Going with the Ever Changing Flow

Just like the ocean waves and tides there is a flow to life. Though we may try to brace against it, it is futile to resist. 

We were given a strong reminder of this in October when Super Storm Sandy blew through, taking with her whatever she pleased. At first there was nothing we could do but prepare for her arrival. After the skies cleared and we emerged to see the aftermath, there was nothing to do but have a good cry, accept what happened, then pick ourselves up by our bootstraps and start the process of cleanup and rebuilding.

Within the herd there is constant change as the leaders defend their spot or drive less dominant horses off the most desired pile of hay and less dominant horses try to stand up for themselves or vie for a higher rank in the herd and as less dominate The waves and ripples from these interactions echo through the herd, dissipate then start again. Perhaps the lower horse is able to fend off his hay pile, or not. Maybe challenge is successful and the one horse moves or down in the ranks. Each horse simply goes with the flow each event as they present itself.

We too must learn to "go with the flow and flow with the go" in all aspects of our life. We cannot get caught up in asking Why, and sometimes even How. Learning to assess the events that are unfolding around us and working with what we are given does not come easy but is necessary.

Horses are so often willing participants or the catalysts in our journey to learn this skill. Riding, handling and caring for horses all has a flow to follow. There are moments of peace, frustrations, excitement and success that all come together. Each showing us the next step in the journey. And you certainly can't be successful with out embracing the go. Especially the occasional unexpected fast ones! These teach us just as much to keep our cool, accept the moment, and rely on the tools we have learned to help defuse it.

I am thankful for all the horses in my life have taught me so much about this. And, not that we are ever done learning, it seems my next lesson has arrived!

Sweet Aamina is pregnant! Yup. That's right. It's not just winter fat as we thought a few months ago. There is a baby in there! We were out playing with a student and there was a ripple in her belly that could be mistaken for nothing else. I'd been suspecting that was the case for a few weeks but I just couldn't quite bring myself to believe it. This is the risk you take when you purchase a mare from an auction.

We don't know if she was bred before being sent to New Holland or if she encountered a stallion in the pen there. There is word that the later might be the case. The vet appointment is set up so we can find out about how far along she might be. It would be about seven months if she met the stallion at New Holland but of course it could be more.

Sure we didn't plan  on this, or budget for it for that matter (yikes!). But here we are. What more can you do but go with the flow and learn from and enjoy the experience?

It's time to order the prenatal vitamins, up her feed intake, and wait for baby to arrive.

(ooooo....a baby is coming! What color will he/she be? Will she be a full Arabian? A mutt? A girl? a boy?)

In the Moment...In the Herd

It is so easy to wish for things ahead or worry about what my happen in the future. Equally we get stuck wishing to go back to moments in our past or not moving forward for fear something will happen again. 

To live in the moment often seems hard to keep a grasp on. If I did not have horses in my life I think I would fail far more miserably at it than I do. The times when I find this the hardest are when I most need to seek out my herd. 

Spending undemanding time with a horse does something to the sole. It is ever valuable as a partnership tool but there is a wonderful calm that radiates from a horse. They are the most generous of the animals in my life. They have a amazing ability to help you find the ground  (and I don't mean pitch you out of the saddle and into the dirt. Though that is occasionally unavoidable), root into the earth and find your center. 

My herd also calls me out when I'm not in the moment with them. All those naughty behaviors, the bad rides,  the "attitude" or blowing me off.... When I look back on some of the most unsuccessful times with my horse I can often see that I was not in the moment with them. I had my own agenda of what I thought we should be doing or how advanced we should be, I was letting other frustrations in that had nothing to do with my horse,   I'm working on a time frame and can't be late to leave for my next appointment...

The great mirror that is a horse. They show you what you are doing, or not, and how you are doing it. They will call you out when you are not with them the way you should be. Whether you want to see it or not. 

The most beautiful thing about a horse is, that so long as you are never malicious  neglectful, or cruel, they will always forgive you. Every day you walk onto the farm is a new day with a clean slate. They will again hold you accountable to be the best you can be and mirror back to you everything you need to see. 

Thank you to my herd for all that you do to make me a better me which in turn will make us a better us. 

My dearest Skip and his best buddy Blue at Sunnyside Equestrian Center.