I started writing this week's recap from a hotel room in Quebec City, hundreds of miles away from home for a girls' weekend with my mom. In true horse person fashion, I still managed to wiggle in some tack store time! We also stumbled upon a beautiful grey horse painting hidden in an alleyway as we explored the city. My superpower? I can find horses anywhere!
My mom is not a horse person, but she has supported me in my passion since I can remember. She was the one who took me to my first riding lesson when I was five years old in her quest to help me find an active hobby. Little did she know I'd pick the most expensive and all-consuming one!
And even though she has yet to get into horses, we're still very close so it was great to get away together just the two of us. We started the long weekend with aromatherapy massages. Like I've mentioned before, I'm adamant on also taking care of my own body and mind through massage, yoga, therapy, etc. so that I can show up at my best for Annie and for the humans I support. You've got to put your own oxygen mask on first!
We spent the rest of the weekend eating entirely too much amazing food, I let the bartenders we met surprise me with their own unique cocktails, getting in some shopping complete with amazing deals thanks to sales and the exchange rate, and walked plenty. I even picked up a couple bags of horse treats for Annie to try.
Being away also reminds me of how important it is to be meeting your horse's needs in the time that you're away from them - which is most of the day for a lot of us!
We talk so much about training, riding, and overall the relatively short time we spend with our horses over the course of a day. But if they are not experiencing safe, happy, and fulfilling lives outside of our presence, then our time together will never reach its highest potential.
When your horse's basic needs are met they will perform their best.
And I mean their species-appropriate needs of forage, friends, and freedom. Not the needs we have been fed by flashy marketing and human convenience like the most expensive, high-tech barns, the newest calming supplements, and tiny, perfectly manicured paddocks.
The happiest horses I know are covered in mud, living their best lives outside with friends and 24/7 access to forage and shelter.
Because those are the things that matter to them.
Sure, it's not always as convenient for us, but it's not fair to them to ignore their basic needs in order to make our lives easier.
With that said, I know that I can go away for the weekend knowing Annie is just fine since her needs are being met. But of course I always look forward to getting home and going to see Annie after being away!
I popped on her bareback a few times this week simply because I was too lazy to saddle her, and she was absolutely wonderful. I also saddled her today after getting home from Quebec City after she gave me her start button "yes" to saddling. We played a bit with her stop, walk, and trot transitions using verbal and body language cues. She was a total rockstar so we kept the session short and positive.
I also introduced her to our new Jolly Mega Ball, which was beautifully boring! She was very curious about the ball and was not at all bothered by its sudden appearance. This in itself reminded me of how fearful she used to be at the beginning of our journey together and for that I am so grateful for both of our progress in that time.
My regular human job continues to be bananas so I'm trying to also give myself grace around needing more time to decompress from that. I can say that riding will likely never be my number one priority ever again with any horse so I don't feel too bad about not choosing to ride more seriously other than running up against the occasional fear of judgement from others that I should be doing more.
But then I remember that this is my journey.
I know I am doing what is right for me and for Annie.
And at the end of the day, that's all that really matters.
Empowering Observations:
You're with your horse a few hours a day tops, make the rest of those hours count by meeting their needs of access to forage, freedom, and friends. I know we can't control everything, but we can advocate for more turnout and turnout with other horses. We can provide slow feed hay nets and enrichment options in our horse's stalls and pastures. We can find barns that offer pasture board. We can choose forage-first diets and targeted nutrition. So while you can't control everything, you owe it to your horse to meet their basic needs.
Put your own oxygen mask on first. When you find yourself struggling with your horsemanship, take a step back and give yourself a little love. I often find that taking a step back and focusing on providing myself with a little extra self care when I'm feeling lost or stuck allows me to see my situation from a different perspective. It's also important to be taking care of yourself so that you can show up for your horse in a way that is not expecting them to be your sole source of rejuvenation.
Things I'm Loving This Week
Our new Horseman's Pride enrichment toys! We got the 30" Jolly Mega Ball and an Amazing Graze. The Mega Ball has been so awesome to play with in the arena! I've yet to take out the Amazing Graze to the barn since it has been so muddy but I am planning to do so as soon as the ground firms up a bit and it's easier for it to roll around. But, it dispenses food so I have a hard time imagining that Annie will be disappointed by it! Oh, and you can get 10% off your entire Horseman's Pride order with code "THEPOSITIVEPONY10"
My clothing from Everyday Equestrian Apparel! I took The Georgie with me to Quebec City and let me tell you, that was the right call. The cowl neck is so freaking cozy and I feel super cute in it. What's even better? It's on sale right now on top of already being actually affordable! I also have The Kit (which is a 3/4 baseball tee - MY FAVORITE!) and the current Limited Edition Rescue Top, both of which are super comfy. I'm also super excited to have a few new pieces coming, too, thanks to the amazing Charlotte - the powerhouse of a woman behind EE.
Equestrian Reflection
Journal Prompt: My dream life with horses looks like...
My dream life with horses looks like inhabiting a hundreds-acres large property with the huge track system to create a pasture paradise. I'd love to have a brook running through the property, beautiful forests, and open fields for the horses to experience all sorts of natural terrain and a life that is suited to their needs. I'd have miles of trails to explore, and indoor and outdoor arenas to play in. I'd love to have this be a place for others to come and connect with a herd or horses that are truly happy because their needs are being met and exceeded by their standards, not by mine. The horses in my herd would be offered choice in their daily lives and we would play together in a way that honors them each individually, whether that is through riding or not.
Affirmation: I deserve everything I desire.
Equestrian Oracle
Theme for the Upcoming Week
Look in the Mirror
Physical mirrors offer us a lot of valuable information about ourselves. With just a quick glance, your mind becomes full of thoughts as you assess your reflection. You might be judging certain parts of yourself, ignoring others, or hopefully, you feel good about what you see. These thoughts are all just a reflection of how you feel internally, deep in your subconscious.
This card is calling you to look in the mirror and clearly view the reflections that you have of yourself and others. Embody the kind thoughts and use the judgmental thoughts as a pathway to create empathy for both yourself and everyone around you. We are all trying our best.
*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!