Horse Sense for the 21st Century

Horse Sense for Horses in the 21st Century- If you don't ride them what do you do with them?

2010-02-05T13:51:00.000-08:00

Tizzy, a beautiful Appaloosa mare has been retired in my care for a couple of years.
You can usually spot her dappled body on the pasture’s periphery. A seasoned, shy and sentinel member of the herd with a beautiful face that looks at you with one blue and one brown eye.

From the very beginning Tizzy’s owner wanted her to have a job participating in my youth classes, but Tizzy never seemed very interested in joining up. That is until today.

Tizzy began banging her hoof on the metal gate that separated her from the paddock I was readying for the soon to arrive class. Obliging the request, I opened the gate and watched her trot by me, the first one in the paddock.

Several of my regularly scheduled program horses came up a few minutes later to join her.

The last one to step off the youth bus was a 14 year old African American girl named Jaden.
I greeted her beautiful face looking up at me with one blue eye and one brown eye.

Tizzy let out a call from thirty feet away and came racing towards the fence where the young girl stood in amazement. The connection was so apparent; it felt like electricity in the air.

The youth director told me the girl’s mother had been murdered in front of her and she had not spoken a word since that day, almost two years ago. Jaden had been in counseling and participated in this violence prevention group but through it all had remained silent.

Our first exercise was centered on grooming the horses, (which I use as a metaphor for self care). The young woman was paired with Tizzy for the exercise.

As Jaden slowly brushed the horse, Tizzy closed her eyes and then wrapped her necked around the young woman’s shoulders, much like horses do with their young.

Moments later we could hear the young girls muffled sobs. Tizzy stood quietly, gently holding Jaden against her warm body, arms wrapped around the horses neck, her face buried in the Mare’s thick mane.

The activities now complete, I asked everyone to gather in a circle and share their experience of grooming the horses. After several comments by both staff and participants,
I asked if anyone else in the group had reflections before we moved on.

“ I want to say something, the voice stammered” It was Jaden, who hadn’t spoken a word in more than two years. She told the group that while Tizzy was holding her, she had remembered being with her mom at her Grandfathers horse ranch in Mexico.

They were celebrating his birthday and Jaden sang Happy Birthday to him. He had put his arms around her and whispered in her ear…” your voice is a gift from God, promise me you will never lose it.” Until today she had forgotten her promise.
Tizzy she explained softly.. had helped her remember.

I am often asked, if you don’t ride the horses at your ranch, then what do you do with them? Now you know.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Horse Sense for the 21st Century™ Alyssa Aubrey, CEGE Incorporates horses in human development through Equine Guided Education. www.medicinehorseranch.org

Remembering Nomad

2010-01-22T16:42:00.001-08:00

Some days like some horses were made to be remembered. Nomad was one of those horses.

We met shortly after I decided to start a retirement home for horses. Nomad turned out to be my first client. His arrival also signaled the beginning of another amazing relationship with his owner Dee.

Meeting Dee felt like a re-union of lifetimes. I welcomed in a kindred spirit, a riding partner and a trusted friend. I remember thinking the day Nomad arrived that Dee and I would know each other for a long time.

The first order of every day was figuring out how to get Nomad’s pergolide medication into him. This may have been an easier task with almost any other horse, but it was always a challenge with Nomad. I called him “Nomad the Rascal” in the mornings. Often he would make me catch him before I could administer the magic potent. But sometimes he would stand stone still waiting for me and I'd think, "finally" he is with the program. But no sooner than I would shoot the syringe in his mouth, he would spit it right back out along with the mouth full of grass he’d been holding hostage.

He loved his owner; his sponsors, bananas, brushing and he loved Succotash, the goat. On many a rainy day I would spot a bone dry Succotash standing directly underneath Nomad. On a sunny afternoon it wasn't uncommon to see them taking a nap together, the goat carefully tucked around his friend, head comfortably resting on Nomads heart.

Once a visitor to the ranch lost control of her Boarder Collie. The dog immediately began to chase Succotash all over the paddock. Out of thin air, Nomad and Angel (Nomad’s paddock mate) flanked Succotash, moving at a perfectly synchronized continual canter. Two hero horses keeping the dog at bay until her owner retrieved him.

A year or so before, Nomad was run down by an aggressive Gelding in the pasture. Toyota, one of my EGE program horses placed himself between the struggling Nomad and the charging horse, mule kicking out at the aggressor until the Gelding retreated.

After the incident with Succotash and the Collie, I thought to myself, "Nomad paid it forward."

The day Nomad passed away started out as any other. I looked out of my bathroom window onto an unusual sunny morning in mid January. It was about 6:30 am, I saw Nomad standing in front of the barn grazing peacefully. At 8:30 am, I headed to the barn to feed. As I walked through the open gate and rounded the corner with Nomads pergolide in my pocket, I noticed a strange feeling in my gut. I looked out onto the front pasture where normally every horse in the herd is lined up for breakfast.
There was no horse in site. My gut started to constrict. I looked in the paddock and from 30 feet away I knew Nomad was gone.

He was lying down, his blanket perfectly placed around him. There were no signs that he had tried to get up, no tell tale circles in the dirt around his body. It was as if he melted into the earth with one graceful movement, a last breath and a final bow.

I found him facing west, eyes open, head first facing his herd. His paddock mate Guinness was standing next to him, head bowed low.

I knelt down, reached out with both my arms to hug his blanketed body and through a flood of tears, said a silent prayer. Guinness and I paid last our respects to our dear friend, our horse shaman, and the ambassador of Medicine Horse Ranch.

Nomad was in my care for almost 4 years- of course this is referencing linear time. In horse time, it seemed so much longer than this. Truthfully he is still here. I often feel his majestic presence. He sends messages to me in dreams. He fills my heart with memories when I gaze into the sky and see the horsetail clouds above the barn and hear the cry of a red-tailed hawk circling above. Some horses were made to be remembered.

Horse Sense for Women™ in the 21st Century

2010-01-15T15:40:00.000-08:00

I’m always fascinated by the number of phone calls and emails I receive from women who start out by saying, “ I really don’t know exactly why I am contacting you, but somehow horses keep showing up in my life. I feel them calling to me.”

Often I discover, they mean the horses in their dreams, or the horses in a field they pass by on their way to work each morning. Books fall out of the bookshelf at the library with a horse on the front cover and their heart skips a beat.

On occasion someone has a real four- legged horse in her life and wants to feel more connected in the relationship. Always quick to point out that she doesn’t mean just while riding. But rather the deep reach into the heart and soul of the horse, learning to connect and interpret the vast energetic, kinesthetic territory of “horse speak.”

Often I will hear similar comments from participants on the first day of an Equine Guided Education program. The energy underneath the words almost sounds apologetic, as if the answers to such a mysterious invitation should be obvious. They aren’t obvious, they aren’t even answers. It’s so much bigger than this.

I understand all too well this intuitive reach, these longings and musings. It is no accident these women find me and often come to study with me.

Hearing the Call

Eight years ago I heard horses calling to me and as it turned out… quite loudly.

At the time, I was traveling 21 days a month on a plane, working in a high paced and demanding field as unrelated to horses as you could get. I flew to exotic locations, wore expensive suits, stayed in fancy hotels and walked around daily with a huge hole in my heart. The only horses in my life were ceramic ones that I had collected since childhood.

Looking back, it wasn’t that I lacked anything, nor was I identifiably unhappy. Upon reflection these many years later, “ the hole” was the disconnection from my spirit’s calling, the yearning for integration and completion.

Horse Medicine

On Thanksgiving Day 1998 while hiking at Tennessee Valley, a horse (named Mystery) literally fell out of the sky and on top of me. A young rider had lost control of her horse when someone playing Frisbee missed his or her mark and hit the horse. The horse spooked, reared and like a derailed train slid off course and right into me. I was thrown into the air and landed sprawled on the hood of my car underneath 1300 pounds of horseflesh. Miraculously, I didn’t break any bones, although my body was so black and blue and swollen that it took about eight weeks to fully heal. But the accident abruptly and irreversibly awakened something deep inside of me and I would never be the same.

I slowed down; I listened intently to that odd, inaudible voice and gave it permission to inform my life. I took long walks in nature and observed the natural cues from the environment that beckoned me to take action and believe. I tuned out everyone who told me I was nuts and/or too old and/or too inexperienced to center my world around horses. I decided to pursue my love of horses and sponsor a horse appropriately named Sage. After a few months the opportunity presented itself and I purchased her.

Eight years have passed in what seems like the wink of an eye. Sage and I are still together. Today we live on 1000 acres in Tomales, Ca and teach Equine Guided Education classes. I also have a retirement home for 28 horses that Sage helps me manage as lead mare in the herd.

Like the women who call me today, I could never have imagined this life all those years ago. Nor the countless adventures of Sage and me in between then and now that shaped both our destinies. I only know, it was impossible for me not to follow the call, to trust that voice of intuition and test the muscle of faith.

And if you are reading this and saying to yourself ‘she sounds like me,’ I say to you hold your dreams up to the light and pay close attention to the horses in your life.

Horse Sense for the 21st Century and the Blue Moon

2010-01-01T12:00:00.000-08:00

The last night of 2009 exited with a blue moon in the sky. A rare and utterly potent site to ponder as the first day of 2010 prepared to emerge.

A good friend and astrologer commented recently that during the month of December   all the surrounding planets and energies signaled change...a real "take no prisoners" shake up.

She said "All secrets will be revealed, anything that is not in alignment for the highest good will be cast out and that which lingers in the unconscious will be forced into visibility."   For myself, all of the above rang true as I reflected on the past year, speculated about my relationships, went to work each day, watched the news and listened to others talk about what was happening in their world.   January 2010 has arrived and with it the opportunity to create a vision for ‘what now’ and ‘what next.’   The challenges of this time in our lives call us forward and onto the pathways of peace and a correct way of living from the center of the heart.

We are required to shape-shift patterns of behavior that no longer serve into skillful, sustainable, life-honoring responses that offer peace, justice, healing, contribution, creativity, beauty, and love in our hearts expressed out into the world and for all our realtions. 

 Here is a story about peace that I was gifted by a shaman and I now carry in my daily meditations. 

 There once was a king who offered a prize to the artist who could paint the best picture of peace. Many artists tried. The king looked at all the pictures. After much deliberation he was down to the last two. He had to choose between them.  One picture was a calm lake. The lake was a perfect mirror for the peaceful mountains that towered around it. Overhead fluffy white clouds floated in a blue sky. Everyone who saw this picture said that it was the perfect picture of peace.  The second picture had mountains too.  These mountains were rugged and bare.  Above was an angry sky from which rain fell. Lightening flashed.  Down the side of the mountain tumbled a foaming waterfall.  This did not appear to be a peaceful place at all.  But when the king looked closely, he saw that behind the waterfall was a tiny bush growing in the rock. Inside the bush, a mother bird had built her nest. There in the midst of the rush of angry water, sat the mother bird on her nest. The king chose this picture as the perfect picture of peace.  The king chose it, "Because," he explained, "Peace is not only in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. Peace is in the midst of things as they are, when there is calm in your heart. That is the real meaning of peace." 

 May the Blue Moon rise again and may we take notice.

Horse Sense and the Power of Forgiveness

2009-12-01T21:04:00.000-08:00

I attended a local dinner and awards event last evening and was profoundly moved by one of the speakers. Jane, a well-regarded chaplain offered her insights into forgiveness, prosperity and healing through a personal story.

Years before she was asked by a doctor to accompany him on patient interviews to determine potential organ donors. She had willingly accepted, though clearly humbled by the thought of having to choose who would receive life affirming organs and who would not.

THE INTERVIEW OF A LIFETIME

“ Cross Ross” was as negative as they come. He complained that while waiting for a heart transplant, his wife was spending all his money, his company was tanking and his children had not once come to visit. Additionally, the nurses caring for him were stupid. He demanded a new heart citing the news that three young teens had perished in a car accident a day before and one of their organs would do. He offered to make a large donation to the hospital to expedite matters and if he didn’t get what he wanted NOW, he offered to make a lot of trouble.

The next interview was a man named Roger. He spoke softly about how much he loved his family, how grateful he was to be in such good care. He also mourned the loss of the three young teens so tragically murdered by a drunken drive. He grieved for the surviving parents and offered prayers for their healing. He had kids of his own and wanted to live so he could see them married and be a granddad. If he didn’t get a new heart, he accepted that the lord had better plans for him.

Later the doctor inquired who might be the best candidate for a heart transplant?

The chaplain replied she believed Roger deserved it, admitting ‘Cross Ross’ was difficult to have compassion for. Even so, she found it all to be a very difficult decision to make.

The doctor agreed that Roger should receive the heart transplant, but not for the reasons the chaplain had cited. A recent medical discovery proclaimed that a patient who was habitually angry produced a sticky, toxic substance in the body that eventually rejected a transplanted organ. On the other hand, a patient who was at peace with life was a much better candidate for successful transplant. As the hospital was not in the business of giving out transplants to fail, Roger would receive the heart.

WHAT KEEPS FORGIVENSS FROM FOR GIVING?

What is it that keeps us from letting go of hurt and anger? What keep us from letting in forgiveness? My own belief is that humans are the only species on the planet that can live from birth to the grave fanning the flames of judgment.

If we have been wronged, feel hurt or betrayed we will tell the story to ourselves and others over and over again, each time creating that ‘sticky substance’ around our heart and other vital organs, poisoning our minds, our bodies and our possibilities for freedom.

I’ve been an Equine Guided Educator since 2002 and worked with hundreds of people in my programs. I am convinced that no matter what education, title or station individuals may have arrived to; each becomes their own self-fulfilling prophecy and limiting factor by how they judge themselves and/or others.

Observing and being in the company of horses has been an amazing source of inspiration and healing to my both myself and my clients.

Horses are so present with each other, each with its own distinct personality and push into the herd. They don’t live in their stories, incapable of judging. If a horse gets into a spat with another horse about something, they squeal, kick; sometimes bite -and then it is over. Five minutes later they are eating next to one another as if nothing had transpired. By example, horses offer an inspirational and profound example to help humans’ bridge the unforgivable gap.

When our judge is loose and empowered, ego gives way, energy is constricted and hope disappears from view. How then do humans open up to the bigger untapped observation field of possibility and hold others and ourselves the way the horse would?

This re-awakening to ‘Horse Sense’ is the opportunity horses offer to raise our frequency awareness, hone our intuitive muscle, encourage our imaginations and observation practices by opening our hearts.

HORSE SENSE FOR THE 21ST CENTURY- PRACTICES IN FORGIVENESS

- Forgiveness is FOR GIVING.

- Make a commitment NOW to forgive those you hold captive in your wounded heart.

- When we forgive someone else, we free ourselves. We don’t have to forget the hurt or invite our nemesis to tea but we do need to free ourselves from the source of our pain

- Think about the person you need to forgive, allow yourself to remember a time when you shared something of value. A time when the conversation flowed, when that person did something wonderful for you. Let yourself “leap frog” from that time to now. You are forgiving that person for yourself, to free the chains that bind you to limitation and regret.

- Bless the experience for it taught you something worthwhile in spite of the hurt.

- Let the person and the story go and go forward living life.

By the way ‘Cross Ross’, moved to another hospital and received a heart transplant. He complained that the staff at the new hospital was more stupid and inept that the previous one. He died a short while later.

Horse Sense and the Synchronistic Call of the Red Tail Hawk

2009-11-19T11:26:00.000-08:00

Tuesday morning stirred up a wicked and windy announcement that blew the air with electricity snapping everything around me in its path. I gazed across the vast range of land I live on and felt a storm brewing. Something was spinning out in the distance, planning it’s destined arrival. Or was this unsettled energy in me? Then I saw the strangest thing; two huge ravens fighting on the ground about 100 feet in front of me. One was really beating the crap out of the other. I’d never seen anything quite like it.

I told a friend about it, she remarked one must have really offended the other, or taken something? Interesting interpretation I surmised, but it didn’t feel quite right.

Looking at all the food around as they continued arguing over one tiny piece of something, I thought, this is a metaphor for scarcity vs abundance… a conversation that’s really up for a lot of us these days. I was in a personal situation where this issue was in my face too.

I’ve lived on land for about four years, but in my heart I feel like I have always belonged to this life. The road signs from the environment, as I like to call them, are as obvious to me now as the English language.

Two years ago, I got tossed on the ground when a young horse spooked and ran over the top of me. The result of those few seconds of chaos and confusion was a broken left shoulder. My bad luck was compounded by the fact that I had no health insurance, having just lost my only consulting client and all the benefits attached.

The orthopedic doctor pronounced me "not able to have full motion in my left arm again." Even with the $30,000.00 surgery he was willing to perform.

I drove home after the doctor’s visit that morning feeling like I was driving under water and in stunned disbelief.

Finally I made my way up the winding, two- mile paved road towards home and found my horse Sage standing all alone at the top of the hill by the barn gate. I pulled my truck over and rolled down the window. Looking up at her beautiful face, I'd said softly, "I believe it's a good day for a ride. What do you think?"

She licked, chewed and bopped her pretty head up and down a few times and she seemed to be the best counsel I'd had all morning.

BY FEEL

On a beautiful, bright, cool afternoon we rode on the hills and in the valleys of the land we both knew so well.

I became increasingly aware of my thoughts. What do I really care about? How do I make a contribution from this place? I didn’t want to react to the pressures I was currently facing. I wanted to respond from grace and create something new. My energy, resourcefulness and life force were precious currency. I had traded on it every time I indulged myself in worry and fear. I vowed I wouldn't do that anymore.

I recalled we'd stopped to rest at the top of rattlesnake ridge. I watched the shadow from the sun inch its way across on the toe of my boot. I hadn’t watched sun shadows since I was a kid.

On that day more than two years ago, I realized it was my life that had a limited range of motion. I'd been comfortably stuck, content to inch along. The accident, job loss and all that came bundled along with it wasn’t penance. Instead, this was a necessary journey to reconnect and reinvigorate my life’s purpose and me. I’d been off course. The accident was a course correction.

Now two years later, my shoulder completely healed I stood next to my noble horse Sage facing into the East. I reminded myself to listen deeply from my heart and trust even as I felt uncertain and apprehensive about pending events. Just then a red- tail hawk circled above us and called.

The One You Feed

2009-10-24T08:02:00.000-07:00

My Equine Guided Education program, Horse Sense for Women is meeting again in a couple of weeks. I've been checking in with my students and with my horses for "cues" on what I'll present during the next class.

Last month I shared a story first told to me by Tom Pinkson, a shaman I was privileged to study with for some years. The story goes like this...One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, “My son, the battle between two “wolves” is inside us all. One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith. The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather:“Which wolf wins?” The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”

I instructed each women in the group take several pink post its, a marker and to write words to feed her 'good wolf.' Once they each had a word or phrase, I asked each person to place the post it onto a flip chart. We repeated the process until the chart was fully covered with words of self-love, compassion, hope, kindness, dignity and so forth. This powerful exercise had staying power as the learning from the weekend found integration into each persons life.

As I'm pondering the upcoming class, I noticed a crumpled piece of pink paper in the barn. I smoothed it open and smiled as I read the hand written words ' you are good enough the way you are.'

Horse Sense for the 21st Century and then some

2009-10-19T18:50:00.000-07:00

I finished my first blog last week. I was compelled to write about how powerful interpretations are and these beliefs often hold our feet to the fire. The question becomes are the beliefs we are holding as "Truth" serving us or, are they limiting stories that keep us stuck in our drama and our smallness.

Case in point.... I'm in a breakdown with a good friend. She has a story about me and I'm sorely tempted to have one about her in return. As I'm stirring the stew of my reactivity, I notice two huge ravens fighting. Upon closer inspection they are gripped in battle over what looks like a berry or a nut of some kind.

I've never seen two birds dukeing it out like that. My friend is somewhat of a bird expert and loves ravens. I emailed her and asked her what she thought of it all. Her response was that one probably offended the other in someway, or perhaps took something.

I considered her interpretation, and decided the ravens were a mirror for what was going on between the two of us. As I looked around at all the abundance of berries and nuts on the ground I thought-
The ravens are gripped by what looks like the only game in town and missing the opportunity for a bigger vision. This is what fear, ego and scarcity look like.

I decided to offer my friend my understanding instead of my judgment- and the world looks much more spacious today.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Horse Sense for the 21st Century™ Alyssa Aubrey, CEGE Incorporates horses in human development through Equine Guided Education. www.thecenterforequineguidededucation.com.

Horse Sense Perspectives for the 21st Century

2009-10-16T14:29:00.000-07:00

Last Friday morning I awaited the arrival of three new volunteers, eager to help out at my ranch. I care for 25 horses, many of whom are retired. Having a staff of volunteer help willing to muck, groom and tidy up sounds likes a necessary and handy offer. So why do I have so much resistance to the idea?

I’m a self-confessed, do it myself, “quasi hermit” living with my menagerie often preferring the sound of the wind rather than conversation.

My business coach has been after me for months to change my perspective on this subject and logically embrace that growing a business requires help. Finally, I succumbed.

Why then am I marching around the horse barn uttering the words, “this is exactly why I didn’t want to have to start managing a staff?”

Because today I am also awaiting the arrival of my vet called that morning to put down one of my beloved retirement horses.

EPM, is a devastating neurological disorder that attacks the spinal column. Bruno is presenting all the classic symptoms.

Bruno is 30 something. Winter is coming and my vet, Bruno’s owner and myself feel we cannot put this horse through a painful process of treatments at his age and under these circumstances.

I feel pressure as I think about my new volunteers and picture welcoming them to the ranch with my opening remarks, “Good morning, welcome to your first day at the ranch. We are now going to euthanize a horse.”

I want to say goodbye to my sweet horse in private, without interruption and questions about where the rake is and how to turn off the barn lights.

So I’m mad- I feel tightness in my jaw, a big knot in my stomach and a sour mood-taking root.

Just then I look out into the horse paddock and catch sight of my mare Sage. Sage is pinning her ears and running around with an ugly snake face, baring her teeth and pushing the other horses all over the place.

“Ummm, my energy is in the space”, I thought.

So I stop, re-center myself and ask the question, “what new perspective can I bring forward to produce the outcome I desire today?”

My volunteers arrive, I explain softly and deliberately that living on land and with animals is neither romantic nor sympathetic.

I tell them about Bruno and offer them a chance to leave if it doesn’t feel Ok to stay. They all opt to stay.

Natalie slips a rose quartz crystal my pocket and offers to brush Bruno before the vet comes. All three women want to go and meet him and upon doing so, offer their prayers and love. Elsie, whose mom has recently past away, delivers profound words of wisdom that reinforces my intuition that it’s Bruno’s time to go. Debra gives me a hug and whispers, “you did so much for him, he is a lucky horse.”

Finally, the vet arrives and confirms what we already know….and we say our final farewell to sweet Bruno.

We stand together, a newly formed herd comprised of wise women.
I feel deep appreciation and trust, feelings that often take me a long time to develop with people.

As the sun sinks, I said goodbye to Nat, Deb and Elsie. I welcomed in a new perspective shaped from a difficult day, inspired by honoring a brilliant and noble horse named Bruno… now running free with his spirit herd.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Horse Sense for the 21st Century™ Alyssa Aubrey, CEGE Incorporates horses in human development through Equine Guided Education. www.thecenterforequineguidededucation.com.