Woman in the Arena
ReFLECTIONS & INSIGHTS
A Habit of Growing
Brilliant Advice In the early days of my career with horses, I would look forward every year to the 2nd week in April when I could attend the Horse Expo in Albany, Oregon. Leaders and game changers in the field of horsemanship and riding brought their talent and...
Master Your Fear
"OUR REAL POTENTIAL LIES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF OUR GREATEST FEAR" ON MY WAY If you saw me ride today, you'd never believe I was once terrified of getting on a horse. And yet, it took every ounce of courage I could muster the first time I put my leg over the back of...
Love the One You’re With
“Learning to love yourself does not mean you love others less. Instead, it frees you to love them more!” 950 POUNDS OF FEAR Wave, my beautiful Polish Arab gelding, tied to the ring safely inside the stall, would not stand still. All afternoon, the horses had been...
Give Peace A Chance
REAL LIFE IS SCARY This past weekend I decided to do something scarier than I’ve ever done before. So scary that I couldn’t convince anyone else to do it with me. No, not sky diving from 10,000 feet or solo climbing Half Dome in Yosemite. I didn’t eat a chocolate...
Protection or Connection
“I love mankind, it’s humans I hate”- Linus from Peanuts The Old Pattern-Protect Yourself The first time I worked with the mare, I was full of ideas for applying the new knowledge I’d gained at a recent horsemanship clinic. I’ll have her do this,...
Pay Attention to Patterns
“Pay attention to the intricate patterns of your existence that you take for granted.” (This blog inspired by the every day experiences of life while staying safe at home without horses during a pandemic and Pacific NW wildfires ) MORNING ROUTINE Every morning it’s...
Are You Doing Everything for Everybody?
"If you try to be everything to everyone, you'll be nothing to no one." LETTING GO The sorrel pony stepped into the arena, securely attached to a red, white, and blue rope held by her human partner, Carol. “Daisy” came up to Carol’s hip, which was within reach of the...
Change Your Energy, Change the Outcome
FEELING THE ENERGY I opened the gate and immediately knew where his head was going. The energy coming through the halter, down the rope and into my hand felt like the makings of a tug of war. Before he had a chance to pull away and dive into the lush green...
What Color is Your Horse?
"If you walk in the footprints of others, you won't make any of your own" FIRST IMPRESSIONS We hung close to the fence without interacting with the horses on the other side. The herd barely noticed us, instead gathering closer to one another as the rain dripped down...
Playing Can Save Your Life
This life lesson blog is a fictional re-creation of real life experiences with my students designed to maintain anonymity and confidentiality. “We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.”-George Bernard Shaw When was the last...