Woman in the Arena
ReFLECTIONS & INSIGHTS
Horses Understand Community
Equine Experiential Education You wouldn’t think that spending my days with horses would give me greater insight into recent world events, but I’m convinced that everything I’ve learned about human nature and the troubles that exist in everyday life has been through...
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...
Overcome Overwhelm
When a situation arises with someone, in which we feel overwhelmed or ill equipped to respond appropriately, Brene Brown, renowned author, researcher and social worker says, we will react automatically in one of three ways: go along to avoid conflict, avoid the...
Cut Stress Off at the Pass
You can stop stress in its tracks and recover quickly from its fiendish grip. Scientists who study the human brain have determined that when you are stressed or scared, the immediate reaction is to run, fight, freeze or fawn (appease/go along with). In this state...
The Beginners Mind
EXPLORE In the past, I remember taking a horse into an arena thinking, “I don’t like beginnings.” Every time a new horse would come to me, their owner asking for help with training, I would remember the horse I’d just spent 6 weeks with and wished I could already be...
The Resilience Plan
This life lesson blog is a fictional re-creation of real life experiences with my students designed to maintain anonymity and confidentiality. EXPLORE Deb reached down to pick up the horse's foot as the mare stood quietly at the end of the rope in my hands. I shared...
Negative Thoughts Stop You in Your Tracks
This life lesson blog is a fictional re-creation of real life experiences with my students designed to maintain anonymity and confidentiality. EXPLORE This morning while on my way to give riding lessons to one of two remaining Centered Riding students, I discovered...
Message in a Body
Do you ever talk to yourself? Do you ever listen? It's hard to avoid the messages from the voice in your head because they’re overwhelming sometimes and repetitive. But, there's actually a better messenger-your body. It's a known fact that there is a short but...
When in Doubt the Horse Knows Best
EXPLORE I’ve been putting myself out there a lot in the last five years. It’s not easy for me. My habit, learned at an early age was to keep in the background, do what was expected and don’t test the waters. The seas might be shark infested and who wants to go there?...
When Doing More is Not Enough
EXPLORE Today is one of those “walk the talk” days in which I am working on being responsible for the circumstances of my life while becoming keenly aware of how my own beliefs, thoughts and behaviors are directing my experiences. It began when I couldn’t shake the...
Passive or Aggressive? A Third Option
This life lesson blog is a fictional re-creation of real life experiences with my students designed to maintain anonymity and confidentiality. On a gray winter afternoon in the middle of a round pen surrounded by green pastures and majestic Douglas firs, the young...