Grace Acres

Ever seen a horse hoolahoop? Or a 1100lbs prey animal who chooses to hang out and not wander over to eat grass? Would you believe its actually the horse who's doing the teaching? Though this girl is super creative!!... Just another day of life skills and wellness programming at Grace Acres Equine Connection (a mental health support service).

Horses carry the Wisdom of Healing in their hearts and offer it to any humans who possess the Humility to Listen.

2020 sure has been a year to remember... Some days were sloppy and grey and cold and isolating (for some of you, you know I'm not talking about the weather!) .... much like the only day we had to take our Christmas pictures ... And some days were filled with moments of what truly matters despite all the upset and uncertainty ... much like the sweetness of our ponies and pups who once again made us smile and laugh with their comedy and innocence. There is always a bright side May you all have many of THOSE moments in 2021. " I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year." - Charles Dickens Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from everyone at Grace Acres

Credit: Charlie Mackesy

Happy National Day of the Horse from everyone at Grace Acres!

Today at Grace Acres... Do you see that silly face? She's actually yawning. Horses let go of tension when they yawn. Do you see his smile? He helped bring that yawn out. ... Why is that a big deal? A 1000 lb flight/prey animal felt safe enough to relax in his presence. A great teacher(the horse) + great teamwork + listening + learning, made a feel good kind of morning and memories that last forever.

There just can't be any better way to enjoy a sunny November day at Grace Acres... the best girls... the best horses... The Great (Annual??) Rock Picking Contest ... even got the tack cleaned...... PLUS look who's the monkey in the middle.... ( check the comments for the video ! ) AND so much laughter! See more

BE authentic #carsonjames

Quote of the Day - "The waiting, The meantime, The in-between... It all serves a purpose... Trust your process, even the delays and detours." ~ Artist ~ Chris Owen

May we honor those that fought for our freedoms past, by following a path of peace forward.

You know you're on the right path when you spend more time smiling. #harmonyhorsemanship #libertyhorsetraining #libertytraining #libertyhorsemanship #palomino #palominohorse #layingdownhorse #horsetraining #positivereinforcement #bigsmile #joyinthejourney #joyfulliving

REMEMBERING THE EQUINES WHO SUFFERED AND DIED IN WARFARE It is estimated that eight million horses and countless mules and donkeys died in the First World War. ...Britain alone is reported to have lost over 484,000 horses, one horse for every two men lost, along with huge numbers of donkeys and mules. Equines were used to transport ammunition and supplies to the front and many died, not just from shellfire but also from the appalling conditions they endured. Horses were used for battle, reconnaissance, carrying messengers, pulling artillery, ambulances and supply wagons. They raised morale among those at the front and the soldiers formed extraordinary relationships with their animals. Conditions were horrific and terrifying for them they were killed by artillery fire, suffered from skin disorders like mange and ringworm, became sick from poison gas and many died of exhaustion, colic or were drowned. The sick equines were treated for illness or injury at makeshift vet hospitals and sent back to the front. In just one year 120,000 horses were treated by British vet hospitals alone. This image is of the War Horse statue at Ascot. 'Poppy' is a haunting bronze sculpture, her head is bowed and she has a string of barbed wire around her hooves. It is a memorial to war horses that lost their lives during World War One. There is a great deal of information on horses in warfare here on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horses_in_warfare

"What do you think is a true sign of strength?" "Gentleness" said the horse.

That feeling. Like something is following you.

Just horsin' around - Halloween style. Have a safe and spooktakular evening! Happy Halloween from the Grace Acres’ Herd

Grace Acres wants to know, horses or no horses, what does "connection" look/feel like to you?

Day Ten of Ten Days - Learning About Connection "To me, horses and freedom are synonymous." Veryl Goodright Did you know that your connection with a horse can bring you freedom? Mind, body and soul, for centuries, they have carried us to places we are unable to go on our own. ... Horses restore the sense of motion and balance in disabled human bodies. They heal the wounded minds of veterans and victims. They soften all our broken hearts and through our interactions with them, we often find more meaningful direction in our lives. This is freedom. Horses teach us an endless number of things: patience, communication, leadership, relationship, honesty and how to hone in on our intuition. This is freedom. Horses also inspire us to be out in nature, breathe deeply and find our inner peace. They give us adventure and an opportunity to learn how to love and respect ourselves. They are role models on having balance in life. They are hands down the best anti- depressant and they give us an opportunity to be our authentic selves. This is all freedom. When was the last time YOU felt free? REALLY free? And were both lost and found in the moment? Want to know more about how a connection with a horse can enrich your life? Follow us and check out our website www.grace-acres.ca

Day Nine of Ten Days - Learning About Connection Did you know that your connection with a horse can add adventure to your life? Of course that means epic trail rides and rodoes but it also means feeling 'awe' in the everyday moments. Horses have a way of taking your breath away. Adding the element of 'awe' to your day reduces stress by allowing you to be a part of something greater than yourself. You become lost in the moment. You are present and free.... For centuries horses have taken us to places we could never have gone without them. They continually inspire us with their beauty and bravery, and entertain us with their majesty and curiosity. Whether in the saddle or on the ground, they give us the confidence to do things we might not otherwise do. They give us wings to fly. When was the last time YOU had adventure in your life? Or felt the rush of wonderment stirring in your soul? Want to now more? Follow us and check out our website www.grace-acres.ca

Day Eight of Ten Days- Learning About Connection Did you know that your connection with horses can improve your relationship with yourself? There are so many messages out there encouraging you to engage in "self care". As important as it sounds, unfortunately it can often be a daunting and difficult task to know where to start, to put yourself first, or even truly love, understand and be who you are. Horses give you the opportunity to know where to start, they lead by exampl...e for 'self care' choices, and they are completely AUTHENTIC teachers. Humans often say or do one thing, but inside feel something completely different. Unlike humans horses are incapable of putting on a mask and hiding who they are. Their reactions to our behavior speak volumes of our true intentions, feelings and thoughts. A horse would much rather respect you for being honest then deal with the incongruencies of your conflicting feelings and actions. It keeps them safe. It shows them you can be a strong leader. So be afraid. Be happy. Be tired. Be different. Be strong. Be unsure. But whatever it is be honest. They will tell you "Be your authentic self". And their acceptance of YOU will show you how to do the same. When was the last time YOU felt your authentic self shine? Or had the self love and respect you so deserve? Want to know more? Follow us and check out our website www.grace-acres.ca

Day Seven of Ten Days - Learning About Connection Did you know that your connection with horses can improve your confidence? And not just when you are with them. Horses teach you a type of confidence that will transfer into other areas of your life. True confidence is trusting yourself. Not simply that you will succeed, but that you will be okay no matter what challenges you will face. It is being a leader first to yourself, and as a result a leader to others in your life. ... Why horses? As herd animals, horses seek out strong leadership for their safety. They are 650 -1000+ lbs of free will. Think about that. When they choose to remain calmly alongside of you (or under you), even in spite of you're own hesitancies and fears, the experience is extremely humbling. It is also affirming that you have within you the leadership that they are seeking. They are saying: Trust yourself. When was the last time YOU truly trusted yourself to try something new? Make a huge decision? Make a change in your life? Or had the confidence to listen to your inner voice? Want to know how horses can teach you about these things and much more? Follow us and check out our website www.grace-acres.ca

Day Six of Ten Days - Learning About Connection Did you know that your connection with horses can teach you about finding balance in your life? Balance creates harmony. It restores energy. True balance is not something that can be forced into being but rather it is felt. It creates calm and meaningful partnerships. It keeps us safe from stress. It also aligns us with nature's rhythms, which in turn aligns us with our own. Horses seek balance always in everything they do. As ...prey animals, they are in a constant flux of balancing fight, flight, and rest. This is what keeps them healthy and safe. Look at our photo closely. Our herd of four VERY unique individuals are showing you what balance looks like. If you look closely you'll see the harmony of how they exist together. Notice their positions. Feel the balance. Let that awareness resonate for a moment. When was the last time YOU felt balance in your life? Or felt an ease in your relationships? We live in such a busy time - take this time to seek out more. Follow us or check out our website www.grace-acres.ca

Day Five of Ten Days - Learning About Connection Did you know that your connection with a horse can help you breathe? Yes - breathe. Seems simple right? You probably think you already do that quite well BUT chances are, like many of us, you are on autopilot rushing through life - literally not breathing deeply and likely carrying a heavy load on your shoulders, and in your heart. Breathing deeply decreases stress, relieves pain, increases energy, lowers blood pressure and i...mproves immunity. Breathe deeply and you will feel the weight of the world lift. Horses can show us how to relieve tension. Just by being in their presence, they give us the opportunity to slow down and feel our surroundings. A healthy horse in a healthy environment knows intrinsically how to deal with stress (fear) and return to a state of calm (breathing deeply). They know how to be 100% at peace. When was the last time YOU breathed? TRULY breathed? And felt at peace with yourself, your relationships, your surroundings? Want to know more? Follow us or check out our website www.grace-acres.ca

Day Four of Ten Days - Learning About Connection Did you know that your connection with horses can be one of the best anti- depressants out there? This remedy is both preventative and healing. Its researched therapeutic results surpass those of many talk therapies and medications. It is also highly accessible for people from all walks of life, ages, genders, abilities and experiences: men, women, youth, anyone with PTSD anxiety, depression, and many others. You don’t have ...to ride them. You don't even have to have something troubling you to feel the calm and the meaning it can add to your life. And results are often instant. Science has proven how large their electromagnetic heart field is. All you have to do is simply be with one and you are physically and emotionally influenced by their calming heart rhythms. When was the last time YOU felt relief from all that troubles you? Or like a child, had the biggest smile -- the kind the comes from deep within? Want to know more? Follow us or check out our website www.grace-acres.ca

Day Three of Ten Days - Learning About Connection Did you know that your connection with horses can enrich your connection with nature? When you are in nature you have the opportunity to feel healthy, inspired, and at peace. Being in nature is rejuvenating. Nature welcomes all people of all ages to be themselves - no expectations, no judgement. ... Horses invite us to get outside. Like nature they inspire us to notice the spectacular yet simple pleasures in life. They too are non-judgmental and we are humbled in their grandeur and wisdom of the natural world. When was the last time YOU truly spent time in nature? Or felt your worries disappear in the breeze? Our programs are all outdoors in a beautiful farm setting. Want to know more? Follow us or check out our website www.grace-acres.ca.

Day Two of Ten Days - Learning About Connection Did you know that your connection with a horse can teach you about how to trust yourself? When you trust yourself you hone in on your intuition , you are listening to your inner voice and you make meaningful and honest decisions in your life. When was the last time you REALLY listened to yourself?... Or truly trusted the feelings you keep pushing aside? Horses ALWAYS trust their intuition. It allows them to achieve a place of pure contentment. It is what keeps them safe. Want to know more? Keep following or check out our website. www.grace-acres.ca

Day One of Ten Days - Learning About Connection - Did you know that your connection with a horse will help you find inner peace? By having inner peace , you ar...e more calm, understanding, and feel better about yourself. When was the last time YOU felt THIS type of connection? Or had the conversation YOU need to have? Want to know more? Keep following or check out our website! www.grace-acres.ca

It is true, true and true!!

Hard to choose just one word...

"Horses are very keen on body language, and what I refer to as 'presence', and expression. They know quite a bit about you before you ever get to ‘em. They can ...read things about you clear across an arena." Buck Brannaman Support Good Horsemanship! #horses #horsemanship #neverstoplearning #eclectichorseman #naturalhorsemanship #rayhunt #tomdorrance #buckbrannaman #martinblack #billdorrance #tomcurtin #joewolter #bryanneubert #wendymurdoch #petercampbell See more

"An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day." ~ Henry David Thoreau

How much weight can a horse carry? In my experience, a horse can carry an infinite amount. They can carry the weight of broken hearts, broken homes, and broken... bodies. Countless tears sometimes comb their tangled manes. Moments when parents and friends cannot be there to help and hold a person, horses embrace and empower. They carry physical, mental, and emotional handicaps. They carry hopes and dreams; and they will carry the stress from your day when you can't carry it anymore. They carry graduations, they carry new careers, they carry moves away from everything familiar, they carry marriages, they carry divorces, they carry funerals, they carry babys before they are born, and sometimes they carry the mothers who cannot carry their own baby. They carry mistakes, they carry joy, they carry the good and they carry the bad. They carry drugs and addictions, but they also carry the celebrations. They will carry you to success when all you have felt is failure. They will carry you, never knowing the weight of your burdens and triumphs. If you let them, they will carry you through life, and life is hard, life is heavy. But a horse will make you feel weightless under it all. Author Unknown Thanks to all our 4 legged teachers who have given us so much more than I could ever give them.

Keep looking forward. #RTTH #RanchLife 6666 Ranch #Remuda

We are big at teaching the "why" - this was too good not to share. It's the "little" things you do to help your horse that makes them happy and enjoy their time... with you. Pulling your saddle pad up into the pommel. It can can take a bit of practice with saddle shifting and pad pulling, but your horse will appreciate it. Without being pulled up, when the saddle is cinched the pad presses down on the withers potentially causing discomfort. With the pad pulled up into the pommel the withers have room to move and there isn't a pressure point. If you aren't already in the habit of doing this the next time you ride put your fingers between the pad and your horses withers while walking or trotting. It's our job to make sure that they can comfortably carry us. This simple shift can help to make that happen. Follow @runningthorsemanship & @DanaLovell for more great lessons https://www.facebook.com/runningthorsemanship/

You can fool people, you can fool yourself, but you can't fool the horse ~ Martin Black

Definitely some happy humans over the last couple of weeks! Beautiful weather, Harmony Horsemanship, a little bit of Ttouch, and a whole lot of fun making connections and building relationships in and out of the saddle. Welcome back everyone!!

#sentientbeing to #sentientbeing #humanityneedsthehorses #equineproverb #dancer Horse Spirit Connections