Warning Sign

In my office I have a poster which reads:  "Warning: This Person May Talk About Horses At Any Given Moment"!

The pictogram figure has a 'talk bubble' with a prancing horse in it.  So, friends, family and lurkers of the internet, be Warned!

Winston Churchill loved horses, and riding.  He famously said 'There is something about the  outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man' (today I hope he would have said 'or woman' hmmm). And, 'No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle'.  And I am the poster girl for this.  Another favourite quote (and oh, there are so many, from Shakespeare to Seuss!)

Four things greater than all things are, -
Women and Horses and Power and War.~Rudyard Kipling, "The Ballad of the King's Jest"


Ergo, a woman on a horse must be ESPECIALLY great, ha!

I do find it a challenge to explain or convey the deep mystery of this truth, how connection with an equine (or several) has wrought a profound change in me over the past three years.  It has been almost exactly that long since I took the leap of faith to buy a 'baby' draft horse while still very overweight myself, with only a foggy concept of how he could change my life.  Fast forward three years.  I won't bore you with the details, but I do want to list the miracles that have happened as a result of this partnership:

1.  It takes courage and trust (and learning from a great coach!) to be 'with' horses.  They are big powerful animals hardwired as 'prey' and so need to be treated with respect and understanding as to their need for leadership, consistency and care.  I have gained much confidence and courage in handling Jacob and the Red Phoenix Farm horses - each with their own personalities.

2.  Age doesn't matter.  I turned 55 last year.  I used to lament (once I turned 45 or so) that I was now 'past it' in regards to horses, or at best I could have a mini horse as a 'pet'.  I now feel MUCH younger than I ever have, with only occasional musculoskeletal twinges reminding me that I am not really 21 after all...

3.  Horses reflect my emotions.  If I am feeling 'off' or 'low', I share it with Jacob (or now Lucera) and they just gaze at me with their wise eye close to mine.  I place my hand on their neck (they may be munching hay or just standing there) and absorb the pure 'in the moment-ness' which characterizes their lives, joy at having sweet good hay, companionable silence and just 'being'.  All the negative vibes collected from the day or physical frailty melt away as I absorb the energy of their groundedness.

4.  Yes, I can!  Who would have thought I could have the bravery to ride a hot blooded Andalusian mare?  Again, the journey has brought me a courage that I did not know I possessed, both in my equine related life and in all of life's spheres, to grab life and inhale deeply, to live, to thrive, to experience the joy!  I know I stumble constantly, but my eyes are open to new possibilities.

5. I want to share this with others.  I invite friends to spend some time with me and my equine companions, to experience the connection and explore the possibility of riding.  C'mon, you know you want to!  Especially women approaching 'that certain age'... discover (or rediscover) the passion of being a horse 'person'.  No regrets.

You were warned.... thanks for making it through my list!  PS This morning I was treated to the vision of a sunrise over RP Farm, causing Jacob's still fuzzy winter coat to be backlit pure gold as he munched his pile of hay.  As I returned to my car after completing the breakfast chores, on the other side of the barn, Lucera lifted her head as I called out my 'goodbye' for the morning.  What a wonderful start to the day.