Fear is useless

I mean that. Fear has no useful purpose. Oh, some would say that fear teaches us not to stick our hands into the campfire - but it is AWARENESS that keeps us safe around dangerous things. Fear actually creates dangers... or it draws them to us. Last night a big thunderstorm rolled in. It was our first storm since Rafiki's arrival (our new gelding). The wind was blowing, so I left fly masks on until it started raining (settling the dust) when Jer said we should remove them. The horses were hopping around and playing as the cold rain hit them (they all have their own roofs - just often choose not to use them). And Rafiki bumped the electric fence, leaped in the air and ran to me, shaking. He's a big horse. He stopped right in front of me and I realized he was scared (I had a moment of "Yikes" and had to trust his kindness and agility). I pulled his mask and hugged him and he relaxed some. So did I. Since the rain was cold and he has no "fuzz" nor fat, I loaded some Timothy into his feed tub and the chewing calmed him; the digesting warmed him. I said a little prayer in my heart for gentle, soaking rain and for the lighning to remain in the distance. We had a good night. Rafiki is so happy this morning - the ground is damp, the air is clean and cool. When we get frightened (People or horses), we hold our breath and go into "fight or flight". To subdue the fear, we can BREATHE and replace that fear with awareness - this is how we can train ourselves to stay safe!

Horses are SO brave

So, today I had another important lesson. We borrowed a very big enclosed truck to move all of our things from where they were stored. It was very much like my old horse van that was also a tilt cab; long, wide box; huge wheels/dually's, etc. Well, this truck was a bit higher from the ground and had a narrow, long metal ramp. My horse van had room for 6 horses, but usually hauled 3. I would lead them up the ramp, turn them around and back them into the stalls where I would cross tie them and hang hay nets (also used a breast bar). They "sat" on a big "butt bar" and rode really well like that. When unloading, each horse would kinda take a deep breath, then carefully step down the ramp... Today, I went up the ramp on the moving truck, set down my boxes, turned around and gasped at how high up I seemed; how narrow the ramp looked; how "slick" it appeared in the sunlight; how deeply I dreaded walking down it!! My goodness - I had SUCH brave horses!

My Dad

My father was a gentle man who died quite young as a result of his alcoholism. He did not really "fit" into this world and he suffered physically (from severe injuries in a military plane crash) and emotionally all his adult life. I miss him. He understood my love of horses... he built barns for me with his own hands, then with his money when he couldn't do it himself, physically. We suffered watching him drink - not just for what it did to us as a family, but for how it harmed him. In the early 1970's, police would drive him home (drunk), thinking they were doing him a favor... doctors refused to help (until the VA hospital showed compassion). Society sort of condoned the use of excess alcohol... I guess. The world seems more aware now. I'm glad. It is hard to see a loved one "waste" his life. My father was a gentle man who did not know how to tame his demons. I love him and I miss him and I'm so glad I knew him. Happy Father's Day, Daddy!

Helping Horses Relax

I practice and teach "invoking the Dralas"; energy beyond aggression. One of the things I have experienced in my very ecclectic life has been the outcome and emotional consequence of aggression. You see, I have ended up close to some very aggressive people over the last three years and I can tell you right now - it makes it next to impossible to relax! Our horses are often the "sponges" that absorb our emotional, energetic discharges and (having experienced such things in blatant ways), I can assure you it makes a being hypervigilant. Our horses either become anxiety riddled trying to avoid "setting us off" or shut down completely to hide within a cocoon... waiting for it all to end somehow. I am glad that I have "been there" because I am more aware now than I was three years ago just how deeply the toxin penetrates and how important it is to fill the well of experiences for our horses, our dogs and each other with pure, positive experiences. Eventually, the negative ones will be diluted, then replaced by the better ones. I'm working on it for myself. I know I was supposed to feel what I felt to increase my empathy, but it was sure annoying at the time (painful & confusing to be frank). So, relax your horse by showing him common courtesy, compassion and respect. Then he won't have to defend himself and become unable to relax! COMMUNICATE by also listening!

Discount for friends!

To celebrate our relocation, we are offering 15% off everything in the Naturalpaths' Store! We want to share with all of our friends some of our inspiration and motivation through the Holistic Health guides and manual downloads (for horses, dogs and people!); how to make soap; Gentle training guides; halters; tiles; Tshirts and The Equine Herbal 1st Aid Kit (all non-toxic products created when ordered!). Just use the coupon code: summer10 at check out to receive your discount. Go to www.shop.naturalpaths.org