Lessons in Life: Open me up

You never know where a book will take you.

Even after you've opened the cover and listened to the music of the pages turning, you never truly know. Until one day it hits you.

Right now the only thing that's going to hit you is the realization that this is a very long entry. For those of you with 2 second attention spans, may I suggest you cozy up with a recap blog or something shallow you can wade through without getting your ankles wet.

Twenty years ago I discovered a book that later would open doors I didn't even know existed. From the moment I first saw Diana Gabaldon's novel, Outlander, in the monthly Literary Guild catalog it pulled me like the moon's power over the ocean tides. And I bathed in every aspect of it. I had to read it. From the opening line on the very first page, it consumed me. I've read it numerous times...I've lost track of how many. The cover art grabbed my attention. The synopsis spoke to me. Everything about it appealed to me.

It's the kind of story you don't want to end, you know?

But this isn't an entry about the book or the story. There's plenty of blogs on the internet devoted to everything Outlander. Google it, I dare you...you'll be gone for hours, days...hell, you'll never make it back here to find out where I'm taking this. What I want to say, right here, right now, is how this book created the bridge over which I walked to reach a childhood dream.

My childhood was filled with lofty dreams. And yes, if you've read past entries you know that wasn't always the case, there was another side to my 'formative' years. A darker side. What-ever. From that darkness emerged a spark of wild imagination. A passion for life fueled by a thirst to live. This desire to restore and rebuild the core of my existence. To be wild and free, bold and bright. Like wildfire, this spark of life in me, spread.

Only one thing was missing. The vehicle that would carry me, propel me, and deliver me. Only one creation on this earth possessed the magic to mesh with all that breathed inside me, bringing wind to be wild, speed to be free, thunder to be bold, and spirit to be bright. No other animal encompasses all that and more...but the horse. Pat Parelli once said, 'The horse is nature in its finest form.' Simple words of a simple truth.

So now, we have a book. And a horse. The two fundamentals on which my childhood was built. Books and horses. Sitting here now I am smiling from ear to ear because now I see how it all came together. Looking back, I had no idea when I bought Outlander the instrumental role it would play in my life. That it alone would be the catalyst to tie everything together.

After all, we are all connected.

So let me tie it all together. In my youth, having a horse in my life--one I could call my own--was my one desire. Unfortunately, it wasn't practical and my parents said no. I pushed and pleaded, begged and dreamed, but the answer was always no. We can't. So I pushed that dream to the back burner and left it there to steep for about forty years. Then in May 2008, time and circumstances turned in my favor and Duke, a then 13 year old bay Morgan gelding, entered my life. Followed four years later by AJ, a then 5 year old palomino Quarter Horse.

Fast forward to August 9, 2014, the day Starz network premiered the much anticipated television show, Outlander. From the opening scene, and narration, I knew the show would be spectacular. I watched it three times that day, flushed with satisfaction, like a teenager bingeing on a pepperoni pizza. Everything aligned, creating a harmonious feel to the production. Within Starz, a team banded together, bringing to life a beloved story and it's characters. Pure. Magic.

Who knew sitting there on my couch, watching Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe breathing life into Jamie and Claire, would breathe life into my inner desire to get off that damn couch and get moving? I certainly didn't!

The first spark happened a couple of months later. In early October, I took AJ to his first horse show. We entered a couple of classes to keep it simple. I was wearing a beautiful show shirt custom tailored and sewn by my sister, styled in a slimming fashion. My friend Hillary took a photo of me. Everyone complemented me on that shirt, but all I saw in that picture was my muffin top bulging out above the waist of my jeans.

At that time I weighed 160 pounds, and I was miserable, health wise. Walking up stairs hurt my knees, but I always took the stairs instead of the elevator; it's a habit I formed long ago. Having horses means having hay, and hay bales weigh between 50 - 75 pounds a piece, and horses eat a lot of hay. Every summer I buy seven ton, and every year I struggled to unload and move the hay. I was severely out of shape. Painfully out of shape. And I hated that! But my love for all things Outlander would put me on a journey back to fitness.

Through the Starz Outlander Facebook page I started noticing posts about the main actor, Sam, and his passion for fitness. In December I saw posts about reaching your peak. Shortly after the New Year, he revealed an event to take place on March 14-15 called My Peak Challenge (MPC) and invited anyone interested to join in the fun. The idea behind MPC was two-fold, 1) help raise money for his chosen charity, Bloodwise UK while 2) challenging yourself to reach your peak. Did someone say challenge? I'm in! The peak could be anything, but many participants chose a physical challenge, such as marathons, climbing, swimming, and hiking. To raise money, those interested could purchase a package from a UK clothing company, Bear Strength Clothing, which included items such as a t-shirt and a wrist band commemorating the event. Between January and March everyone was tasked with preparing for their own challenge, while Sam and his fitness coach, John Valbonesi provided access to guidance, tips and fitness tests. Without knowing exactly how far in advance Sam planned the event (maybe the fall after shooting for Outlander completed?) support for My Peak Challenge grew as news spread among fans and enthusiasts.

Besides my weight, my biggest challenge was being out of breath while doing anything, especially loping either Duke or AJ. Three laps around the indoor arena was the most I could pull without having to stop to catch my breath. So, I selected two challenges: lope AJ more than three laps around the arena without getting winded, and ride my bike over 8 miles in one day. Two tasks that twenty or thirty years ago would have been everyday activities. And we all know what time and neglect often does to the body.

First I needed a plan and words of motivation. At work I keep an acronym close by for those days I need a little extra something to keep me aligned with success. The acronym is F. A. S. T., which is Focus, Accountability, Support, and Time limit. I started working out on the elliptical at home. In the beginning all I could muster was a paltry four minutes before my lungs started burning and my knees screamed at me. But I set reasonable goals, adding 2 minutes every few days and by the end of January 2015 I was putting in 30 minutes on that machine. No problemo! Focus...check!

As luck would have it, I learned a cousin of mine is a Beachbody coach, so I contacted her about the fitness programs available, a topic she had brought up a few times before but I hadn't chosen to pursue. We chatted and she signed me up for the 21 Day Fix program, invited me to one of her groups, and the ball was now in motion. At the same time, I discovered a group of Outlander fans involved with MPC on Facebook. My experience with fan groups always leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Since one summer night watching television in 1965 when the Beatles performed live in Shea Stadium, the word fan makes me want to quickly run for cover. I don't do fan groups. Period. However...my gut instinct nudged me forward and so I cautiously ventured over to the group, known as 'The Peak Posse' and asked to join. Between the Beachbody group and The Peak Posse, I now had Accountability and Support in place. All the remained, was the Time limit, but that was already determined and set for March 14. All systems go!

Through those two groups I learned so much and quickly realized how my eating habits affected my health, which translated into my life style. I participated in a one-week clean eating challenge with my cousin, which became a major turning point in my shopping decisions. Through that challenge I learned about cooking with coconut oil and adding almond butter to my snacks, and I keep both stocked in my kitchen at all times.

For the next two months I woke up 45 minutes early every day, popped in my 21 Day Fix DVD and worked out for 30 minutes, five to six days a week. It was tough at first and I didn't push myself too hard, but by the end of the first month I felt myself getting stronger and feeling better. I looked forward to the morning workouts. One day I noticed I wasn't fighting that 3 o'clock crash at work. I felt better, healthier, and happier. The weight and inches came off. By the time MPC weekend rolled around, my steps were light and my lungs were strong. I made both my goals, with a slight delay on loping AJ which required a creative approach to address a bad habit I created for him. I video taped both events for prosperity. I made the 8 mile bike ride, up and down hills no less. I loped AJ 13 laps around the arena before stopping. I wasn't even winded. And I felt vindicated. 

Better yet, I lost twenty pounds and five inches from my waist. But this isn't where the story

ends. Here is where my goal to build up my stamina to lope AJ would tie everything together. While attending a local horse expo in late March I heard news of a newly formed equestrian drill team in the valley. Now we're talking folks!! This is exactly what I had been dreaming about. Dancing to music on horseback. Point me in the direction and sign me up!!! 

A month later, on April 20th my friend Erica told me the drill team was practicing at a local arena and I should come watch. I did. And I wanted in on the fun. But some of the manuevers scared me. I wasn't sure I had the confidence to ride a drill. And I thought it over. Should I join? Could I control a 1,000 pound free spirit with one hand while holding a flag in the other? Did I have what it takes to ride a drill? And if not, could I live with the regret if I didn't? Two weeks later on May 4, I loaded Duke into the trailer and showed up at the arena to ride. Just as the drill master was calling the team together, I chickened out and spent the time riding Duke in an adjacent smaller arena. But the following week, I came back, mounted up and rode with the group. I haven't looked back. The manuever that scared me then, is now one of my favorites.

This is a competitive drill team. We don't ride every Monday just to have something to do. We ride to compete. Last year Silver Creek Drill Team performed in several local parades, taking first place in the Horse division in all but one parade. This summer, our first drill competition is in May. I can't wait! I've since switched to riding AJ since he's younger and doesn't break gait as Duke tends to do. AJ loves drill. It's a great match for the two of us. Looking forward to the competition season, I'm nervous and excited all at once. But I know, standing in formation, waiting to enter that arena my stomach will be tied in knots and fluttering all at once. The music will begin, we'll go through the gate and just like every other competition I've attended everything else will fade away...it will be just AJ and me, with our team mates, dancing with the wind and the rhythm. I'll be living my dream...finally. After all these years.

So, thank you Diana Gabaldon for challenging yourself to see if you could 'just write a book.' That book basically changed my life. Thank you Sam Heughan for challenging me to take my health and fitness more seriously. You built the bridge I needed to cross over from misty sometime dreams to solid fulfilling reality.

You know, I could easily have told this story in a couple of lines or paragraphs. Reading Outlander led me to watch Starz Original series Outlander which got me involved in My Peak Challenge so I could get fit enough to ride my horse in competitive drill, which I dreamed of doing as a child. But I'm a story teller, not a kindergarden teacher.

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Want to get in on the fun? Join My Peak Challenge 2016 today. Become a part of something big, help yourself while helping others and get healthy. The MPC team raised the bar for 2016 and created an inclusive package to get you on track to better health. Check it out today. You won't be sorry, but you will be happy.

You can also help Bloodwise UK. Make a donation, or learn more about what you can do to help.

And don't forget to get geared up at Bear Strength


13,697

From Baby Steps

Sometimes I don't realize how far I'm come on this journey. I think it's about reflection and taking the time to reflect. I have the perfect place to do this with my journal, and I need to give myself time to write about it. So, I'm making a promise to myself to spend more time reflecting on our journey.

Besides officially completing Level 1, Duke and I have gone out of our comfort zone numerous times the past two week. And I'm finding myself moving away from 'Oh no' and thinking 'Oh boy!' more often.

First, there was the goat. And through this goat I experienced a successful It's not about the... from start to finish. :) Duke met a goat face to face a couple of weeks ago. At first he was skeptical and a little nervous, then he became curious, and within a few minutes Duke was sniffing and licking the goat. :) The key was approach and retreat. I had been riding when the goat came in with a young girl. When I saw this opportunity my heart skipped a beat. This was something I wanted to do for some time. Before purchasing Duke in 2008, his former owner told me about an experience he had while riding Duke when they encountered a herd of goats in a small field. Duke refused to pass by the field and went into flight mode. I'd seen the behavior once before when I brought Duke into the arena while a girl was practicing goat tying. At the time my confidence was minimal so I kept the approach and retreat session short and our distance from the goat long as we made our way to the round pen located at the far end of the arena.

But I couldn't shake the lost opportunity from my mind.

What kind of leader was I? A safe one, for sure, but at some point we'd have to leave our comfort zone. Fast forward to this month. We're enjoying a lovely, connected ride when we hear the sound of foot falls on the bridge outside the arena. From Duke's back I can see over the wall between the arena and the hallway and I see the top of someone's head bobbing up and down. I watch as they round the corner and approach the gate, leading a goat. Duke's head immediately went up and he stopped in his tracks. Stay calm.  Go slow. Oh boy! Now we get to play with a goat! I will admit the riding session was coming to a close as it was getting a little boring for Duke. Well, our session was about to get very interesting.

As I dismounted the girl saw Duke's reaction and offered to leave. The look on her face when I asked her if she would mind if I introduced Duke to the goat was priceless. When I explained that this was something we needed to do, at first I don't think she believed me. Maybe she wasn't sure she heard me right. She kept saying 'I know most horses don't like goats, so if you want to keep riding, we can leave.' I convinced her this is good, and I've been wanting this kind of opportunity for some time.

Slowly we approached the goat, who was completely unaware of us, nor did he seem to care. Duke's ears were forward, he appeared calm but his head remained a little high. I wanted to switch over to the halter and lead rope (better tools for the task), but they are on the other side of the arena. When we turned away from the goat to fetch the halter, Duke's life came up and he began to dance around me. Okay we'll face the goat again, and back up to where the halter is. Nope. Dance...dance...dance. Hmmm. What to do...what to do. Adjust to fit the situation...use the tools I have. If we were on a trail ride and the halter was back at the trailer, I'd have to use the bridle and reins. I wasn't keen about doing this with a bit in his mouth, so I unclipped the right rein from the bit (I love these Parelli reins!) and I now had a 22' lead rope.

A few steps forward, watching Duke's reaction (ears, eyes, head, mouth), he's relaxed. Take a few steps back. Stop. Breathe! He's blinkin' and thinkin'. Ears forward. Head has lowered. Forward a few more steps. Watch. Back a couple. He's curious...this is good. The entire time I remained calm, not once did I hear the echo of my heart pounding. Yea!!! This is what confidence feels like...finally! I'm moving a little closer to horse savvy!!!

We repeated this and I'm guessing it took between three and five minutes before Duke was standing in front of the goat with a mere few inches of separation. Through it all Duke remained curious. I noticed him breathing more when he stretched his neck out to sniff, then touch the goat with his nose. Check the goat's rope to be sure Duke doesn't get tangled up in it. I backed him off one step, and watched him confidently approach the goat again, head down, breathing normal. All this time the goat was still ignoring Duke and I, but then he turned around and the two were face to face, eye to eye. The goat's owner observed how it must feel to be a goat having something that size coming toward you, but the goat was calm and perhaps curious too. Clearly he wasn't afraid of horses.

Duke got closer and closer sniffing and investigating this strange little creature until the goat was almost under his neck. When he started licking it I wondered how long it would take before curiousity turned to dominance. I've played enough with him to know two things: 1) he comes down quickly from fear and 2) once he gets past his fear of something he immediately wants to dominate it.

Time to move on. I thanked the girl and she expressed a grateful and hearfelt thank you; I think she was in shock. Maybe in the back of her mind she was thinking this isn't how most horse owners react...they always want the goat to leave. :)

This time when I turned Duke away from the goat to retrieve his halter, nothing changed. He calmly followed me, relaxed and confident.

What goat?

Since it was time to clean his stall and corral, and I knew the goat would be in the arena for a while, I wanted to further maximize this opportunity. After switching over to the halter, I left Duke tacked up and tied him to a pole near the goat...about 20 feet away. Allow him time to take this all in, give him another perspective of the goat while I clean.  Twenty minutes later when I walked past Duke to take a wheelbarrow load to the designated dumping site, he was standing quietly, facing the goat, watching. Smile.

Chores complete it was time to untack Duke outside at the trailer. By this time the girl was talking to a new boarder, a young man who recently offered to train Duke for me (that's another story). As I walked past, I noticed they were talking about horse training and I overheard him commenting about how few trainers there are in this area (not quite true, but...) and how he normally charges $49 per hour (funny, he quoted me $7 last month). Someone was definitely struting his stuff and it wasn't Duke. Outside at the trailer, we get untacked and go back inside for a little roll before dinner. Duke must have been thinking about that goat because as we came down the alley his attention was on the arena. Ears foward...where is it? Around the corner, through the gate, there's the goat and without hesitation Duke walked right up to the goat, ears forward and curious the entire time. As if they were best buds...reunited; the same way he greets Elvira when she visits. Again I thanked the girl, and again she thanked me with a tone of gratitude and relief. It was amazing. We walked off to find the perfect place to roll, then back to his stall for dinner.

As I stood watching him munching away, I remembered something...a moment, a gift Duke gave me. During the initial approach and retreat, after I decided not to fetch the halter, Duke and I had just retreated from the goat. It was during that quiet moment as I was debating whether it was time to get a little closer, Duke slowly turned his head to me, softly touched my right hand with his nose, then turned his attention back to goat, licking and chewing. Even now it brings tears to my eyes. What a truly beautiful gift for him to offer. I noticed it at the time and remember thinking He wants to do this. Trust him.

Trust him. I haven't allowed myself to trust Duke. There's this part of me that holds back. The toxic remains from a word of caution carelessly offered by a person just minutes after she retold the story of the time she climbed on the back of a green three year old mare she didn't know, with no preparation, only to find herself later trying to stop a runaway who only wanted to return to the safety and comfort of the barn. And she's giving me advice. Don't you trust him! If she only knew. When it comes to horses, everyone has advice. They give it because they once had a horse, or rode ponies as a child. But they always give it...without thinking, without knowing. I'm learning being a horse owner doesn't make one an expert on the subject; I own a closet full of clothes, but that doesn't make me a clothing designer.

Everyday I thank God I found Parelli. Parelli keeps me safe, sane, well-grounded and on the path to continuous improvement. Better your best. Never let it rest. Get your good better and your better best.

Well, this entry took longer than I originally planned. Another reason I don't write so often, it takes me hours to write one entry. Okay, we can work on that!  There are more baby steps to write about, but I need to wrap this up and move on to some household duties before heading down to the barn today.

Brrrrr...what happened to fall?

Okay, it's been in the mid 20s for the past five nights. Highly irregular for October. Decided to blanket Duke since his winter coat isn't quite filled in yet. He's done a thorough job of getting it dirty already. Yep that's my horse.

I bought another Fallis saddle about a month ago, it's much newer than the first one and very different. Have only ridden in it a couple of times, yesterday being the latest. Pics to follow; forgot my camera yesterday so I didn't get any pics.

Spending lots of time on ground work, rehearsing for my Level 1 skill audition. A Parelli friend and I spent a whole Saturday afternoon working on it two weeks ago, it was a lot of work, and hot that day (hard to believe, but true). We had fun and this is the first time I've seen myself playing with Duke; quite an eye opener. Got lots of good footage, and several out takes. Duke was fantastic, but after a couple of hours, the rebel clown in him came out. Playful guy that one...with a twist of naughtiness. The look on both our faces at the end is priceless. Oh my Dukey horse, he keeps me on my toes...always thinking! He's waaaay too smart and I'm way too slow. After this, he earned the nickname RC, for Rebel Clown. We started indoors, and worked through the skills/games, but after a couple of hours Duke started making up his own games. During the squeeze game between me and a barrel, he made it clear he wanted to play dominate the barrel, so we moved outside, ending up in the parking lot with two chairs. Here are the out takes and the reason why I affectionately call Duke my Rebel Clown.

I haven't fallen off the face of the earth...

My dad would always ask me if I had whenever he hadn't heard from me in awhile, cos he was certain I had fallen off.

Truth is I returned home from the Parelli Celebration completely and totally inspired. The Celebration was excellent, it exceeded my expectations. We laughed...we cried...and Sam really enjoyed himself. He went back to work and when asked about it, Sam summed it up by saying "Anyone who is thinking of having children should attend a Parelli event and learn about the program. It's not just about horses."

I whole-heartedly agree. Parelli = love, language and leadership...in equal doses.

Duke and I have been playing and working on passing our Level 1 skill tests. Our relationship is evolving every day and Duke is slowly revealing himself to me. That's one thing I've learned in recent months...when it comes to Duke I have to take things real slow.

More later...I promise. With videos of us playing.


Keep it natural!

Of building bridges and dreams...

Duke and I after playing in the arena for over two hours last Saturday.

For months I pondered it. Could we? Would we? Should we? Oh gawd I'd love to! I want to!

So I decided to do it. The other day I bought two tickets to the Parelli Celebration coming to Reno in May. I'm so happy I'm dancing inside!!! Woooooo hooooooooooooo weeeeeeeee! Even Sam is excited about the prospect of spending three days with Pat and Linda Parelli.

I know it may be hard for someone to understand what this really means to me, so I can summarize it by saying if not for Parelli Natural Horsemanship, I would not be enjoying the relationship I have with Duke. Pat and Linda made it all possible. It could easily have gone the other way, my dream could have died, and I'd be yet another first time horse owner who got frustrated and gave up because she didn't know what to do and when to do it. I came close, but chose instead to patiently persist in the proper position. :) They gave me the tools I needed to build my bridge from dream to reality.

And what a beautiful bridge it is...

Let the countdown to the celebration begin!!!!



Here's a teaser of what's in store...from the 2008 USA tour.

Fancy footwork...

Yesterday I realized something, it's been 8 months since Duke came into my life; notice how much my journal entries have dropped? And I can say with certainty that he has certain traits and characteristics. He is very complex, like me, so in that way we relate to each other. He can go from being soft and obedient to bracy and disobedient in a heartbeat. He's always thinking, very mouthy, confident, naughty, dominant, and playful. He keeps me on my toes and teaches me something new everyday; he is an awesome teacher.

What has he taught me?

• To be patient, again
• To relax and not be such a direct line thinker
• To be as gentle as possible but as firm as necessary (assertiveness)
• To say "Oh boy!" instead of "Oh no!"
• The fine art of moseying
• Leadership

I could go on, because it's something new every day.
Thankfully for me he's also patient...most of the time. And one other thing I've learned is he gets bored with arenas. Bored! Bored! Bored! This time of year we have to stay inside, in the arena to play, whether on the ground, or in the saddle. I love playing on the ground with Duke. I love riding too! But the ground work is so important. If you don't have respect on the ground, you won't get it in the saddle.
The other day I was playing with Duke and had one of those moments...a moment where I was able to work my way through a situation with him. To keep him engaged in the activity, I have to be provocative and mix things up. Repetition isn't his thing. When learning something new, once he gets it, move on.

So, this time I decided to get out some barrels and ground poles; two and three, respectively. The barrels to play a 'squeeze' game to help both of us become more comfortable with trailer loading, and the poles to keep Duke's mind engaged during the 'circle' game we play. I thought, if he has to think about where he's putting his feet, he won't be so bored with circling. Additionally, lately I've noticed him tripping over his feet, even though we pulled his shoes and trimmed his hooves on January 5th. Could be laziness or boredom, but I thought perhaps an exercise in moving over an object, and having to pick up his feet, would be useful and beneficial.

I set the two barrels on end about three feet apart, and the poles off to the side in a V pattern, but with the extra pole in the middle. We played on-line (on the ground with a halter and lead rope) with the barrels, backing Duke in between, which is difficult for him because he's not confident with objects behind him. From there I sent him forward into a circle, using the barrels as obstacles in his path to keep him from getting bored with the mindless act of going around and around and around in an endless circle. At a walk then a trot, we went around one barrel, then between the two, then out away from the barrels, then back around one, change direction, and go the opposite direction. My timing was off several times and the lead rope hung up on the barrel causing Duke to stop when he felt the pressure, so I need to work on that. I get so into watching his movement that I often forget I have a lead rope in my hand.

Then we moved over to the poles, starting Duke off at a slow walk first so he could negotiate the placement of the poles. Immediately Duke offered to trot. The first two circles he completely avoided the poles, first skirting around the outside, then skirting the inside toward me. Oh boy! The third time I positioned myself properly putting Duke right over the poles. Going over he hit them with his hooves and stepped on them, knocking them around while tripping and losing his balance...and his confidence. He genuinely looked frustrated and very sour. So we went off to other games...touch it, sideways, porcupine...all things he knew giving him time to gain back his confidence and me time to think of a different strategy for him. Then I had a thought...what if I went over the poles with him, both ways, so we do the exercise together? Back to the poles we went, walking together this way over them, and then back in the other direction. I gave him a moment to think before I took up my position and I sent him over the poles again. First at a nice calm walk, then Duke offered to trot and this time I watched as he crossed over the poles, placing his feet perfectly between each pole, never hitting or tripping as he moved. He looked like he was prancing...so beautiful!!! As soon as he finished his expression changed to excitment as he happily trotted right to me, licking his lips, ears forward, attentive and ready. If he could talk he might have said, "Wow! That was fun!" Considering our past experiences with poles at a trot always resulted in him clumsily striking them and tripping, this moment was a major breakthrough.

And with that, we called it a day.

I've also learned to end our sessions on a positive note. We'll both remember that next time.

The journey continues...

Keeping it real

Between my new job and Duke, my daily schedule has stretched my time. I used to work 8 - 5 Monday to Friday and my evenings were always open, usually spent here on my computer. Now I work 7 - 5 Monday to Thursday, then 8 - Noon on Fridays (love that!). After work I change into my horsey clothes and devote the next two hours to Duke (cleaning his stall and playing with him). Most evenings by the time I get home it's 8 or 8:30, I eat a bite for dinner and then it's time for bed.

I wouldn't have it any other way.

Before I got Duke I truly thought I'd done all my homework about horse ownership. Oh boy, was I in for a major shift in my thinking. There is sooooo much I don't know.

Duke is no ordinary horse and he has issues, having spent the last five years of his life as a pasture pet and basically allowed to do whatever he wanted, when he wanted. On the ground he was disrespectful of my space, pushy, dominant, willful and greeted me with pinned ears and hard eyes. In the saddle he pushed through the bit, wouldn't stop or listen to my leg cues, was bracey, and definitely had more go than whoa. On the other hand, he is calm, smart, gentle, friendly and very curious.

In May I became a student of the Parelli Natural HorseManShip teachings. I'm currently studying Level 1 (Partnership) and on the brink of beginning Level 2 (Harmony). When I'm ready, my goal is to have my Level 1 skills assessed by a professional; I've learned this can be done by video and YouTube is an excellent outlet for these assessments. It's a bit scary but it's what I want to do.

The relationship I now have with Duke is due in large part to what I've learned from Parelli. At the stable there are always people ready to hand out advise, but I've learned to filter most of it away from me. At one point I had to bring in a professional trainer to address three critical short comings in Duke's training: trailering, backing/stopping, and pulling back when tied. She was a huge help and much better prepared to deal with these areas than I.

From Duke I am gaining valuable insight into the horse. Man I thought I knew horses, but I didn't know nothing. And you can't fake it with horses, they will see right through any bluff or pretense. They keep things real. Very real.

The journey continues...

Music for the video is "In Your Shoes" written and performed by Katie Drake (niece of Pat Parelli)