What a week! I can hardly believe that we're almost halfway through the year already and so much growth has happened within myself, Annie, and clearly within the equestrian collective. The two major highlights on my end were the final call for level one of the Intuitive Equestrian, and that Annie and I had a great week together including a visit from an amazing bodyworker after not being able to have her out since Annie's move to New York in November of 2021!
I'm excited to share another Rewarding Recap with all of you and I just wanted to take a second to say how thankful I am for all of you who spend a bit of your time reading these. It truly means the world to me.
This week's prompt from the We're Not Really Strangers game was "What is something you've changed your mind about recently?" I shared that just this week, I changed my mind about being afraid of chickens. Silly, I know, but I had a not-so-great experience with them as a kid that had left me super wary of those little feathered dinosaurs!
So when I was at my best friend's house this week and the opportunity arose, I dug into facing my fear of being around them. I knew that if she could get over her fear of them, then I could, too. Her chickens are quite friendly, unlike the ones from my childhood, and I felt brave enough to even hold one! Again, as silly as it may seem, this was a HUGE step for me. I realized that I'm really not all that afraid of them anymore which was super cool after decades of avoiding them.
Others shared their various experiences with changing their minds on things and it really got me thinking about how we so often box ourselves into certain narratives or beliefs without questioning them. We're often told that changing our minds is generally a bad thing, when in reality, it's pretty silly not to change your mind when you learn new information.
We all have the capacity to change our minds under the right circumstances, but we have to be ready for and open to it, either consciously or subconsciously.
If people didn't change their minds about things, we would still be believing and doing a lot of things that we know now are downright wild - myself included! When I was a child I used to think that the buzzing sound that cicadas make was the sound of the sun. And while that is a relatively harmless example, think of (or google and be shocked by) all of the "treatments" doctors used to perform on people before they knew better like treating depression with lobotomies.
If it weren't for being open, willing to be wrong/corrected, and seeking to learn new information (the magic concoction for changing one's mind), I know that I would likely still be using relatively harsh equipment and working with horses in a way that I find appalling now.
It's the people who are either closed off, unwilling to be wrong, and/or thinking that they already know enough who are unable to change their minds about their beliefs and ways of being. You cannot (and should not even try to) force these people into changing because they are simply not ready to do so (yet!).
Annie and I had another great week filled with work and play, but I really want to share about two specific things that happened.
The first being that on Thursday, while we were working on conditioning interval training in the arena, the sky opened up out of nowhere and it began to pour on the arena roof louder than I have ever heard it before. Annie has always been most worried about loud sounds that she cannot locate. I have spent a ton of time counter-conditioning her fear and it totally showed in this instance!
Our barn owner was teaching a beginner lesson at the same time and we could not even hear each other across the arena over the sound of the rain on the roof. I could tell that Annie was definitely afraid but holding herself together and trying to give me as much of her attention as she could despite her fear.
I was so proud of her for telling me she was worried without exploding or completely freezing, especially since I really didn't want her fear to turn into something that would scare the small kiddo in the arena with us even though I would have totally understood if that is what she needed to do.
I remember a version of Annie from a few years ago that would not have been able to hold herself together like that, and for that, I am so thankful for the work we have put in that was not based on me shutting her down. Rather, it was been based on deeply listening to and being compassionate towards her fear and slowly helping her through it so we could be prepared for moments just like this one.
The other huge highlight for me was our visit from Jodi Pierce of Better Horse Bodyworks! We had not seen Jodi since the fall of 2021 before we moved to where we are now in New York due to the somewhat funky state laws around bodywork for horses. I could not wait to share Annie's physical and emotional changes with Jodi because the last time we saw her, Annie was an anxious mess and could hardly enjoy her massage.
Jodi has also since become an apprentice of Celeste-Leilani Lazarus, the creator of the Balance Through Movement Method. I have been utilizing BTMM since February of 2022 and have had a couple virtual session with another of Celeste's apprentices, Betsy Vonda, but it has been a while since we last checked in.
I really wanted Jodi to look over Annie in person to evaluate our work hands-on. I admit, I was nervous about what she might find since I have had a) next to no bodywork done on Annie other than what I have done myself since she was last out and b) have been working without much in-person guidance on any of my work with Annie (both bodywork and ground/ridden work) basically since I got her because that was during the beginning of the pandemic.
I thought for sure Jodi would find lots of things that I had missed, significant tension, or God knows what else within Annie. Imagine my shock and utter delight when Jodi just saw Annie and became giddy with the state of her body! Jodi was thrilled with Annie's physical and emotional development, noting that Annie might just be the best physically developed horse that she has laid hands on so far.
I literally could not have received a better compliment! It was so validating to hear that I have been on the right track this whole time, despite my fears that I was missing or overlooking something. I think we can all agree that it is easy to do so with our own selves and horses because we're too close to them. It's like how there is a general rule that doctors/surgeons shouldn't work on loved ones.
Jodi spent time working on some body/energy work with Annie, who clearly enjoyed this session significantly more than the last time (due to her overall discomfort in her body and in the old barn), before we assessed Annie's movement. Jodi then walked me through some new exercises to work on with Annie that will address the couple of minor areas where we can make improvements. Overall, it was an amazing visit and I'm still riding the high of her major compliment!
Empowering Observations:
It's not a bad thing to change your mind as you learn and grow! I'm not sure where this idea that you are not supposed to ever change your mind on things comes from (politics, perhaps?) but it goes in the face of growth and understanding! People complain that science changes its "mind" all the time, but it isn't about being wishy-washy, it's about uncovering new facts and accepting them as truth. If we didn't change our minds with new information, we'd still believe that the sun revolves around the earth!
Just because you're not getting constant feedback from professionals doesn't mean you're automatically "doing something wrong". More often than not, the people I work with are on the right track with their horses, they just need a second pair of eyes to confirm and validate what they are seeing/feeling. I'm no different with Annie! It's great to have a network of people you can call on to check in with because it's fairly common that we all struggle with our own selves and horses because we're too close to the situation, versus having someone else evaluate the situation.
Things I'm Loving This Week
The Balance Through Movement Method (BTMM) that was created by Celeste-Leilani Lazarus! And by extension, I also want to give some extra love to Jodi Pierce of Better Horse Bodyworks who is one of Celeste's apprentices in BTMM and nerve release. I got into BTMM back in February of 2022 and it's forever changed my understanding of equine development and movement. Jodi hopped on the BTMM train shortly after I did and I lit up when I saw her name pop up in the Facebook group for it. I'm beyond thankful to have Jodi relatively local to me to be able to check my work and confirm I'm on the right track with Annie!
Okay, so this one isn't a horse thing but I'm downright in love with the deluxe version of Noah Kahan's Stick Season album - We'll All Be Here Forever. I'm a proud born and raised Vermonter and it's so cool to see a fellow Vermonter gaining well-deserved recognition for his singing/song-writing talents. If you haven't listened to his music, I highly recommend checking it out! He really captures what it is like to grow up and live here as a millennial.
Equestrian Reflection
Journal Prompt: Write down everything you HAVE done this week.
I worked my full-time job. I taught a few lessons and wrote up notes for them. I had energy work done on myself. I got a massage. I had dinner and did a little shopping with my mom. I worked with Annie a few times. I did dinner barn chores over the weekend. I did a lot of yard work. I spent all day at the barn on Friday for Annie's appointment with Jodi and helped her work on one of the lesson horses. I spent time with my husband. I got all of my house chores done. I did live yoga class Thursday morning. I attended the Intuitive Equestrian class. I took care of the dogs and cat. I worked out. I meal prepped. I finished two books that I have been reading and started two new ones. I went to my best friend's house for Taco Tuesday and held a chicken! I am sure I did so much more, too, holy cow!
Affirmation: Recognition can change everything.
Equestrian Oracle
Theme for the Upcoming Week
You Are Powerful
How amazing is it to think back to all of the unbelievable experiences that you have had in your life? The perfect things you now own that were once a dream? Or the beautiful thoughts that flow through your mind with ease? You have manifested all of this. How powerful is that?
Through setting an intention, having unwavering faith that what you want is yours, believing that you deserve it 100% and not settling for anything less, you can literally create anything you want in your life.
You know that you are never a victim of your circumstances. They are just showing you the areas where you can heal, deepen your trust and allow yourself to align with exactly what you want. Then you just sit back, follow any action you feel inspired to take and trust that the universe is working out how to bring it all together.
This card is calling you to hone in on your vision. After all, that dream was planted inside of you for a reason. It's time to place your order with the universe, sit back, enjoy your life and know that it is on its way.
*The Equestrian Reflection and Equestrian Oracle cards are courtesy of Felicity Davies and can be purchased directly from her here. Full transparency - I receive no financial gain from sharing these, I just love them and find them to be helpful on this journey!