The Un-covering....

”It’s impossible” said pride. “It’s risky” said experience. “It’s pointless” said reason. “Give it a try” whispered the heart - Anonymous

On the eve of the Winter Solstice, when its said that the Apocalypse will occur, my musings are certainly of a reflective nature. It's infinity fascinating that the word Apocalypse is  Ancient Greek for "the un-covering". I would have to say that has been a theme in my world of late, digging down into my beliefs and patterns, examining my dreams, longings and  aspirations. Those of you that know me, know that for as long as I can remember I have had two Big loves in life, Horses and Art. These two things have filled with both immeasurable Joy and Challenge. I am sifting through big ole belief systems around the fact that neither of them can earn you money and if you do, you will end up hating them. Its kinda cool that I look at that belief  with eyes of 'now' and see the fallacy in them,but deep childhood ingrained unconscious beliefs can die a painfully slow death.

 I feel an incredible gratitude for being able to have not only survived, but thrived off daring to believe that I can have a rich and abundant career from my love of of horses and granted I feel I will never tire, nor ease to desire to grow and learn and still find every moment spent with these creatures mind-blowing and humbling, I have (much to my surprise often times)managed to accomplish a solid toe-hold on a Grand Life Lived with Horses. 

But....

 

There is this Other Piece.

My Art. And yep, I know horses are Art. Absolutely. And I have no intention whatsoever to stop that aspect of my souls work.............but....

My Art has laid dormant for years. Well, ok. Its actually gone on some great long train and unicycle journey somewhere far more interesting then hanging out. Looking at it now, Gee, must have been about...'98 was the last real time I created anything along these lines. Yeah. Been awhile.Every year its been the same; something like " I'll have all this time in the winter and I'll do art then" and, oh it just never happens. I have become aware that I am the master of keeping Busy, with a capital B...and this huge denied piece of me goes nu-nurtured. I made a solemn vow this fall that I WOULD sculpt this winter and even enlisted the aid of a Life Coach to keep me accountable. Drastic? Yep, had to be. Horses and Art are who I am and they truly are one and the same in my reality.

Why am I sharing this? Because it scares the ever lovin' poop outa me to go Public with this. Its a big step, but its where I am going in the future and to be honest? I am so excited! I am learning to surrender and to embrace all that I am and daring to  allow myself to go for the Big Dream.  Lodestar's meaning is after all..."guiding light, inspiration". I would be remiss if I was constantly encouraging people to "Live Your Dreams!" and I shirked my own.

So, here is my first clay for bronze sculpture. My inner critic sees all sorts of things wrong with it here, but....I know and see how he will look finished and I have been so so so amazed and immersed in the process...............what a rush! My one only real compliant is IT TO SMALL!!!! Far to hard to get in there with my sticky lil fingers and do what I want, but....patience and learning. The next one will be substantially bigger...yet this one.....this one is special beyond everything. 

                                                                                                He is the my First Born after a very long and trauma and drama ridden pregnancy and as such, deserves much tolerance and my utmost respect.

Santa Ynez Vaquero Days.

Its now two days since I have returned home to the Great Frozen North after a simply perfect weekend in California at the Santa Ynez Vaquero Show and Sale with Bruce Sandifer being the Honored Vaquero this year and all my "Colorado" sistahs  in attendance as well made for the perfect reason for jumping on a  plane and heading south for a few days...




And what a brilliant time it was! Friday was spent ogling all the trade show vendors with everything from 18th century bits and spurs, turquoise and silver jewelry, hats, new gear and saddle makers, books, music and laughter by the bucket load. Add to that a glass of California wine, great friends and sunshine, the day sped by. The evening gala dinner and auction celebrated Bruce's enormous contribution to preserving the traditions and passing on Classical Californio Bridle Horsemanship. Truly one of the great ones, and yet humble, humorous and inspiring. 

Saturday was an eclectic mixture of wine tasting in one of the seemingly endless venues for this favored pastime in the picturesque town of Santa Ynez, more shopping, Bruce's presentation on the gear and its use in the balance/signal system, and then a BIG treat. We were permitted to tour a private collection of Vaquero tack and art and to say it was completely overwhelming was an understatement! Every millimeter of hanging space, standing space, wall space, air space was filled with silver bits, spurs, saddles, artifacts, books and artwork that would fit! To see and touch the beauty and memories held in each of the many thousand pieces was an experience I'll cherish for ever!

Eventing. Well, Manely

Well. Well well well........... 

The week has sailed past already following the Mane Event, and I find myself just really wanting to Thank everyone that stopped by and had a visit. Some old friends which were so cool to see, some new ones made, some surprises, and alot of familiar faces that have stuck with me on this crazy loop-de-loop path....:)I was taken aback with the enormous amount of interest in all things pertaining to the Bridle Horse, and the gear certainly drew folks attention.

   Funny thing is though that once the concept was explained to those who did not know of the journey, that it quickly became apparent that it is more the Time, Reverence and Patience, combined with a balanced understanding and communication through the 'gear' that gives this ancient, harmonious, "Signal" based ideology a truly remarkable place in the horse world. 

It is most simply put as  " designed with the horse and the utmost respect for him in mind". This is certainly not new, fast or a "program". It demands Feel. It requires Balance. It is Fluid and it is Movement. It can be crazy making and brutally honest.....But, it creates Confidence, Softness, Grace and Empowerment in both horse and human. 






It encompasses all things I hold dear that I have come to cherish along my journey with horses and it is cultivating a finer, quieter, simpler, cleaner more aware rider of myself. This has been my private and personal exploration, something that has been my fascination since I was 8 and collected pictures of spade bits and yet had no comprehension of why. My passion for helping folks learn feel, I mean Feel (:), Awareness, Connection and Confidence dove-tails so effortlessly with what I now find myself faced with. All this curiosity and desire to explore the Art of the Bridle Horse from others who have felt the same pull and wondered.... And so what it is that I love to do really truly is becoming what I do..........



 



 I am constantly humbled and challenged and exalted...and my horses are my best feedback, as always. When I get it right, they fight for the halter and seem to take as much joy in the connection and dance as I do and this.....this is what I have longed for. 

 




A way to balance innumerable elements into a Grand Work of Art with the horses dignity and needs held in complete respect.  I do this simply and utterly because I love it and the way it allows me to feel...and I am honored and humbled to share the exploration.
There is a line in a song, a buckaroo song, that has captured my heart...
" What I do is an Art, not a Sport".
    Indeed.




So, once again, thanks to you all who showed such keen interest and here's to hoping I will get to spend time with you this Spring and Summer with your horses, cultivating a love for the Art.....oh!and the Gear....:)

A very, very special THANK YOU needs to go to Joan and Erin who's dedication, kindness and wonderful support truly made the difference for me with set up, breaks and just being with me....Thanks, Girls!

Hackamore Y Garrocha La Isla...

Well, after a week of -25 and high winds left little time for anything other then survival and keeping everything warm and working, I am finding myself finally back with more pictures and stories of last summer...and remembering T-shirt weather...Remember???????

So the next clinic was on Vancouver Island, at my long time friend Deborah Flynn's Twin Creeks Facility. Twin Creeks is such a beautiful location and Deb the consummate hostess, and it just set the tone for a great three days of Hackamore and Garrocha fun.

Laurel and Fancy looking well....Fancy!

As you may know, the hackamore is the the first stage of Bridle Horse Development and very dear to my heart, and of late, there has been a substantial amount of interest in what on earth I am doing with all this gear and what my point is and where does it go and why....sooooooo in answer to all these questions and more, the first Hackamore clinic was put on. Ironic to me that it took place in my old back yard, put on by me yet, when I would have given my eye teeth (whatever they are....:) to have had this opportunity 20 yrs, or even 10 yrs ago.....so fitting somehow...
Vicki D and Falemma...cantering:)

With a Garrocha segment as well, and BOY! has this proven to be an unexpected big hit addition to clinics. (I actually decided that there will be an entire Camp up here devoted to Garrocha just to give it the time it deserves....but more on that later....:)

The first morning of the Hackamore Clinic was devoted to going through the gear...sizes, diameters, cores and fit of the hackamore and mane hair mecate, and why they are made of the materials that they are. This is a very fascinating part of Bridle Horse development and crucial to allowing the horse the time to develop the Feel necessary to eventually carry the spade. It is a SIGNAL based philosophy, and as such demands a great deal from us as horsemen. Timing, Feel, release, balance, position, and weight all crucial to having the horse understand what we are asking. For me, I think the biggest contribution that the hackamore does in its brilliant design is that we humans simply cannot make a horse do anything in the hackamore, as they very quickly can get dull to it, bracey like you can't imagine.


Alexa and Diva...just look at that drive, collection and Alexa's position....

So, happily this really compels us to become increasingly aware of their feedback...watching, feeling, sensing what they are doing and indeed releasing BEFORE the maneuver happens allows them to be willing participants and empowered in their learning as well. Think of the implications of connection, rapport and confidence building. Every time I ride, I find new places of softness, ways of being that are more in harmony with my horse and it is pure magic.
So, after a great am of show and tell with the gear, it was off to fit everyone and get started with experiencing some of this for themselves. All the participants were so curious and open to what was been offered and the horses responding in the typical way...Whoa! What's this heavy thing on my nose? And seeking that place of least resistance, vertical with that full neck arch, not just at the poll. And of course, therein lies the challenge....how do we help keep this carriage and respect with our guiding and active riding, soft hands and body awareness, because they very quickly give us brace feedback if we get it wrong....aaahhhhh! LOL...!

That afternoon, I introduced the Garrocha...on the ground first, going over the basic 'rules', why and how it is is used and the extremely beneficial rewards of integrating this oh so simple tool into our regular riding program. Everyone was dead certain that they would not be cantering with it by day three...and of course, all were.

Laurel and Fancy sorting it out and looking fine...

This single wooden pole is almost magical in its abilities....and is the most effective way of encouraging correct equation and seat, connection and focus, softness and Purpose! Virtually every aspect that we strive for is compressed into this artistic and fluid art and it seems to happen all by itself with far less struggle and tension. Its like the Spanish music and the very act of dancing somehow distracts us from all the 'technical' stuff we always think we need to learn and just Let Go, Flow, become absorbed in the Moment and Movement and learn almost in spite of ourselves. And the Horses....? They LOVE this thing....!


Meredith and her Good mare...and only their first day! See how everything is just lined up?



All in all a simply marvelous three days, and as you can see from the pictures, everyone who rode achieved beautiful moments full of grace and togetherness with their mounts.



And again...This gives tremendous focus for both, having the rider stay centered and not over or under steering, gives a point of reference and just causes both to be in line and together...or its not going to work....

Add in an each participant's individual routine performed for us all to Spanish music, perfect weather and I for one cannot wait to do this again....!

Vicki executing the Inside Turn...

Which reminds me, yes, there is another Hackamore y Garrocha planned for June 8-10 of this year, the location on the Island is not yet set, but please, feel free to contact myself, or better yet, Alexa Linton at alexa.balanceworks@gmail.com ,my Island Clinic Organizer.


Alexa and D. Wish you could have seen their routine to the Spanish Music...Muy Beuno, Girls ! ~