Merry Christmas!

Robert Duncan painting

Wishing everyone a warm,safe and wonderful Christmas!
Feliz Navidad! God Jul!
And may 2009 soon bring us a year full, not only of promise, but of the realization of our hopes and dreams!

Festival of Lights

A Safe And Happy Hanukkah To All!







Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, is the eight-day holiday, celebrating the Jewish victory over the Greeks in the mid-second century B.C.E. The word ''Hanukah'' means dedication, which refers to the re-dedication of the Holy Temple after the battle. As the Jews prepared to re-light the Temple menorah -- or seven-branched candelabra -- they found that there was only enough pure oil to last one day. The miracle of Hanukkah occurred when the oil lasted eight days.

Hanukkah 2008 Dates:
Secular Calendar:
December 21 (first candle) - December 28 (last candle)
Jewish Calendar:
25 Kislev - 2 Tevet

My Favorite Contemporary Artist

Robert Duncan is a brilliant and gifted artist who is able to capture the spirit and spark of his subjects in a way few other painters can match.
Please visit his website at www.robertduncanstudios.com and you just may become as captivated as I. {He's even a fellow Fjord fan and owner!}

Sheepish Dreams

I dream of one day looking out the window of my humble little home on a few secluded acres to see the sight of- not only my contented horses grazing peacefully- but also perhaps a few Scottish Blackface ewes and their lambs. I have always loved sheep and hope to one day be able to spin their wool and allow my inner artisan to be released as I endeavor to create something beautiful, wonderful and hopefully functional.

A Touch Of Divinity

"There are unknown worlds of knowledge in brutes; and whenever you mark a horse, or a dog, with a peculiarly mild, calm, deep-seated eye, be sure he is an Aristotle or a Kant, tranquilly speculating upon the mysteries in man. No philosophers so thoroughly comprehend us as dogs and horses. They see through us at a glance. And after all, what is a horse but a species of four-footed dumb man, in a leathern overall, who happens to live upon oats, and toils for his masters, half-requited or abused, like the biped hewers of wood and drawers of water? But there is a touch of divinity even in brutes, and a special halo about a horse, that should forever exempt him from indignities. As for those majestic, magisterial truck-horses of the docks, I would as soon think of striking a judge on the bench, as to lay violent hand upon their holy hides." ~Herman Melville, Redburn. His First Voyage, 1849

New Mexico

Chama, northern New Mexico


I was very young when I first fell in love with the idea of New Mexico as a place I would want to live. My Grandmother had just returned from a crosscountry trip, and had told me that she's never seen any place quite as beautiful or magical as New Mexico. There was something special about the Southwest, she said. It was just so different than anything she'd ever known here on the East Coast. She said she wished she could live there.
I could understand her need for change. Most of her life had been filled with great hardship, having grown up a child of the Depression. She also endured a very abusive father, who blamed her for the accidental death of her younger brother. They never let her live it down, and the cruelty that was inflicted upon her by her parents forever fractured the amazingly talented and gifted person into whom she was meant to blossom.
Just the other day I told my Mom that I had been thinking about New Mexico as a possible relocation spot when I graduate the R.N. program in 2010. She told me Grandma once bought property out there, but had to let it go when my Stepgrandfather became ill. I was floored! I never knew my Grandmother had actually
put her plan into action! I was so proud of her, even though she was not able to see it through. At least she dared to dream!
I am a dreamer, but also a realist. We will explore the options, yet keep an open mind. Maybe we will find ourselves in the Land of Enchantment...

You Are The Best Thing!

I just found this man's work and I love it! What a great voice!
This song is SO how I feel about my husband, Ian!
Check it out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJ3xTjvj9tw

Another Great Poem

From time to time, people tell me, "lighten up, it's just a horse"
or, "that's a lot of money for "just a horse". They don't
understand the distance traveled, the time spent, or the costs
involved for "just a horse". Some of my proudest moments have come
about with "just a horse". Many hours have passed and my only
company was "just a horse", but I did not feel slighted. Some of my
saddest moments have been brought about by "just a horse" and in
those days of darkness, the gentle touch of "just a horse" gave me
comfort and reason to overcome the day. If you, too think
it's "just a horse" then you will probably understand phrases
like "just a friend", "just a sunrise" or "just a promise". "Just a
horse" brings into my life the very essence of friendship, trust and
pure unbridled joy. "Just a horse" brings out the compassion and
patience that make me a better person. Because of "just a horse" I
will rise early, take long walks and look longingly to the future.
So for me and folks like me, it's not "just a horse" but an
embodiment of all the hopes and dreams of the future, the fond
memories of the past, and the pure joy of the moment. "Just a
horse" brings out what's good in me and diverts my thoughts away
from myself and the worries of the day. I hope that someday they
can understand that it's not "just a horse" but a thing that gives
me humanity and keeps me from being "just a woman". So the next
time you hear the phrase "just a horse" just smile, because
they "just" don't understand.
-Author unknown

One Of My Favorite Poems

AN OLD HORSEWOMAN
Trudy Hatfield

When I am an old horsewoman, I shall wear turquoise and diamonds and a straw hat that doesn't suit me. And I shall spend my Social Security on sugar cubes and carrots, and sit in the alleyway of my barn and listen to my horses breathe.

I will sneak out in the middle of a summer night and ride the old sorrel gelding across the moonstruck meadow if my old bones will allow it.

And when people come to call, I will smile and as I walk past the garden to the barn and show - instead of flowers growing - stalls freshened with straw. I will shovel and sweat and wear hay in my hair as if it were jewels.

And I will be an embarrassment to all who will not yet have found the peace in being free to have a horse as a friend ... a friend who waits at the midnight hour with soft muzzle and a nicker and patient eyes for the kind of woman I will be when I am old!

Celtic Goddess Epona

Epona was believed to be the Celtic goddess and protector of horses, ponies, donkeys and mules. She was also a fertility goddess. It was believed that Epona and her horses would guide souls in their after-life ride. Her name is derived from the Gaulish language and means "great mare".
The Roman Cavalry also adopted the practice of worshipping Epona to protect their mounts. They would erect shrines within their stables,in her honor, and carry amulets in their saddle bags in the belief that this would carry them and their horses safely through battle.



Invocation to Epona

Hail, Mother of horses!
Hail, Lady whose children
Are the embodiment of the wind
And come like fire and thunder
Across field and plain.
Carry us, Lady,
As you carried our ancestors
Across rivers and continents,
As you carry our dreams
And nightmares,
Carry our wishes and hopes,
Bear us to adventure
And safely back home again,
And may we never stop running
Toward the far horizon
Of possibility.

Our Scots Heritage

ancient Shaw tartan

My Mother has always been fiercely proud of her Scottish heritage.I have started encouraging her to learn more about our ancestry. We visited Linville, NC this summer-home of the annual Grandfather Mountain Highland Games, and stopped in at a lovely Scottish heritage shop, where the gracious owner gave us a mini history lesson. We found our tartans, and that our Clan motto is 'Fide Et Fortitudine' meaning 'By Fidelity and Fortitude'.
It's always been a family folktale that we are related to the great William Wallace; at least that's the reasoning behind the naming of my maternal Grandfather, William Wallace Shaw.
We also discovered the Clan Shaw Society. This information is from their site.



Highland History
The Shaws are an ancient Scottish clan, which played a considerable role in Highland history, and which traces its ancestry to the old Earls of Fife and thus the royal line of the Scottish kings. Initially, prior to the general adoption of surnames and, specifically, the use of the name Shaw for that purpose, the Shaws were the first Chiefs of Clan Mackintosh. The Clan name derives from Shaw "Mor" "Coriaclich", great-grandson of Angus (6th Chief of Mackintosh) and Eva (heiress of Clan Chattan (a large confederation of Highland clans)). By tradition, he led the Clan Chattan contingent to victory at the famed Clan Battle of the North Inch at Perth in 1396 and was, as a reward, given the lands of Rothiemurchus, which became the first "seat" of the Clan. He is numbered as our third Chief. The lands of Rothiemurchus (site of the well-known castle Loch-an-Eilean), were sold and lost to the Clan in 1539.

Adam (Ay) of Tordarroch, grandson of Shaw "Mor", was the progenitor of Clan Ay, or the Shaws of Tordarroch. The Tordarroch branch of the Clan became preeminent, acted for Clan Shaw and, at Inverness in 1543 and Termit in 1609, signed the Clan Chattan bands. They supported Montrose and raised the Shaw contingent in the Jacobite rising of 1715.

Great Minds Who Actually Thought First...

Famous vegetarians
by Dr. D. P. Atukorale

Many people throughout the ages have made the decision to forgo red meat and it is fascinating to follow the evolution of the vegetarian life-style from ancient to modern times, noting the varied reasons famous vegetarians had for their eating styles.
Gandi, the famous Indian leader and pacifist felt such a strong kinship with animal life he couldn't bear the thought of using innocent creatures for food. Said he: "To my mind, the life of a lamb is no less precious than that of a human being. I should be unwilling to take the life of a lamb for the sake of human body".
In ancient Greece, Socrates and Plato taught that vegetarianism was the ideal diet. The Buddha in India and Mohammed in Arabia also advised against meat consumption.
This diet also has been embraced by well-known artists, writers, and scientists including Leonardo da Vinci, Leo Tolstoy, Sir Isaac Newton, Ralph Waldo Emmerson, HG Wells, Upton Sinclair and Charles Darwin.
Another legendary figure who was a vegetarian was Albert Schweitzer. Schweitzer echoed Gandi's philosophy when he wrote "There slowly grew up in me an unshakable conviction that we have no right to inflict suffering and death on another living creature unless there is some unavoidable necessity for it, and we aught to feel what horrible thing it is to cause suffering and death out of mere thoughtlessness". (Colman McCarthy, Washington Post 13 Jan. 1976 p19).
George Bernard Shaw viewed meat consumption as "cannibalism with its heroic dish removed". He attributed his long productive life as a sociopolitical analyst and writer to this healthful diet".
"I flatly declare that a man fed on whisky and dead bodies cannot do the finest work of which he is capable" he wrote "I have managed to do my thinking without the stimulus of tea or coffee". Shaw boasted that he felt seldom less than ten times as well as an ordinary carcass eater" (James P. Garret, "George Bernard Shaw", Vegetarian Times July/August 1977).
Shaw felt so strongly about his vegetarian way of life that he published in 1918 "The Vegetarian Diet According To Shaw" in order to dispel the misconceptions about this dietary style. "An underfed man is no man who gets no meat or gets nothing but meat. He is one who does not get enough to eat, no matter what he eats.
The person who is ignorant enough to believe that his nourishment depends on meat is in a horrible dilemma". Shaw further believed that naturally harvested foods continuously nourished the life force within him.
He wrote "Think of the fierce energy concentrated in an acorn. You bury it in the ground and it explodes into a giant oak. Bury a sheep and nothing happen but decay".
Philosopher Henry David Thoreau dedicated pages to the ideals of vegetarianism. He felt it is the destiny of the human in its gradual improvement to leave off eating animals as surely as the savage tribes have left off eating each other when they came in contact with more civilized (Barbara Sarkesian, Vegetarian Times December 1976/January 1977, 20) Thoreau, like Shaw, felt that avoidance of meat improved his artistic endeavors (Daniel Wesolowski, Vegetarian Times, November/December 1977, 39).
In his masterwork, "Walden", he wrote, "I believe that even man who has ever been earnest to preserve his higher or poetic facilities in the best condition has been particularly inclined to abstain from animal food."
Perhaps the best inspiration for a person on the brink of "going" vegetarian is a pair of modern day meat shunners Helen and Scott Nearing. Both wrote several books on vegetarianism. Both reaped the health benefits of the practice of living long and productive lives. Scott lived to be a hundred and Helen is now in her nineties.
Their meals consisted of wonderful concoctions of fresh fruits, whole grains, vegetable soups, nut butters and molasses. As newly weds in the thirties, the Nearings left busy city life and settled in the a rural area. Here they worked hard to become self-sufficient and rich "rich in fresh air, fresh water and sunshine".
Growing themselves most of what they ate, the Nearings enjoyed a freedom that no one dependent on commercially packaged meals and other foods could imagine: the freedom of "being master of your own destiny" (Helen and Scott Nearing "Living the Good Life at 95" Vegetarian Times 23, 1978, 38-39).
More recent vegetarians include well-known athletes, actors and musicians Oscar - winning Cloris Leachman attributed her youthfulness and vibrant health to her vegetarianism. The meat industry, she points out, has a very powerful lobby and its effects reach even our schools.
You will rarely hear about the value of vegetarianism in school. Moreover people have been led to feel that eating chicken, bacon, eggs, sausages and steak is a sign of prosperity because they have been indoctrinated to believe this by the meat industry.
Other vegetarian actors have included Dennis Weauer a veteran vegetarian over 20 years. James Coburn, Paul Newman, Cecey Tyson, Gloria Swanson and Susan St. James. Musicians include Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Ravi Shanker, John Denver and now Slim Chubby Checker and Gladys Knight.
Susan Smith Jones, a health writer and a physical education instructor, incorporated vegetarianism into a holistic lifestyle including a ten-mile morning run and an hour of meditation every day. Susan says "If we don't take time for health, on whatever capacity that might be, we must take time for sickness".
Even athletes who once believed that top performance required them to pump iron" into their bodies with massive amounts of red meat often end up turning to vegetarianism.
These include vegetarian body builders like legendary Gilman Low who set nine world records in 1903 for his strength and endurance. Roy Hilligan the first vegetarian "Mr. America" and competitors including Ron Gleason a contender in the 1972 olympics.
John Marino, a vegetarian athlete, set a trans-continental by cycling record in August 1978 riding after 3 years of training from Los Angeles to New York in just thirteen days one hour and twenty minutes.
Describing his training he explained "the first step is detoxification of the body. Unnatural foods, chemicals, drugs, alcohol, artificial flavourings and preservatives bring on toxin build up in the body which can lead to disease, lethargy and in extreme cases-death.
Our bodies are designed to consume organic foods in the natural state (Robyn M. Grasing, Vegetarian Times Jan/Feb 1979, 30-31).
Another athlete who renounced meat is Norwegian Skier Arden Haugen, elected to the Skiing championships. Turning away from meat toward a diet of whole grain cereals and breads, vegetables, fruits and soy milk he upped his stamina and made breathing easier.
Longer life, clearer thinking, optimum body performance and even creative inspiration have all been attributed by famous vegetarians to their eating style and if you follow their lead, you may not become as famous as these celebrity vegetarians but chances are you will reap similar physical, mental and emotional benefits.
Reference : The Vegetarian Handbook by Gary Null.

A Great Poem That Sums It All Up!

Someone posted this poem to the Barefoot list in which I belong and I wanted to share it with all of my fellow horse lovers. If anyone knows the author, please share!

*The Warmth Of A Horse:

When your day seems out of balance and so many things go wrong

When people fight around you and the clock drags on so long

When some folks act like children and fill you with remorse

Go out into your pasture and wrap your arms around your horse.

His gentle breath enfolds you as he watches with those eyes

He may not have a PhD but he is oh so wise!

His head rests on your shoulder, you hug him good and tight

He puts your world in balance and makes it seem all right.

Your tears will soon stop flowing, the tension will be eased

The nonsense has been lifted.

You are quiet and at peace.

So when you need some balance from the stresses in your day

The therapy you really need

Is out there eating hay!

Vertigo

I was woken from a sound sleep early yesterday morning to the sensation of being whipped around my bedroom. It happened a few more times and my hubby took me to the ER. Doc said I am experiencing vertigo, and said I should follow up with my GP and a neurologist, which I am doing today and tomorrow. I stayed home from work today as I'm still pretty dizzy, despite the anti-vertigo meds.
I have NEVER experienced anything even remotely like this in my life! I actually feel better if I sit up and stay relatively still. That's how I'm able to sit and type right now. But, I'm very tired and sleepy. But when I lie down the spinning is sometimes worse than if I'm upright.
So weird. I hope I can get some answers soon!

Our Sweet Boys

I have been so busy with work, school, etc,that I don't have as much time to spend with 'the boys', Samsun, our Fjord, and Orion, our Shetland. I'm sure they don't mind as much as I do, as they are two adolescent boys who spend their days playing and hanging out together. They are such sweethearts though, and I do love to spend time with them. It's very therapeutic. There's nothing better than the sweet smell of a horse's breath, and the feel of a velvety muzzle against your cheek to cheer you up! I love this pic of the boys, but please ignore all the poop piles. I really do clean up the paddock every day...really, I do!

My New Adventure

I started my new LPN position at a doctor's office this Monday, and, knock on wood, it's been going okay so far. I am full of a kind of cautious, guarded optimism that goes hand in hand with years of experience out there in the work force. Office politics, petty rivalries, authority figures with God complexes...you know what I mean if you've spent even one minute at a job!

But, this place seems pretty cool. It's only been three days so far, and I'm certain that there's plenty going on below the surface of things, but overall, they seem like a decent group of folks! It's a busy practice, but everyone seems cohesive and supportive.

They are even willing to work with my schedule come January as I complete the RN portion of my education.

I am actually happy to be back on the front lines helping people. Funny thing is, I never dreamed of being a nurse as a kid. Being the feminist that I am, I thought it was such an outdated, old fashioned job so to speak. The idea of being the handmaiden to some male doctor just left me cold. I originally took the LPN school entrance exam to encourage my sister to give it a try as she'd been working as a nurses's aid and wanted something more. But I got accepted and she did not. Weird the way life turns out. It's like the things you're meant to do...they choose you, not the other way around. Nursing has chosen me, and I have done incredibly well academically- better than I'd done at anything in my whole life. My GPA is almost through the roof and I got into Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for 2 year schools.

So, on my path I continue. I have dreams I never thought I'd have...finishing the RN, getting my Bachelor's Degree in Nursing/Science...and applying either to a graduate Nurse Practitioner program, or medical school!

An Amazing Time to be an American

I am so glad that I'm an American.

With all that is wrong in our country and in the world, we are still a force to be reckoned with, and we CAN and MUST be a catalyst for change. And not just change as individuals, but as a whole. We are all connected, we are all family.

The entire world watched as this great nation was able to reach out across party lines, and lift the cloak of racism to elect someone with the intelligence, heart, compassion, and diplomacy needed to lead this country. The energy that exudes Barack Obama is that of integrity, and that he will do his absolute best to lead this country through some dark times. It will not be easy or perfect, but I know he's in it for the long haul and I sense that his heart is in the right place.

I wish him and his administration luck, as they certainly have their work cut out for them.

Sittin', Waitin', Wishin.....

...with my fingers crossed...................

Another Great Site

As we wait to learn the fate of our nation, I would like to suggest you horse lovers visit a great site called the Ultimate Dressage Bulletin Board. It's wonderful place to discuss just about anything. There are so many intelligent and well read horse folks who show up, and many don't have anything to do with dressage.

So, check it out!

www.ultimatedressage.com

Get Out and Vote!

People, please exercise your rights as a citizen of this great nation. Make sure you get out and vote tomorrow! But please don't vote out of fear- vote with your hearts AND intellects.
So, get out there to the polls tomorrow.

The Good, the Bad, and the Fugly

With all that is transpiring with our economy, and all the havoc being wreaked upon so many families in, not only the US, but the world, it is not a huge surprise that so many animals are being abandoned. Horses have been especially hard hit. The numbers of horses going to the livestock auctions and slaughter {to ultimately wind up as a meal on French dinner plate} has been increasing dramatically. There is someone who writes a blog called Fugly Horse Of The Day, and it's one of my favorites. Cathy calls it 'like it is' and is never one to sugarcoat things. She features stories concerning horses and their treatment that not only speak to the sad state of affairs for our animal friends , but to society as a whole.
Check it out. Even if you are not a horse person, you'll find it interesting, educational, and just damn funny, too.
www.fuglyhorseoftheday.blogspot.com

A Blessed Samhain To All

May this day also bring to light that magic and mystery that was once a familiar theme in the lives of our ancestors. As this summer season draws to a close, may we take the time to peer through the 'thinning veil' to honor our ancestors for contributing to who we are, and for sharing with us their strength and wisdom.
May your fires burn bright and may the warmth permeate every layer of your being so that you are reminded of the love that surrounds you and your cherished ones!

It's almost Halloween!

We recently added two beautiful black kittens to our family. Max and Molly are siblings that were born into a feral cat community cared for by a local feline rescue person, Karen. She works tirelessly to help sick, injured and abandoned cats and is an angel of mercy to so kitties in need.
We are so glad we were able to take these babies in. They are so sweet and loving, though still slightly shy. They love to tear through the house making mischief and generally making a mess!
But that's what kittens do, and they are so funny to watch. The only one NOT amused at the kitten antics is Aunt Mitzie, our 7 year old resident black and white lady. Mitzie was once an starved, abandoned kitten who had been dumped on my Mom's front step. We took her in, and boy, has she blossomed.
We hope you all have a wicked and wonderful All Hallow's Eve. But please remember to keep your cats indoors to keep them safe!

Me and My Best Friend

This is a picture of me and my dear hubby recently while out on our weekly walk through the Wertheim Nature Sanctuary in Brookhaven, New York.
It's a lovely stretch of wilderness along the south shore of Long Island. The preserve is part of the National Wildlife Refuge system, and accommodates migratory birds along the eastern flyway that runs from the southern U.S and Mexico, straight up through Canada and beyond. It's a truly blessed place, and we love walking the 3 mile loop through the preserve. It reminds us of another of our favorite places- Assateague island, Virginia. The terrain is much the same, comprised of marshland, tidal plains, thick coastal forests, and sandy beaches.
Hundreds of different species of birds frequent the preserve, as do many other types of animals.
The peace and serenity that abound in places such as Wertheim are worth our efforts to protect and preserve them for future generations of plants,birds, fish, animals and humans.

Wonderful Link To All Things Classical [Riding, that is!]

Please check out this great website chock full of informative information to help you along your horsemanship journey!

http://www.classicaldressage.co.uk/index.html

Enjoy!

I Am Now A Fjord Breed Ambassador!

I am proud to have been accepted as a Norwegian Fjord Horse Registry breed ambassador! I am ready to help new or aspiring Fjordhorse owners.
Check it out:
http://www.nfhr.org/index.php?option=com_contact&catid=66&Itemid=63

A New Adventure

I am about to start trimming my own horses' feet. I have been reading and watching all that is available on the subject, have purchased the tools and a fancy new hoofstand and am ready to start! I am scared of making mistakes and inadvertently hurting my boys, so I will be proceeding VERY cautiously.
I feel that anything we can do to add to our rich and dynamic relationships with our horses is certainly worth the effort. They do so much for us; we can at least TRY to repay the kindness. And that involves trying our best to understand what it is they truly need to live as natural and healthy a life as possible.
I particularly like the trimming ideas and styles of Paige Poss and Kim Cassidy. Both have wonderful online resources. I would like to take clinics in the future and really learn as much as I can.
I will post pics of my endeavors as I take them.
Wish me luck!
IN case you also have an interest, here are the links to what I have found exceptionally helpful:
Kim Cassidy http://www.clickandtrim.com/
Paige Poss http://www.ironfreehoof.com/top.htm

It's Raining Cats and Dogs Today!

Here's picture of my sweet boy Samsun taken on a lovely summer day. But today it's pouring rain, with thunder and lightning!
The horses are resting in their sheds peering out at the rain, waiting for a break so they may return to playing with and grooming each other.
I love thunder storms. The world scurries for shelter and all becomes quiet, except for the sounds of nature. It's such a great time to sit out in the barn with the horses, listening to them chew their hay and ponder the 'meaning of life'.
It is so important for us to take the time to reflect, and to evaluate all that is right in our worlds and figure out ways to eliminate what is not right for us, and figure out ways to get closer to the paths we are meant to walk. Easier said that done, I know, but so well worth a try!

Samsun and Orion Chilling Out

Here is a recent picture of my two beautiful boys.
Samsun is a 4 year old Norwegian Fjordhorse gelding, and Orion is a 5 year old Shetland cross gelding. Not the most complimentary of Orion, I know!

It's Been A While

So much has happened in the last few months that it's been difficult to write.
So much I still have to accomplish. Chores, bills, school, responsibilities.
But my horses carry me through. They are the eternal thread that stretches along through the course of my life, holding it all together. They inhabit my heart and soul, like some sort of spirit guides. They let me know when I'm off course. They reflect back to me whatever it is I'm experiencing emotionally, spiritually, good or bad. I am learning that I must be true to my emotions and to be present in every sense of the word when I' m around my horses. They live in the 'here and now' and I must learn to adopt this way of being to be successful with my interactions with them, and the world. We only have this moment, and it can be gone in a flash. We must learn to embrace every second as the precious gift it truly is, and revel in it. Reunite yourself with your 'childish innocence and enthusiasm'. Let go of the trivialities of this world. Embrace the wonder and magic that it this earthly existence. I know this is all easier said than done...or is it?
Next time you are with your horses, simply enjoy being with them. Stand with them, breathe as they breathe. Inhale the fragrant scent of contented horses; feel the warmth they exude, the power just beneath their skin.
Just BE...don't do, don't think. Allow yourself to FEEL what it's like to just be with them and experience for a while the joy of peaceful non-striving, non-achievement. Reconnect with the gratitude in your heart for all you have been given, all the gifts that are yours and yours alone. And moments like this are among those gifts. We just have to slow ourselves down long enough to notice them and appreciate them.

Will peaceful coexistence ever reign supreme?

My thoughts today center around the fact that there is so much anger, violence and negativity generated and perpetuated in our world today. So many people suffering, so many animals suffering from the "runoff" of that misery.
What can we do, as a species, to change the tide of this seemingly universal anguish?
I could write a book on the myriad of reasons I think things are the way they, but, for now, what do you do in your day to day life to effect a difference in your corner of the globe?
Maybe it's as simple as recognizing what you DO have, and holding the feelings of appreciation in your heart every morning as you start your day. I have been especially struck the last few days with how fortunate I am to be surrounded by as many loved ones as I am. My incredible son and my amazing husband. Our sweet, wonderful animal family. Our relative health and well-being. The fact that we live in the USA, and enjoy the freedoms that, in some parts of the world, would get you killed!
Maybe we can try to fit in one thing a day to make the world a better place for someone around you. Bring in the mail for and spend a few minutes chatting with a lonely neighbor. Give an elderly person a ride to the doctor. Hold the door for someone. Let a few more cars out ahead of you in traffic. Smile when someone looks your way.
Maybe you could send a few bucks to your local humane society, or volunteer a few hours there just helping out, giving a little love to a doggie or kitty who has no family.
I know I originally said the this blog was to explore the dynamic relationship we humans have long had with horses, but this topic relates to so much that could use "fixing" in this world. The thought that what we do DOES affect those around us. And that we humans bear the greatest burden for trying to "get it right".
As this relates to horses, it DOES absolutely matter regarding the decisions you make concerning your horses. They are amazingly sensitive, emotional creatures, and should not be treated like mindless machines. So often people do what they will with and to their horses with very little regard for the horses feelings. Mares are bred for the sheer fact that they possess a uterus, with little regard to the care required by the subsequent foal. Horses are shown and competed at sports to which they are not particularly suited, and when said horse breaks down, they more often that not, make their way onto a dinner plate in France.
What I'm saying is that we humans need to be so much more cognizant of the fact that we cause so much pain and suffering, not only to our own species, but to the rest of the animal kingdom.
Please stop before you breed that mare, or let your dog or cat have a litter.
Think about the possible ramifications of your actions on those around you.
You aren't the only one with needs and desires.

Journey through the Mists of Time

Welcome to the inaugural page of my new blog " Spirit of the Horse". I would like to extend an invitation to you to join me as we take an emotional and spiritual trail ride back through the depths of time to explore our relationship with this most amazing and glorious of creatures, the horse.
I will also, from time to time, explore current themes and issues concerning horses, including the good, the bad, and the downright ugly.
My goal to expand the human consciousness in regard to our relationships with horses, in an attempt to improve society's awareness of all that horses have historically sacrificed for us, and the benefits our species has enjoyed because of it.
I will attempt also to highlight ways that we may become champions of the horse, and hopefully be able to improve the lives of the horses around us...and in turn, we will improve our own lives as well.
I hope you'll join me as we explore our ancient relationship with the Horse!