Breaking Down My Preconceptions & Assumptions

I've made it no secret that I have dealt with my weight for many, many years.  It has been the #1 thorn in my side for the last decade or so.  I know that I originally gained the weight for two main reasons ...
#1 I gave birth to a set of twins in 1999 and my life unequivocally changed forever - from being an active, working out of the house newly wed to a homebound, stay-at-home mom of two tiny babies - a drastic life change that caused me to head straight to the fridge and my exercise level to drop to almost nothing!
#2 I started dealing with some major medical issues with my reproductive system that left me in chronic pain and suffering from exhaustion 80% of the time.
So today I am in a place where the reasons that caused me to gain weight all those years ago are no longer a factor - my kids are old enough to not even require a babysitter any longer and I had a hysterectomy in 2008.  The time is right and I am ready to start pursuing the thinner, fitter body I once had.

So how to go about it.  Weight Watchers has worked for me .. somewhat.  But my reality is that certain foods, the foods that I really love, cause me digestive upset and increased cravings for unhealthy foods.  These foods, any foods are perfectly acceptable on Weight Watchers as long as they are accounted for.  But I know that they do me harm.  So for the last few months I have been searching for a weight loss program that will not only cause me to lose weight but help me identify what foods are best for my body.  Last year, the Parelli world watched as Pat & Linda slimmed to shadows of themselves on a diet Pat talked about as the "HcG Diet".   Several weeks ago, I decided that I would look into this HcG diet.   Going straight to the source,  I called the Body Shop in Pagosa Springs, Colorado for the details.   Needless to say, after some research and concluding that I wasn't going to harm myself on a 500 calorie per day diet - I signed on with Linda at the Body Shop to give it a go.  First, my inbox filled with document after document that I needed to read (the food lists by blood type is amazing and spot on for me!!).  Then just this morning a shipment arrived filled with bottle after bottle of supplements, tea, soap, toothpaste - even deodorant!!  Everything I need to get going ... and ...... I am petrified!

Why am I so nervous of this??  I am nervous of anything referred to as "all natural".  My vision of anything produced naturally is that someone went out in the field, picked something that looked like weeds, ground it up, put it in pill form and expects it to be the next cure of the century.  All right - I am sceptical of the homeopathic/natureopathic movement.  My impression is that the products work "o.k" - not really very well but the consumer mentally feels better in the knowledge that they are natural.  Alternative therapies and medicines make me think that they are second best, a choice when you don't have access to the best option - that from the medical community.  So where did this mindset come from?  Why am I so sceptical of something that comes in a plain brown packaging?  I don't really know.  But I need to open my mind to the possibilities and accept that what I have done so far really hasn't worked that well - so why not?

It is the same thing with me and the red light therapy - for horses and humans.  I am sceptical maybe because it seems so easy.  And because I can't for the life of me figure out how what looks like a red Christmas tree light mounted in a flashlight can possibly make a difference to a 1200 lb animal.  But you know, I was once sceptical of Parelli too.  But I went to that first Level 1 clinic with an open mind .. and now look where I am!!  Time for me to drop the preconceptions and assumptions that block my vision and try.  Maybe while I am busy sorting supplements and getting underway with the HcG diet,  I should take the course and learn more about the red light therapy too.  Who knows maybe the outcome will be like that of my first Level 1 Parelli course and my life will be forever changed.

Wish me luck!! I don't think I'll be eating organic granola and wearing hemp clothing anytime soon, but I just might learn more about my body and what it really needs (instead of what I think it needs!).   I'll update 45 days from now and revisit this topic again!  Stay tuned!

Observations from the Pool

This morning was the second-to-last, 45 minute, swimming class for my three kids.  For just a day shy of two weeks, we have made the daily trek to the town pool for their lessons.  Each day it has been an untold blessing to have 45 minutes of quiet.  I have enjoyed sitting under the shade tree of the local park reading or watching long awaited Savvy Club DVD's on the portable player.  Bliss!!  Today I was told by my 7 year old son, in no uncertain terms, that I was NOT to watch horse videos and I must watch his entire lesson.  From my vantage point at the top of the bleachers I had the perfect view of my son and all the other swimmers and their parents, grandparents and caregivers. 

In the tot swim group located in the shallow end, one little fellow was having a bit of a rough time.  Throughout his entire 30 minute class he had a long, low wailing, hiccuping type cry.  For whatever the reason, on this day, he just was not enjoying his lesson and playtime with the instructor and other children.  His mother along with the child's grandparents were sitting in front of me and I heard several comments about "how silly he was behaving" and "what is wrong with him - he never behaves like this!".   After the lessons finished and the pool cleared of swimmers, I entered the family dressing room with my son and again heard that long, dry, wailing cry.  The little boy's mother was quickly dressing him in his street clothes while glancing at the other parents with an embarrassed , apologetic look.  Again as we walked through the parking lot and sat in the truck waiting for my older children to surface from the dressing rooms, that long, low cry was close in proximity.  The little boy's mother and grandparents were standing around him starring at him as though he had suddenly turned a different colour, discussing why this normally quiet little fellow was having this meltdown.   Finally, after much rolling of eyes and shrugging of shoulders, the mother got a soft look on her face, bent down and scooped him up.  Immediately, his arms went about her neck, his eyes closed and .... he stopped crying.  She rocked him back and forth and his face brightened and he looked peaceful and calm.   A few minutes later when she set him down, he scampered off after his sister to check out the playground - everything right in his world again. 

This scene hit home with me.  At events with horses, how often do we ourselves witness others or say the words, "he never does this at home" or "why won't he just behave?".   How often do we roll our eyes at each other in sympathy over our horse's behaviour?  How often do we turn our back on a horse who is in distress over the situation or new environment with an attitude of "he'll get over it"?  

Sometimes our horses need a hug.  They need us to slow down and give them some time to gain strength and confidence from us.  They need us to set aside the goal of participating in the event and put our principle of love, language and leadership first.  They need us to not make excuses for them and just "be" in the moment with them to help them through it.  Hugs can be defined in many ways - from simply removing them from the situation to a quieter location to soothing friendly game in all forms.  After a pre-Parelli lifetime of growing up being told that hugs would spoil my horse, it is a relief to have the freedom to give my horse a hug when he needs it.    And I do.  Every so often it is a full out arms around his neck human hug.  But every time, we walk away with my horse's expression just like that of the little boy at the swimming pool - calm and confident and running ahead looking for the next adventure!   So the question remains - have you hugged your horse today??

When An Accident Happens .... are You Ready??

Last week my 2 year old filly suffered an injury in the pasture.  The injury was serious enough to require sedation, stitching, bandage changes and a host of other medical procedures.   I approached this situation with as much savvy as I have and maintained that our relationship was first and had to be balanced with the medical procedures she required.  However, during those first days post-injury, I quickly became frustrated at our lack of prior and proper preparation in the area of emergency preparedness.  While in many regards, Jess was a trouper and handled much of it calmly and confidently, but several times the pain caused a real change in her horsenality and I was left feeling overwhelmed.
So live and learn, this situation caused me to think about all the tasks that are important for responsible horse owners to do with EVERY horse in their care (the pasture potatoes have emergencies too!).   The more prepared you are, the more successful you will be when illness or injury adds that extra element to a situation ... pain. 

Physical Preparedness
Think about all the horses in your care and then honestly consider the following questions ....
Can your horse stand still and calm during needling? What about repeated needling?  Often during illness or injury, horses require more than one needling session! 
Can you hose down your horses legs, chest and belly with cold water? Often necessary for reducing swelling and keeping wounds clean.
Can you calmly and confidently load your horse in the trailer in the dark, wind, rain, snow or other common weather conditions for your area? If you had to evacuate or transport an injured or sick horse to a remote equine clinic - your horses need to be able to load in any weather or time of day, not just when the sun is shining!
Can you put your horse in a stall and have them be relaxed and calm for a length of time? Confinement is often necessary during injury.  Do you have a stall or small area to confine an injured/ill horse? Is there a "buddy" to stay with the patient to help them stay calm and quiet?
Can you spray aerosols on all parts of your horse's body?  Some injuries require antiseptic sprays to keep them clean and help them heal.
Can you operate the clippers over all of your horse's body including legs, head, neck, ears and muzzle? Some surgical procedures require the effected areas to be shaved.
Can you pick up all four of your horse's feet and confidently handle all four legs?
Are you physically fit enough to handle an injured or sick horse? These situations can sometimes require lengths of time without sleep and assisting veterinarians with medical procedures can be physically taxing.

Emotional Preparedness
Be very honest with yourself and think about how you handle emergency situations.  It's normal to find these challenging, but understanding yourself and taking steps to cover your shortcomings will help both you and your horses!
Can you act calmly, think logically and make well informed decisions in an emergency situation?
Can you call in some support to help you through especially trying times?
Can you keep safety as a priority in order to help your horse without putting yourself in danger?

Mental Preparedness
There is no doubt we love our horses. Anyone who has owned horses knows that sometime you will have to deal with the natural situations that arise during a horse's life. While not pleasant, these trying times are a reality and deserve some advanced consideration. Sometimes planning for the unexpected means thinking of potential emergency situations and thinking through how you would handle them.  Kind of like preparing your will and buying insurance for ourselves!
Have you analyzed your finances and have a realistic price you are willing, and able to pay, should illness or injury arise?
Are you able to make the decision to humanely end your horse's life if the situation warrants?
If you were to lose your horse suddenly, have you thought about how you would dispose of his/her body?
If you live in an area where natural forces can require evacuation - do you have a plan in place?

My goal for young Jess was to have her come through this injury without any lasting negative responses that will affect her future.  So even though an injury isn't the best time, I was focused on taking the time it takes and putting our relationship first throughout the whole ordeal.  Today at her follow up 5-day veterinary appointment, Jess let me know that she appreciated my efforts by standing perfectly still for her fourth round of needles.  You couldn't erase the smile from my face!  Jess is on the road to a full recover and hopefully only a minor scar as a reminder. 

 

5 day Parelli Experience

I arrived home just a mere four days ago from the 5-Day Parelli Experience course held at the 17 Ranch in Thamesford last week.  Honestly, it has taken me just this long to soak and process the experience ... and what an experience it was!  Where do I even begin to blog about it??  I am going to attempt to answer the much dreaded, nerve wracking question asked in Parelli-land - what did you learn?

1. I learned that I really, really love my horse.  This experience reconfirmed that he and I are indeed a perfect match.  When he is unconfident (like when he got off the trailer and was face to face with a very big, and very scary rock!!) I am there to help him through and when I am unconfident - he is my support.   The right horse is better than winning the lottery in my books.

2. I need to be more confident in myself.  I have alot of savvy and am solidly in Level 3 and moving into Level 4 (not Level 1 like I sometimes tell myself).  Instead of being so focused on the proper sequence of the program and frozen with worry that I am not ready - I need to trust that if I think I am ready to progress into something new, I probably am.  Trying to summarize this concept, I need to remember that I don't need permission from an instructor in order to progress - my horse will tell me when the timing is right.   Never was this more evident when I nervously attempted my first ever official Liberty session. I laughed outloud at Tido - he did everything I asked with an expression of "well its about time!".

3. I am responsible for my journey.  Period.  If I have a question - no one is going to knock on the door to answer it.  If I want to acheive something - it is my responsibility to get out there and put together a plan to do so.  And people are there to help.  I was a little bit intimidated to ask John Baar a question - but am I ever glad I did!!  He is a very approachable instructor with a relaxed yet knowledgable teaching style.  And it is comforting to know that Linda has faced some of the issues I face with Tido. 

4. Grab a hold of opportunities and just DO IT! My favourite saying (which could very well be a Parelli-ism) echoes this: Whether you think you can or you can't, you're right! So I learned .... I can, I did and I will.



So I am home, older, wiser and changed.  I find it amazing what 5 days can do to someone.  I came home with a clear path to where I want to go and what I want to do with my horses.  But I do want to thank a few people before signing off on this blog episode:

John Baar - thank you for coming all the way from Kentucky.  Thank you for being approachable and knowledgable and for telling all sorts of wonderful stories about Pat, Linda and your time spent at the Parelli Centres. 

Don Halladay - I truly think you are one of the kindest people I have ever met.  Thank you for keeping safety as the cornerstone of all your teaching.  One day I will be at a level where you will ask me to ride your cutting horse - and I'll be ready and answer YES!

Randee Halladay - it was a pleasure to meet you and I love your "tell-it-like-it-is" style.  I look forward to seeing you in Mt. Forest in July.

Maureen Owens - witness of my first official Liberty session!! Thank you for your one on one time and for supporting my journey.  I look forward to working with you to put together some teaching sessions for children in our area.

Todd Owens - I don't even know what to say.  Thank you for putting together such a wonderful event, supporting my goals and modelling how to be positive, progressive and natural.  I look forward to learning from you again in the near future. 






So I finish this blog post and am looking through the door to the rest of 2011.  People to meet, tasks to accomplish and ever closer to the highlight - my ride with Walter Zettl.   Keeping it natural!!

The Road to Walter

I originally dubbed 2011 as my own “Year of a Million Dreams” (thanks to Disney for coining the title back in 2008). Since my Parelli life began, I have a lot of horse-related dreams. A LOT!! So many so, that I get overwhelmed and burdened by the shear volume of things I want to accomplish with my horses. So in an effort to ease the dream burden, I have renamed 2011 as my “Year of 7 Dreams”.  I have broken my dreams into two groups: short term and long term (I know this is pretty high-tech stuff but stay with me ..). Here they are:

Short-Term Dreams (able to be accomplished by Dec 31, 2011)
    1. Learn and execute a ½ barrel jump online.
    2. Ride a flying lead change.
    3. Go on a half day trail ride – relaxed and confident.
    4. Formally audition for the first time.

Long Term Dreams (accomplish sometime between today and someday)
    1. Ride bridleless.
    2. Load Tido while sitting on roof of trailer.
    3. Ride with Walter Zettl.

Simple enough, right?  As 2011 has moved along, logically, I was putting more focus on the short term goals (after all: the deadline for meeting those is much closer!!) and spending very little time on my long term goals. UNTIL ……. I realized that my opportunity to ride with Walter is much closer than expected!! I knew that Todd and Maureen Owens had Walter coming into Ontario several times in 2011. On a whim, I decided to ask for more information about what level Walter expect his students to be at. “Solidly in Level 3” was the answer. My stomach did a flip as I realized – I am in Level 3!  So my nerves kicked into overdrive as I put together my Road(map) to Walter:

Physically Fit
This is my weakest of the 3 “fits”. So I head to a Weight Watchers meeting on Thursday and have immediately added an ambitious (but do-able) physical fitness plan to my schedule (thanks to Michele at www.naturalhorselover.blogspot.com for inspiring me). 

Mentally Fit
This is where I think confidence resides. I am planning to spectate Walter giving a lesson this weekend – to begin preparation for my future ride. I have asked Todd and Maureen to give me an assessment at the Parelli Experience Camp next week to see where my horse and I are in Level 3 and to help me put together a plan to prepare for my ride with Walter. I need to become “solid” in Level 3 and confident in my horse and myself.

Emotionally Fit
This "fitness" is going to be tough. I have had a dream to ride with Walter for a very long time – even before Parelli came into my life. Taking dressage lessons in my early twenties, his name coupled with the title “Dressage Master” was prominent in dressage circles. My dream to ride with him is on par with dining with the Queen and meeting Tom Cruise. A dream, but not likely to happen. So as the reality that my Walter dream is now an actual possibility, I quickly realized that I need to remove the stars from my eyes and learn to get my sweaty palms under control. I need to not be overwhelmed by his Master-ness in order to make use of every minute of his teaching! The answer is prior and proper preparation – … gulp!!

So my Road to Walter begins with the estimated accomplishment date moved from “someday” to October 2011 – May 2012!! I know that as I work on my 3 Fitnesses the lingering doubts of “Can I really do this?” will disappear and my dream will be reality. Watch for my Road to Walter updates ….

More Lightbulbs Than a Hardware Store

This week was a turning point.  Two turning points actually.  And the really amazing part - both of my light bulb moments came from knowledge I already knew - sparked by information that has been in front of my nose for ... well .... ashamed to actually admit ... years!! 

Breakthrough #1
     I watched the January 2011 Savvy Club DVD - Performance Summit Highlights.  And then I watched it again.  And again.   Because the first time I watched it - a light bulb went on.  And then I watched it two more times just to be sure it really was a lightbulb and not some other flash of light pretending to be a lightbulb. 
     So what was this brilliant, flashing, lightbulb moment?  Watching Pat and his students riding during their demo I ... wait for it ...I got IT.  I mean I really GOT IT.  I understood for the first time the importance of all this "stuff" we have been doing on the ground and how it prepares us for riding.  I really understood the importance of the patterns and their design.  I really, really got the message loud and clear how important the human and horse responsibilities are to riding.  I felt like Pat reached out through my TV screen and smacked me upside the head and said, "pay attention - this stuff is important!"   When he saw the surprise in my face, I am sure he shook his head and thought, "what do you think I have been telling you via video for the last 2 years??"   Okay Pat - I get it.   So with the lightbulb illuminated, my poor horse will finally get the leader he needs in the saddle, instead of one that has been floundering around in the dark.  I guess the only question now is, if this information has been presented to me in countless videos and clinics - why did it take me so long to get it??

Breakthrough #2
     I have come to the conclusion that I am really, really good at collecting and learning new materials.  I am great at making plans - on paper.   But I am truly mediocre at putting those plans into action.  There, my secret is out.  Too often I feel that I have "fake it 'til you make it" tattooed across my forehead.  In a few aspects of my life, I know deep down that I haven't done the time - I haven't paid the piper - I haven't given the concentrated, consistent effort required to achieve a particular goal.  And I am not just talking my horsey life ... I don't admit to too many people that I have wanted to lose weight for just over 10 years now. 
      So just as I started feeling slightly blue as I reflected on goals not yet accomplished, an email arrived from Drew Harvey and his blog Diet Tired .  Suddenly, as before, the lightbulb went on ...


"What is the trick? Five proven steps to bridge the gap between good intentions and action:


Record Keeping
Goal Setting
Scheduling
Overcoming Barriers
Evaluation and Feedback"

And there it is.  I am awesome at Goal Setting.  I give myself a C+ in Record Keeping.  Scheduling of my horse time or my diet & exercise requirements doesn't exist.  Overcoming Barriers is low on the list.  And could my lackadaisical attitude regarding submitting an official Parelli audition mean that I actually avoid Evaluation and Feedback???   As a certain Mrs. Parelli would say ... hmm, how interesting.   So applying the above 5 steps to my Parelli goals and my weight loss/fitness goals, I am suddenly feeling much more positive (and illuminated).  Stay tuned!!  2011 is looking bright!

Winter Blahs

Last week I was reminded of several things that I had temporarily forgotten:

1. I hate winter - specifically January.  It is the month after Christmas and appears exceptionally dark and dreary without the glitter and sparkle of the holiday season.  It is smack in the middle of winter - too close to the beginning to say that spring is coming.  It is cold - very cold.  Yesterday's low of -28 degrees Celsius is cold no matter how hard you imagine yourself on a tropical beach somewhere.   Even more than I hate winter - I hate looking at photos of people playing with their horses at the Parelli campus in Florida.  Or worse, looking at photos of people playing with their horses at the Parelli campus in Florida and then going to play with your horse in the cold arctic -28 wind and snow of Canada.  Darn. I hate winter.

2. I am the first one to tell you that my horse is brilliant.  Tido's super ultra high play drive and LBE horsenality makes me proudly boast how brilliant he is.  But he can't read.  Nor can he watch DVD's.  And he doesn't have a wireless connection between his brain and mine.  So, when the weather outside is frightful, and I curl up to watch, read and generally absorb my vast supply of Parelli materials from a nice warm spot in the house - get this - HE ISN'T LEARNING ANYTHING!!!!   Darn.   I hate winter.

3. No matter how creative and progressive I am - 5 minutes isn't enough playtime for 21 month old girls with - get this - super ultra high play drives and LBE horsenality (see a trend here?).  Heading to the house with frozen fingers, toes and snow frosted eye lashes, so proud of playing with Jess for a full 5 minutes - I hear .. "thunk".  That, my friends, is the sound of the heated float hitting the barn wall as it is removed from the outside water trough.  Yep, she can't talk but that sound very clearly says, "how dare you tease me with five minutes of playtime!! What am I supposed to do for the other 23 hours and 55 minutes left in this day??"  Darn.  I hate winter.

I can't change winter.  Positives?  Let's see, there must be some:

1. My Parelli saddle arrives in less than 28 days!!  Now that might inspire some winter riding!!

2. Laughing keeps you warm.  Simulations with the Parelli playgroup are best done in the winter - the moving around and inevitable laughter (and of course the fresh baked cookies that find their way to the gathering) make you temporarily forget how cold it is.  For a few minutes anyhow ...

3. Time - to watch, listen and read all those materials that you don't have time for during the "good" weather.  And while I try to figure out how to hook up the wireless brain connection between Tido and I, he does benefit, eventually, from my learning.  I have a better plan which makes me more positive and progressive.

4.  If I stand by the kitchen window - there is enough room to "throw" my 45' line down between the fridge and the island,  and coil it up again ... over and over ... and over.  Ron said to get good with it before I use it on my horse.  I don't recall a requirement that I had to get good with it OUTSIDE!  

5.  Marked on the calendar is "May 11 - 15 - Parelli Experience with Don Halladay & John Barr".  Only a mere 105 days (or 15 weeks) away.  Before I know it - it will be here!  While it may not be Florida in January - I can settle for London in May.

So I finish this with the resignation, I may not like it, but January doesn't last forever.  And before we know it, the horses will be shedding and the mosquitoes will be biting and the humidity will make us cranky and we'll be thinking of January ... fondly.

When "Life" Gets in the Way

I sit chained to my desk today, pondering the benefits of adopting a simpler life.  Simpler by my definition is far less hectic!  My wistful mood was brought about by a clearly defined plan for today that should have found me at the barn enjoying lunch and a play with my Parelli group.  The day had other plans for me however and here I sit at 2pm with no visible clear spot on my desk.  Alas, no playtime for me today.  

Taking a break from the mundane paperwork,  I took a few minutes to download some pictures from my camera.  Low and behold, with tears springing to eyes - I came across several photos entitled "simpler life".   Some background: my super-horse Tido (coming in future blog: what is the definition of a super-horse?), is boarded at a local barn approx 12 minutes from my house.  He is there because the facilities are wonderful and contribute to our progression.   At home I have our 11hh wonder and my 18 month old filly.  My facilities at home are minimal at best during the winter.  My 100 year old barn (aka shed) is just enough shelter from howling winds, rain, sleet, snow .... but only enough for 2, barely.   So Tido remains living apart from me, temporarily - until money permits the upgrade of my home based facilities.  However, that logic does little to keep me from desparately missing him on a daily basis. 

This takes us to Thanksgiving weekend (Canadian for our international friends), mid October 2010.  The weather: gorgeous!! Sunny, warm, perfect.  This fact does little to keep me from desparately missing Tido (see the trend?).  Suddenly, the light bulb goes on!!  The weather is beautiful.  I have room to keep one more for a few days time.   We are all brushed up on our trailer loading. Why not bring him home  for the weekend?  And that is just what we did ....

Here is my sweet boy - just arrived "home" for a 3 day vacation from his pals at the barn. 

Tido meeting Baby Jesse.  She has no fear of strangers.

When will she outgrow the "don't eat me, I'm a baby!" routine?

This photo brings tears to my eyes.  It is a picture of peace and happiness. 

I can't even tell you how much I love this horse and what a joy it was to feed him and pick up his poop and look out the window and see him and find him waiting at the fence for me and go for a ride and wake up knowing he was here .....

Isn't it amazing what confidence can do?  Gives you lots more opportunities to explore "why not?" and "can you?'  Just looking at these photos I don't feel quite so blue about missing my play today.   Maybe, just maybe I can carve out a few minutes to play with my baby-girl horse this afternoon ..... and my boy will be just as happy to see me when I get to the barn tomorrow!

Joy, Tempered with Regrets .. the Mental Journey Continues.

The past few months have been a period of mental growth for me.  My confidence has risen to such snowy peaks, I often surprise myself.  I guard it like a newborn baby, being every vigilant about our safety to protect it and keep it from suffering a setback.  The freedom that confidence gives me is intoxicating.  Freedom to ride bareback more often than saddled, the freedom to seek the most imaginative ways to do seemingly mundane tasks.  The freedom to lay on the grass in the pasture at 38 years of age and look at the sky - just because I can.   I often joke that I am right back where I was at 12 years of age.  Back to when horses were fun and nothing was impossible.  Back to when just "hanging out" with my horse was one of life's true joys.   But my 38 year old brain starts to regret - all those years from age 14 forward when I paid money for someone to take that joy away.  I paid someone to tell me that I spoiled my horse by hugging him too much and I would never reach my goals unless I changed what I was doing.  I paid someone to tell me that if you weren't riding, you weren't doing any at all.   Today's joys are tainted by almost a quarter century of paying money for training that was actually taking me further away from where I was meant to be all along.   How do I let go of those regrets and lost years that almost took my moment-of-birth, passionate love of horses from me forever?  I am diligent now in trying to slow it down and enjoy the moments to not rush in an unconscious effort to make up for lost time.   I take comfort in knowing that my Parelli journey started when it was right for me, not a day too soon or a day too late. 

Back to Blogging ...

I can't believe how long it has been since I last posted on my blog!! I have truly missed being able to journal my experiences and am happy to be back to the keyboard! So much has happened in the last year, I don't even know where to begin. I think I will need to blog several posts to catch up!


This first post is about a trip Tido and I made, in June, to the outdoor playground of one of our Parelli Playgroup members. It was our first trip out together, in the 13 months we've been together, and it was so refreshing to get "off the farm" - so to speak.  We had a great time, challenging ourselves with all the obstacles at Teresa's playground and Tido having his very first swim! The best way to show you is in pictures!  We can't wait to visit again and, if the weather cooperates, both of us can swim together!

Our first look into the deep, scary ditch!  Tido is very uncertain ...

Taking the time it takes - one tiny step at a time.

"It's okay buddy - take your time."

SUCCESS!!!  60 minutes from start to finish! 

He went right through every time after!

Following the leader.

Picture entitled "The Medal Winners!"

Tido's first pond play - having fun with his feet.

"Oooh this water tastes good!"

"Look mom - I am a fish!!"