My big goal I wrote about last year under I Resolve…  was to become a “Do-er” and if I wanted to get something done to go and do it.  I did “do” many of the things that I hoped to get done this past year.  The problem that I ran into was that I got so busy concentrating on what I “wanted to do”  I took any and all emphasis away from what I already had.  

This year was probably one of the toughest I have faced in other aspects of my life.  The office I work in was listed for elimination earlier in the year (it was taken of the list later thank goodness) and currently the organization I work for is planned for restructuring.  A sense of anticipation and anxiety was the theme for this year’s emotional rollercoaster.  We  lost my husband’s beloved grandmother and the rest of my husband’s family has faced many great health concerns that have now changed how we view life.   Kerry had a serious injury that thank goodness she recovered from fairly quickly and I lost two of our little pygmy goats to something veterinarians couldn’t understand.  This has probably been one of the most difficult years I can ever remember having.  I think I have felt as close to depression as you can and didn’ t fully understand just how close I was until I was  hooked up to an EKG machine due to chest pain and heart palpitations and being prescribed anti-anxiety medication.  My understanding didn’t take place on that exact day, but a few days later, during  another complete emotional  melt-down… a realization finally came to me.  I didn’t even recognize who I was anymore.  I had let every outside factor in my life dictate how I felt on  the inside.  Many of these factors I had absolutely no control over.  Why was I beating myself up over something I had nothing to do with?   I looked at the piece of paper with the doctor’s  prescription and I started to see a challenge.  “I can do this without you,”  I replied to the words haunting me on the piece of paper.

I was frustrated that my life wasn’t moving forward. I’ve always been one of those fairly driven people always working towards something. I was frustrated I couldn’t do more improvements on the farm because money is so tight with no raise in four years.  I thought how dare the economy collapse when I am just really getting my life started.  I was so busy being frustrated at what I couldn’t do and couldn’t control that I was completely missing all of the wonderful things in my life I DID have. I DO have a great husband, a loving family, a job (at least for now), a cute little farm although it’s not fancy it’s functional, a great horse to work with and learn from,  good friends,  my health was good (if I would keep the self-inflicted stuff away).  Honestly, what else do I need? 

I’m writing these issues not for any sympathy, but because I realized in today’s time I am not the exception, I am the rule.  Everyone is having problems similar to me and trying to find a way to deal with them.  Things are really bad right now.  I think some people don’t realize how bad things are and there are plenty out there who DO know just how bad. Everyone is struggling as I am.  If you are reading this and having struggles of your own, realize your not alone!  There are many of us trying to figure out our lives when “change” seems to be a beast we cannot control.

However…finally… I have found some peace.  This year… I plan to focus more on what I have then what I don’t.  I want to live more in the moment and less in the future.  I want to work towards a goal, but also appreciate the ride I am having that day! As the problems come,  which they already have this year.  I will take them one at a time and make the best decisions I can to solve them.  If the decision proves not to be the best, I’m not going to beat myself up, but appreciate the opportunity to learn from the experience.  I will have melt downs and tough times, but each time I hope it is a little less and I am a little stronger afterward. 

My wishes for you in 2011.  I hope you can find your “peace”, appreciate the wonderful things in your life you DO have, and let  the bad stuff roll off your shoulders instead of weigh them down.  May we find fulfillment  on the inside and worry less about the things on the outside that we cannot control… 

 You are frustrated and your horse is totally not cooperating.  You’re having one of those take one step forward and two steps back days.  We all have them.  Maybe you are having one of those days with a new horse or maybe an old friend you have had for 15 years.  When we have those days or our horses pick up an odd, new, behavior…we step back, look into those big, deep, brown eyes and think to ourselves, “If only I could tell what you are thinking…”  There are some in the world that believe they have the gift or have built the skills to tell what our equine partners are thinking.  When I began this blog, I made a list.  It has about 100 topics on it that I was interested in writing about.  In the top 5 topics, was animal communication.  I find the field interesting, unique, and a bit of a step into the unknown.    

Our horses try to tell us things every day, but do we take the time to listen?

 I like to step outside of my box (Ha, I think that is why I started this blog!)  I feel it keeps life interesting and makes us stretch and think about things beyond ourselves.  In order to get the real scoop on Animal Communication, I went right to the source and interviewed an Animal Communicator.  Cindy Smith is an Animal Communicator located in Asheville, NC.  Cindy took the time out of her very busy schedule to answer a  “few”, (OK, there were a lot) of my questions!  We conducted the interview over email because I didn’t want any of my interpretation to change Cindy’s answers.   Listed below are my questions and Cindy’s very insightful answers. Read on and I hope you find dipping into this unique profession as interesting as I did.   

(The Art of Dressage) : When did you first begin your communication with animals?   

(Cindy Smith): “I remember having very clear communication with my horse when I was in my teens. He was an incredible horse and I was often amazed at how well he understood what I asked him to do. We could be running full speed across a field and I would get something in my contact and tell him to stop. He would stop, stand perfectly still while I took my contact out and removed the irritant, put it back in my eye, and then he would take off again full speed. As with many young riders, our connection was very deep and I was often amazed at his perceptiveness. I think we all have the ability to communicate with our animal friends when we are children. We just get talked out of believing what we are hearing by adults. I’ve been working as an animal communicator professionally for 9 years.”   

 (The Art of Dressage):  Can you explain what animal communication is like? When you receive communication from an animal how does it come to you, as words, pictures, feelings, etc.?  

(Cindy Smith): “After 35+ years of meditation, I feel like the communication is just another form of connecting through the heart and listening deeply. I feel like intention is a big part of gathering information from an animal. Some animals use more images and fewer words. Dogs and cats who live in a home with their people often have a big verbal vocabulary because they listen to their people all the time. These animals use words as well as images and feelings to get their messages across. When I talk to wild animals, they use more images and feelings.  I have quite a few South Korean clients and I’ve decided that what the animals are speaking is a Universal language. That language gets translated going both ways because I don’t speak Korean or Spanish, but my clients report major behavioral changes or vet back up on what their animals tell me.”   

 (The Art of Dressage): Have you ever had an animal refuse to communicate with you?   

 (Cindy Smith): “It’s rare to have an animal refuse because usually they are very excited to have a voice in a conversation with their person. Sometimes in an initial conversation a horse will refuse to talk if their person isn’t present. When that happens we just reschedule at a time when their person can be at the barn.”   

  (The Art of Dressage): What are some common things animals like to tell you?   

Cindy Smith has worked as a professional animal communicator for the past 9 years. Check out Cindy's website at www.animalsmith.com.

(Cindy Smith): “That they love their person! Kitties often want to go outside more. Dogs often want more walks. Horses often have riding tips for their rider. Most of my conversations are problem solving or negotiating with the animals in the family and they are full of creative solutions in most situations. The biggest fears for many horses are that they will be sold to a new person. Dogs and cats rarely have that fear unless they have been in multiple homes and are now happy in their new home.”   

 (The Art of Dressage): I think many of us think in the language we speak, English for instance. How do you know how to speak to an animal and have him or her understand what you are saying?    

(Cindy Smith): “Animal communication is a subtle skill. I base my results on verifiable proof that the conversation happened. The animals change their behavior or give information that only they and their person would know, or a vet will verify the symptoms or injury that the animal describes to me. I’m fascinated by my recent discovery of the Universal Language idea that I’ve seen at work with my conversations with animals that speak another language. I teach classes in how to communicate with animals and my students find they also get verifiable information.”   

( The Art of Dressage): Are certain species of animals more willing to talk to you than others?    

(Cindy Smith):   ”I don’t notice a difference in species willingness to talk. I feel like it is more about the individual personality of the animal. I do find if the person isn’t open to the conversation, the animals are less forth coming in their input.”   

(The Art of Dressage): Can you communicate telepathically with humans as well as animals?  

(Cindy Smith): “Yes, I took training in 1972 where I learned that skill and practiced it. I don’t do that formally now, but we all communicate telepathically with each other.”   

(The Art of Dressage): What do most owners want to know about their pets?    

(Cindy Smith): “Horse people want to know about pain in their horses’ bodies, what they most enjoy doing, how they like their saddle, trainer, barn, etc. Horses often give training or riding tips to their person. Dog people may be checking on health, asking about activities/competition, dealing with aggression issues, or  asking if they would like another animal friend. Cat people are often negotiating another cat in the family or dealing with litter box issues. Many conversations with all species may be about end of life decisions when the people want their animals to have a say about their preferences.”   

(The Art of Dressage): What do you tell those that are skeptical about your work?    

(Cindy Smith): “I suggest they try to be open-minded and watch for the results. The proof is in the changes they see or in the palpable deepening connection they have with their animal. The majority of my clients come from referrals so I don’t have to deal with a lot of skepticism.”   

(The Art of Dressage): Do you have any examples of an experience where animal communication made difference in an animals and/or owners life you would be willing to share?                              

(Cindy Smith): “Everyday I’m amazed at  how responsive and willing animals are to cooperate with our requests. If we are clear in what we want they will do their best to help us.  I would hope that every conversation I have improves the lives of the animals and their people. Recently, one of my clients said, “ Thanks for the family therapy session!” I feel like my job is to give voice to the animals and work with everyone to find a good resolution of issues for everyone involved. I’d rather let the voices on the “client comments page” give the stories rather than me talking about myself in specific situations.

Cindy Smith has a wonderful website www.animalsmith.com.  Please make sure to check it out!  She has more information about her services and some great client stories to read about!  

So you may be thinking to yourself, OK Elizabeth… you did some research on this topic and interviewed this person…what do YOU think about animal communication?  Is communication really possible or just a current trend or fad?  Here is my honest opinion… I think anything is possible.  I think there are many things to our lives and this world that we do not and will not ever totally understand.  Can a sensitive person tune into an animal’s energy and emotions and help translate that into thoughts?  I think yes, it is possible.  I know I can walk into a room and if someone is there that doesn’t like me or is angry with me, I can feel it without even looking at the person.  Many of you I’m sure have felt the same.   How can we feel a person’s emotions without talking to the person or even looking at them?  We just can…  Would I use an animal communicator?  Sure, why not. 

Alright everyone out there, this is the article I would really like to hear from you about!   Have you used an animal communicator before?  Did you see results?  What is your opinion on animal communication?  What has made you form that opinion?  Has anyone ever taken courses in animal communication before?  If so, I would love to hear about your experience.    

A big Thank You to Cindy Smith for her assistance on this article!    

I’m sure for some of you it is at bit strange reading from someone you don’t know, especially when my style of writing is a bit informal. I try to write like that on purpose, so what I post is more like a conversation than a lecture.  I guess I am also secretly hoping you will talk back.

So here is a little about me.  My first name is Elizabeth, my husband has forced me to keep my last name off of the blog for now because he is afraid of crazy people.  I began my appreciation of horses probably soon after I could talk and began taking riding lessons at 8 years old.  That was when my mom couldn’t stand listening to the whining anymore and I was finally at an age where someone would attempt to teach me.  She was also really getting tired of stopping the car at every horse on the side of the road so I could try to feed it grass, bread, crackers or whatever else I could find in our car that might be acceptable for a horse to eat.  Yes…stopping on the side of the road is a bit dangerous and feeding a horse you don’t know not the best idea, but we didn’t care and remember the whole  ”whining” part I referred to earlier.

Amazingly enough the very first horse I rode, was at a farm that would become one of the first dressage barns in our area.  This was a friends farm and after my first ride, I was hooked.  I took lessons and  rode hunters for several years after that.  My first dressage test  didn’t come until about the age of 13.  I then meddled in the combined training world for several years, because when you are a teenager jumping is the “cool” thing to do.  I now realize due to all of my jumping related falls and eating lots of dirt as a teenager, I experience a bit of back trouble now and then that is so “uncool”.

I had a mare where combined training was her element.  She did decent dressage tests and had clean jumping rounds and therefore did very well.   As I moved into my 20s,  life became more and riding became less, however, I did begin to develop a deeper appreciation for  dressage.  I tried my combined training mare as a “dressage” horse and she carried me through First Level.  I soon began to realize that competing at Second Level was out of our grasp. Collection and impulsion did not come easily to my slightly built downhill, draft cross.  Many days I felt like I was trying to make an elephant into a ballerina.  Amazingly enough on her good days, that big girl could dance!  Usually that happened when I was at home and no one was watching.  Ahhh… what a shame!

Me and "Kerry" my dressage partner

The past few years, I took a break from dressage, due to life again,  new job, new husband, finishing my second degree, and we bought our very own farm. Whew… it makes me tired thinking about all of it!  Anyone that owns a farm knows, a farm is a full time job in its-self.   I still kept riding, but mostly trail riding and pleasure riding.  I decided this past fall that my life had calmed and of course how dare things be quiet for me!  I really wanted to get back to a sport I loved.  I missed my friends, the learning, and the challenges. I missed not only the physical skill building, but also the mental aerobics that dressage challenges us with.   I enjoy building the relationship with my equine partner and attempting to have two minds from completely different species work together.  When you think about it.  It is amazing our horses are able to understand us at all.

That is where I am now.  I am an adult amateur rider like many of your out there.  I am very lucky to have a fantastic trainer, who has given me a good foundation that I look forward to building upon.  I also now have a very talented mare to be my partner in our “dressage journey.”  By the way amazingly enough,  that mare is from the farm where I rode my very first horse.  I am constantly surprised by what the universe has in store for me.

Hopefully now knowing my story will help you feel a little closer to your blog host.  I am always interested in people’s stories because everyone has a different journey with lots of paths. If you would like to share a story of your own feel free to comment!

Some of you new to dressage may wonder, “what exactly is hyperflexion or rollkur?” These terms refer to working a horse where his or her head is behind the vertical. According to proper classical dressage technique, the horse’s head should be perpendicular to the ground. A way to visualize this is to picture an imaginary line coming straight down from the horses eye; the horse’s nostril should not fall behind this line. Terms you might hear from a judge if your horse is hyperflexed would include behind the vertical and overflexed. The concern, is that many riders and trainers are consistently using hyperflexion as a training method to get fast results and more exaggerated movements. Horse’s are being overflexed for extended periods of time which could cause physical damage as well as behavior problems. Below I found another video which helps to explain the concept of abused hyperflexion and rollkur.

Sooo… what do I think about the topic? I think any kind of training technique taken to an extreme can be harmful to an animal including horses. A whip used improperly can be a very bad training tool. If used properly, it can be a great subtle way to communicate with your horse. The same goes with spurs. Spurs are not made to dig into your horse’s side when he or she does something you don’t like them to do. They should be used as a enhance communication and even lighten the use of your aids. Hyperflexion when abused is harmful, however, many use stretching techniques with their horses to help improve muscle elasticity and suppleness. I’m sure some of you have done the treat trick where you hold a horse treat close to your horses chest and they stretch their necks to reach the treat. You don’t hold the treat there for 1/2 an hour, just for a brief moment and your horse stretches and takes the treat. You can also do the same stretch to the sides of your horse. I bet many of you will agree with me this is not harmful to your horse other than they may get too many treats and gain weight . Many of us do stretching exercises when warming up our horses, but do not trot around the ring for 1/2 and hour with our horse’s face to his chest.

I think a picture taking out of context of an entire ride can look much worse that it may actually be. On the other hand, I have scribed for test where myself and the judge were cringing each time the horse’s nose touched his chest, I just wanted to yell “STOP DOING THAT, JUST STOP!”

I am glad to see action is being taking to regulate these training methods. Creating standards for Stewards is a great start. The next place to go is judge and instructor certification programs. Specific dialogs should be included in these programs regarding hyperflexion. I’m sure some commentary is already present. I can think way back to my when I was a beginner dressage rider, I knew what overflexed was right away and that it was incorrect. Possibly if this topic is stressed with up and coming judges and instructors fresh out of training, the mindset of hyperflexion overuse can be changed.

It would be great to hear from the instructors, judges, and riders out there? What do you think about the hyperflexion controversy? What are your opinions on the FEI’s decisions?

Those of us that have horses know, horses are expensive. There is no way around it. It is not purchasing the horse that is the biggest financial hurdle, it is the expenses related to keeping our horses happy and healthy that tend to add up. I have a very tight budget with my horses and attempt to stretch every dollar to its limit. The main expenses of horse ownership include veterinarian, farrier (every 6-8weeks), wormer (ever other month), Board (or hay and grain), shavings (if stalled), tack, and what I title miscellaneous (brushes, ointments, shampoo, hoof treatments, etc). Listed below are some of the tips I have about keeping a horse on a limited budget. If anyone else has any other tips feel free to add.

• 

  A photo of the run-in on my farm. A safe pasture with good shelter can benefit your horses and your budget.

  Board – If you need to board your horse consider your horse needs. Pasture board is usually much cheaper than full board (includes a stall). For many horses, I think pasture board is quite sufficient. I have my own small farm and my horses are in a pasture. They are both very happy and healthy. In nature horses are meant to roam and experience constant movement. As long as you have a safe pasture (fencing, footing, free from poisonousness plants) and a good shelter (run-in) pasture board can be good for your horse and budget. If you select pasture at a boarding facility something to consider is the other horses that may be pastured with yours. Horses always have a hierarchy it may take a little while for your horse to get settled into his or her “place.”

• Working for reduced board – At many of the barns I boarded at, I also worked at the barn to help with my board cost. When looking into a boarding facility it can’t hurt to ask if the owners need some extra help. Many owners are open to having a couple days off a week for a little less board. I know this can be difficult if you have a full time job. Even with my current full time job, at the last barn I boarded, I took care of the barn every Monday evening. It was a little money, but every bit counts when you are on a limited budget. When I was younger, I considered any extra moments around horses a bonus, so barn work wasn’t even a chore to me.
• Feed – This is a great tip if you will need to buy feed for your horse! Buy your hay early! Hay season runs from May – July. I usually buy my hay in July each year and I try to buy enough for the entire year. During this time of year hay is plentiful and that means the market price will be at its lowest. If you wait until January to buy hay, you will be looking at the highest prices around. A bad part about this plan is you have to have some place to store the hay for the year. Also, when buying hay consider your hay quality. Low quality hay will be cheaper, but you will have to feed more of it. I usually try to buy second cutting. It is more expensive ( probably about 50 cents a bale higher), but I have found it is worth it. First cutting will have a lot of dead brown grass left over from the winter months in it. (O.K. all of the grass is dead…its hay…. but you know what I mean) I usually have a mix of high quality hay and mid quality hay and use it based on their nutritional needs. In the winter they get more high quality hay. In the spring when they have rich grass, I supplement with a lower quality hay to try to even out their diet. Grain…mine are on a complete feed like you can by at Southern States or Tractor Supply. I keep my eye out for coupons and if anyone is at a loss for something to get me for a birthday present, I always tell them a gift certificate to one of those places is always good!

One of our yearly hay hauls. Many hay dealers will give you a discount if you buy in bulk. We saved 50 cents per bale this year buying in bulk. Note: before attempting a load like this make sure your loading help, in this case my husband, is extremely good at stacking, balancing, and strapping down!

• Sales – Watch for sales! Buying out of season can be a huge savings of money. Buy your horse’s next winter blanket the spring before when they are on closeout. Check your prices at several places before buying. I usually check Stateline Tack, Dover, Amazon, and Ebay. Amazon and Ebay are usually the lowest, if they have the item. I watch for coupons and free shipping too.
• Buy off brands – I check labels on my wormer, supplements, etc for ingredients and compare to the name brands. If an off-brand has the exact same ingredients, I don’t see why I need to pay twice as much for a name.
• Tack – used tack can be a great way to save money. Check out Ebay for some good used tack. Also in my area sometimes we have local tack sales and swaps. These can be great at getting some tack at a great price.
• Lessons – riding lessons can be expensive with your horse. If you can’t afford riding lessons on a regular basis try to take a lesson when you can and then look into auditing lessons or clinics. You can learn a lot from auditing too! Some trainers will work out a deal with you if you assist them with exercising some of their horses or groom at shows and will provide you with lessons for free in exchange. This can be a great opportunity to ride other horses and get lessons. Many instructors will term a position like this as a “working student.”
• Vet and Farrier – these are the two expenses you really can’t cut corners on and make sure you have these expenses planned into your yearly or monthly budget. I also consider these “preventative” expenses. If you decide you can’t have your vet out for spring shots and your horse gets ill with a disease, you are looking at a much higher expense to get your equine buddy’s health back on track. Properly cared for hooves are extremely important to your horse so a good farrier with a regular schedule is a must!

Horses are not cheap! I think anything that has “horse” labeled on it cost more and if it is made for a “dressage horse” then we are talking mega bucks! ! Has anyone noticed how much more expensive “dressage” saddles are than a close contact or all purpose saddles.

Before buying a horse, I encourage you to sit down and plan out a monthly budget. How much can you really put towards your horse each month? Can you have a little extra set aside as an emergency fund for unexpected vet bills and such. You may want to consider leasing a horse first before taking the plunge into horse ownership to see if it is something you really want. Some owners may offer a free lease in exchange for you taking on the horse’s board, vet, and farrier expenses. They get the satisfaction of seeing the horse get worked and taken care of and you get the opportunity to see if horse ownership is for you.

If anyone has any other cost saving tips feel free to comment! I am always looking for ways to save myself!

My three resident pygmy goats from left to right Kate, Sophie, and Ginger

I decided they were pretty cute, so we took three little does and they have lived with us for a year and a half. My oldest goat (actually I don’t have a clue how old they are, but she looks older than the other two) has recently been ill. They normally get a little bit of grain and hay twice a day. When my older goat, Kate, wouldn’t eat any grain, I knew there was a problem. I thought I would give her some time and see what she looked like that evening after work. I returned home to find her the same, lethargic, standing funny, with absolutely no interest in food. She also had a dull lifeless look in her eyes. Anyone that has had animals can understand what I’m talking about. When they start to get to a certain age and go downhill health-wise, their eyes start to turn dull. I thought to myself. “Well what are my options?” I could take her to a vet in the morning if she made it through the night. The only problem is most vets in my area are not good at treating goats. They aren’t a mainstream enough animal to have many experienced goat vets. I also wondered if she was just old and it was coming her time. I make sure to see to all of their health needs so it shouldn’t be worms or anything like that. The other two were perfectly fine bouncing around. I looked at her and she looked back pitifully. Something finally struck me. The goats’ favorite thing in the whole world are…..animal crackers. They absolutely love them! They would walk through fire to get an animal cracker. I know animal crackers are not the pinnacle of nutrition, but they are a nice treat now and then for the little goat-ies, as I call them.

I went inside, got some crackers, and thought to myself…”if she doesn’t eat a cracker, I know I should be prepared for the worst.” I walked back to their pen and shook the cup full of crackers. My two younger goats shot their heads up and looked. Kate looked too! She at least looked interested, that’s a good sign. I walked over to her and she gently took a cracker from my hand. She chewed it up and looked at me for more. I gave her another along with the other two goats that were now beginning to give me some trouble because they hadn’t gotten one yet, how rude of me! Kate ate 4 crackers. I didn’t want to give her anymore for fear of making her sicker. I left the goat pen to take care of the other animals on the farm and then came back to check on her again. She was still standing funny, but looked a bit brighter. Maybe her eyes didn’t have a spark yet, but at least a faint glow was happening. She came over to me drank two great big gulps of water and proceeded to look for grain in their trough. Grain! She wants some grain! I ran off to get her a little grain. I came back and she ate a whole handful of grain when just 45 minutes ago she turned her nose at it. I was thrilled… She ate, looked better, and I went inside the house feeling a sense of relief. She has been fine since.

I mulled the entire situation over in my head. What on earth was that about? I mean, I know animal crackers don’t have a special healing power to take away all ills. If they do, I will eat a handful every day and become the most successful vet ever! No, I didn’t think that was it. So what DID cause the change then? It finally hit me. That goat absolutely loves animal crackers. She made the decision that her life was worth living because she might get the opportunity to eat another animal cracker. I know it sounds a bit ridiculous and far fetched and– yes–I do know in this article I am putting the meaning of life and animal crackers in the same story. Animal crackers are such a simple thing and THEY are the “meaning of life”? To Kate the goat, they just might be!

As I thought more on the subject, I realized it might relate to us more than we think. See…to us… we wouldn’t pick animal crackers as our meaning of life, but there are certian things in life that give us meaning. Maybe it is our family, or a son or daughter, maybe your job, home, pets, or even friends. Possibly it’s the opportunity to read a good book or eat some good food. Yes… each of us has our own animal crackers and those are the reason we feel purpose to our lives. In those things, we find fulfillment and contentment. Possibly on the days we feel overwhelmed by negativity or life in general, we need to remember the animal crackers in our lives. The things that give our eyes a bit of a sparkle or a smile across our face. When we remember those — things don’t seem quite so tough or terrible.

Leave it to me to write an article about animal crackers and giving meaning to our lives. I may not be the next Confucius or Dalai Lama, but at least I did take the chance to think. Something all to often in the haste that is our lives, we forget to do. Maybe after reading this you will take chance to think too. What are the animal crackers in your life?

The other day I was in on the computer… I think writing something for this blog and I had the TV still on. For some reason, something on TV caught my interest. The channel was airing the “Positive Living Network” I had never seen this network before. Let me put it this way… I live in the middle of nowhere. We do not have cable anywhere even close and we didn’t want to pay $100 dollars a month for a satellite when we don’t watch TV much. When you have full time jobs and a farm, TV is way down on the list. Our lack of cable can be quite entertaining because we never know what we might get for a station that day. If the wind is blowing just right and the earth’s magnetic field is in alignment, we can get all kinds of channels. I was halfway listening to this new-found TV program and what they were saying started to intrigue me. The program was discussing success. The guy being interviewed in the program said there are two kinds of people in the world, people who tell you why and how they are successful and people who tell you why they are not. I let that soak in for a few moments and eventually my first resolution came to me. I think this year it may be the only one I make, because it will cover anything else I could have on my list.

This year, I have decided I will be a… “Do’er”. Yes, I know that is not a word. It is kind of a noun and a verb at the same time. I also know this isn’t professional journalism, so I’m going to try to squeeze by with it. Being a “Do’er,” means instead of coming up with reasons for not accomplishing something, I am going to try to do it. If I think I need to lose weight, do it. Go to some horse shows, do it. Create a website which I know very little about and write a blog to people who I’m not sure if they will love or hate what I have to say… doing it. See you have already helped me with my resolution already! My plan is to tackle 2010 and have no regrets that I wished I had done… so and so… or such and such. Yes it is a big resolution, but it is also not a checklist that I will probably lose within a week anyway.

So, I ask you what are your resolutions this year? What will make you feel like you have had a productive year or maybe enriched your life in someway? I invite you to be a “Do’er” like me. Maybe all of us together “doing” will actually accomplish something. Possibly I should let all of Congress to read this article, however, that is a conversation for another day and on another site! I hope 2010 is all you make it to be, whether it be in checklist form, mental form, or… hey, you can even leave it on this site so we can hold you to it. Go out and “Be all that you can be”…. oh wait that is the Army, “The Few the”….nope, Marines, Oh wait… here it is “Quit thinking about it and dreaming about it, and Do it!”

This evening, I took a deep breath and really thought about what my experiences with horses have taught me. One of the biggest things I have learned… is confidence. If you ever doubt that horses are teachers, then take the chance to go to a local fun show and watch all of those wonderful, patient, kind, horses go around in circles with the itty bitty children bouncing all over their backs. They take no notice of the child’s lack of riding, but very obediently hack around the ring carrying the child safely back to a beaming mom and dad. The horse doesn’t have flashy gaits or perfect conformation, but to me, is worth its weight in gold. Recently, I wrote an article about Edward Gal and Totilas. Before I wrote that article, I did a little reading on them. There have only been three people to ride Totilas. Yes… Totilas may be setting the dressage standard now, but only three people in the world have ridden him; Edward, Edward’s exercise rider, and Totilas’s owner, who wanted to ride him at least once (Wouldn’t you?). I now ask you to think about that quiet old school horse that happily hacks around the show ring. How many children has that horse taught to ride? How much joy has that horse brought to those children and built their confidence in riding and probably in life in general? Once we feel successful at learning something such as riding, we can ponder where we might have success in other areas of our lives. I think that way with this very website. I have stepped totally out of my comfort zone to try something new and see what I can learn from it. The only difference from riding is I don’t have a fuzzy nose to thank each day for that opportunity.

I wonder in the big scheme of the universe, if that old school horse’s value is even greater than a big, expensive, talented, show horse. I wouldn’t tell Totilas’s owner that though. I’m sure if you ask those children when they are all grown-up how much that horse meant to them, they will feel it is much more than a monetary value. Those horses exist and touch our lives for a reason and the world is a better place for having them in it.

So, what have the horses that have touched my life taught me other than confidence? I have learned patience, because you can’t learn everything all at once. The fact that I am not perfect, neither is my horse, and neither is anyone for that matter. You will probably always feel failure if you strive for perfection, however, you should always give it your best shot. Each day is a new day and although we should learn from the past, we should not dwell in it or continuously punish ourselves for mistakes. Good food, good friends, and space to stretch your legs are all you really need. A little dirt never hurt anyone. Laugh as much as possible because it is good for your soul. Nothing clears your mind better than the smell of fresh sawdust and hay on a cool clear day.

As I bring my article to a close, think about what horses have taught you in your life. Maybe they taught you how to get through a rough spot or helped you see on a bad day, that all of little things you have let get to you, are just that …”little.” Appreciate the good days, learn from the bad, and be thankful our world was created with horses.

Your quote for the day:

“Don’t be the rider who gallops all night and never sees the horse that is beneath him”

~ Jelaluddin Rumi.

My point today is… we ride because it is fun! Even professionals, who get paid to ride, must have enjoyed riding to seek a profession in the field. One of the things I love about riding is the fact when I’m on my horse, I think about nothing else. For those few moments, my life is simpler. No work or to do list, just ride! I’m sure many of you feel the exact same way. If you are not feeling that way and riding is not fun to you anymore, maybe you should do something else. Noooo… I don’t mean quit riding. I mean maybe you should do something different with your riding. Possibly you have been in the ring too much and your horse has just been grumpy. Now you are now frustrated and your horse getting grumpier by the minute. What do you do? Get out of the ring! Do something different. Go on a trail ride with friends or take a lesson on one of your trainer’s horses… to just work on you. Don’t get me wrong, riding is hard work and there are sometimes when you need to work hard, but if you go months on end without having fun… you are not going to want to ride anymore. If you are not having fun there is a good possibility your horse is not having fun either. Change it up! On the topic of fun… I have this video I love of a dressage horse and a reining horse. Some of you may have seen it before. If you haven’t, check it! If you have, watch it again! You can tell they are having fun!

Maybe you could take a lesson on a western horse or go to a dude ranch for a vacation. I know you are thinking I have got to be crazy… I am a dressage rider why on earth would I ride western? I don’t know.. because just maybe you would have fun!!! Are you getting my point yet! Do you have a smile? Maybe you at least cracked one at the video. If you did, I have done my job for today. So I ask you? If you ride or used to ride, why do or did you? What do you do to find your joy in riding? When you get in a slump how to you get out of it? Ponder it for a moment… if you would like to share, which of course I would love you to do, type in a comment in the box. You do not have to use your own name if you don’t want to. You can make up name like “The Queen” or “Cool Cowboy” or whatever strikes your fancy. If you want to see replies from your comment, make sure to put in your email address (of course that is never displayed.) I will leave you with a quote by Emerson, “Riding a horse is not a gentle hobby, to be picked up and laid down like a game of Solitaire. It is a grand passion.”

When I was deciding what kind of blog or website I wanted to create, I knew I wanted to do something in my area of interest. I have loved horses for as long as I think I can speak and have been a rider for about 20 years now. I thought I wanted to do something on horses and specifically on dressage. My main concern was that I was not a dressage expert or professional. I thought “I don’t have the knowledge base to have my own dressage website or blog”. Then, I began to think more. You know…there are probably many more people in the world like me that are amateurs trying to learn about a challenging and technical sport, then there are professionals. Wouldn’t it be more interesting to read articles and information about this awesome sport through the eyes of someone just like me? I thought that just might be a great idea. I really enjoy to writing, reading, doing research, and learning. Maybe I should do this!

For this blog, I will never claim to be an expert or to know everything about a particular subject (Do we ever really know everything anyway?). What I will promise you is, I will go to the experts to get the information and then try to bring it to you in a interesting fun to read format. Isn’t that great! I plan to include articles, interviews, photos, videos, and much, much, more. I also plan on throwing in some of my personal experiences just because they can be fun to read about. I’m sure someone out there can definitely relate and I tend to crack myself up pretty often with the silly stuff that happens to me. When you own a farm, lots of interesting things happen. I am sure some of you know all about that!

Choosing The Name for My Blog

Selecting the name for my blog was not an easy task. I came up with all kinds of names and abbreviations. Most of them weren’t very catchy or interesting or captured the essence of what I wanted the blog to be. Then it hit me – The Art of Dressage. To have your own website, you have to purchase a domain name. I thought for sure the name would be taken. I did a search on a domain name site and it was AVAILABLE! I was so excited I bought the name that night. I had no idea what this site would look like, how I would even set it up, or what I would include in it, but I had a name and a good one at that.

If you are visiting this site, you probably have some introduction to dressage. If you don’t, no problem, you will learn something about it! Those of us that are around the sport of dressage know its power. Not only is dressage a physically and mentally challenging sport, it is something more… a form of art. When you watch a fantastic dressage test or musical freestyle it moves something inside of you. You may get absorbed in the test’s rhythm, impulsion, energy, fluidness, suppleness, and that invisible connection between horse and rider where the horse almost seems telepathic to the rider’s thoughts. After the test is over you think to yourself, “wow that was wonderful,” and you may even have a tear in the corner of your eye. To me, something that can move your emotions in such a way is a form of art. Professional riders are the real artists. Through hard work and training they train these massive animals to build the correct muscles to release energy in just the right way. Professionals mold, channel, and control that energy to create the beautiful movements we are able to watch. All you have to do is Google or You Tube a Grand Prix Musical Freestyle and I dare you to tell me that is not art!

Building The “Art of Dressage”

Once I had my topic and name, I had to actually build the site. I did some research and watched online videos on the subject. Since I wasn’t a web developer (even though I am taking a class, I am far from it) I couldn’t build one myself. I decided to use Word Press which has some options for web amateurs. Let me tell you, there is a steep learning curve to building a site! Much of it is pretty technical. I think I lose things in my own house and they are hard to find, but try getting lost in plug-ins, widgets, feedreeders, tags, and much more. I had a case of major information overload many times. I have done my best to sort thorough all of this to put together a nice clean site that is easy to use. It may not be the fanciest site on the web, but hopefully it will serve you well. Kudos goes out to bavotasan.com the developer that created the template I am using. Although it is simple now, I have a lot of options with the site in the future.

Enjoy the site and please feel free to post comments. That will make this site much more interactive for everyone. You may also send me photos or emails to contact@theartofdressage.com. I would love to hear from you. Feel free to bookmark the site, subscribe to the feedreader or via email to get recent posts.