Anna Blake Carefree. Living in the moment really does lighten the load. She was three weeks old here, and her feet barely reached the ground. Now, five years later, and she’s still the just the same, tail flagged and nose in the wind. Flaunt the Now! May we all spend some time today being a little more … Read more
The first thing she said in her lesson was that this horse had sent her to the emergency room more often than she could count. (I don’t mean to sound self-serving, but really, you just now got around to talking with a trainer? If you’re getting hurt, get some help! This is how riders become … Read more
There are always two ways to see things. On one hand, horses can look like big, dull beasts of burden, not capable of much on the intellect side. Sometimes ‘horse’s ass’ is the insult of choice between humans. Look at them from a different perspective, and those asses are the high power end of a … Read more
If your horse could talk, he would yell, ” Stop pulling on my face and just tell me what you want!”
To foreshadow is to predict, to know ahead of time. It sounds mystical, but in this case, it was as simple and obvious as the passing of time… This patient mare waited, and once her little friend’s arms and legs got longer, it was less of a stretch. As long as there are little girls … Read more
To anthropomorphize is to attribute human characteristics to animals or inanimate objects. In other words, make animals over in our image. Is there a word for making ourselves over in theirs? There are so many ways that I am totally human. I walk on only two feet in the barn, mucking and feeding and doctoring. … Read more
Masterpiece usually refers to a work of art. My first (35 yr.) career was as an artist and I loved the work of making art. I understand the concept that a single piece might be special, but to me the artist’s real masterpiece is their entire body of work. Each work informs the others, the … Read more
How many friends have ridden my Grandfather Horse over the years? I lost count a decade ago. He is even older than his age implies, but right now, in deep summer, his eye is kind and there’s no reason to complain. Days are long and life is good.
This newborn filly is very fresh, the bedding not so much. The miracle is this good brood mare Mom, no one did it better. The photo is years old and it’s become bittersweet. The little filly is big and bold now, a full mare in her own right. We lost the Mom horse early this … Read more
Dog Day Dressage is teetering between elite, classical training principles and joining the ducks in their wading pool, maybe without even changing the water first.