions to what you CAN do!

Where is the path of curiosity leading you? In the felt sense of growth Feeling the warmth of the sun on the earth Seeing the new grass grow... Knowing that everything is possible If you put your heart into it Looking into the eyes of a horse who puts his trust in you Floating on the winds of curiosity trusting him as much as he trusts you It’s a curious path, only for you

Starting March 1st I will be extending my services into mentor ship programs. ~ This is for you if you are ready to align with purpose ~ Wanting a consistent schedule with the horses and eager to receive a well rounded knowledge about them ~ If you are ready to take that next step to fufilling your dream... ~ Adding equine guided learning to your profession Mentor ship programs are individual sessions, extra precautions are being taken to ensure that we are always working within Covid guidelines. Ready to dive in or want to learn more? Email [email protected]

What an honour it has been to write for this inspiring heart felt magazine! Check out my article along with all the other wonderful authors!

This angry face was being directed towards another mare getting in our space. When I scrolled back on my photos from the herd today oddly enough this one caught my attention the most. Perhaps because many conversations I have had lately are on anger, and how it is one of the most shocking emotions that continues to arise as we round the corner of year two in our pandemic. The shares and stories are from teachers, friends , colleagues, clients who I admire greatly who live a ...harmonious life and have put in the work to be in that space. Yet when confronted with anger take a step back from an emotion that has become almost unfamiliar. Anger is raw and confrontational, many of us have been taught it is wrong or bad to feel angry. So the muscle that gets used is one to suppress and maybe even hide. Did you know that the entire process of anger only lasts 90 seconds. It is a massive in and out pouring of energy. So why do we stay angry for so long? Well as humans we can replay the trigger over and over again staying stuck in an angry loop. Yet anger can also provide important feedback in self inquiry maybe it’s fear, maybe attachment to an outcome, or maybe someone has entered your space without permission Today I watched as Aggie firmly and fairly established a boundary with another mare who was not invited into ‘our moment’. If I timed it I am sure would have lasted less than 90 seconds, and in that briefest of moment order was established. Aggie let herself express what she needed and all returned to being well again. Reflection, the more we practice being ok with our own raw emotions the easier it gets to moving back to harmony. Although I don’t believe that ‘angry’ is an actualized horse emotion. I used the term in reference to a broader learning experience on how we can learn to observe anger from the horses as a brief expression of establishing boundaries.

You can make anything happen, if you put energy into it.

When you reach that gallop moment and everything clicks, your in flow and nothing is stopping you now. The horses know and are there to run wild and free with you all the way. These are the moments we share... And today I remembered to bring a camera to capture a special moment between souls. (*With client permission I share*)

I had a client that started to show me how to train a horse. With the rope held in one had she would drive the horse around the arena complaining that there was to much space and she had to chase after them. The pen must be smaller in order for them to submit so less energy was being used. And concluded that I would never be able to work with clients in such a big space. I thought about it for some time how far away that idea has become for me, I thought how out of alignment ...that very concept was from what I have been taught by the horse. I don’t see work with horses as who exerts more or less energy rather than as an equal exchange. I suppose you could say flowing in alignment with universal laws. But it’s not that easy to surrender to new ideas or travel away from what is normal into the unknown. The horse will teach us to lead, the horse will teach us to run with them, but most of all the horse will teach us what it is to embody being our whole self. Sometimes that is letting go of the idea that you must be right. Sometimes that is seeing that an alternate path lays right in front of you. Putting down the rope and the distractions to really listen to the horse and listen to yourself.

Some of the most inspiring conversations I have had have been walking alongside the horse.

Align with love. The one thing that is always certain is the wisdom that rests deep inside. A spacious place of peace when you close your eyes it warms you on the coldest of days. Illuminating the path that may have been dimmed. And in case you forgot or lost your way the horses will always lovingly show you the way . Home.

On movement Last night I had a dream of a phoenix soaring and swirling against a sunset sky. I walked with someone I didn’t know and looked over and said we are connected by voltage. Today the herd shared with me that everything is moving , in the way that when you look up at the sky and see a cloud drifting by. You wonder where it began and where it will end up with a sense of wonder, indifference, maybe both. The two opposing directions are actually what connect energy b...eings together in the end. Voltage. And with this perspective I resumed a walk with Budd who as he does when he has something great to share walked with me shoulder to shoulder looking into my eyes saying I am always here for you to lean on, always here to support the journey. and even in the cooler month the horses continue to be here for you too