A Story of Addiction, Dysfunction, Codependency… and Horses
Patti Smith's album, that is. Here’s an excerpt from Many Braves Fools, and the way the album contributed to me actually showing up for my first ever lesson 🐴🐴🐴… — The wee girls circled round and round, their legs pounding the sides of their ponies, and I was feeling breathless. As excited as I was …
Continue reading "In Honour of the 50th Anniversary of Horses"
Back on my shizz. I noticed I was looking down again, as I went about my day. The difference between the two views is striking, and it reminded me of this excerpt from Many Brave Fools... *** Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jane Smiley, a horsewoman, writes in her memoir A Year at the Races about how …
We may be nearing the end of this series.. *** OH, DON'T BE SILLY—NOT HORSEBACK RIDING! I tried. I did, I really did. But the dressage whip is the only thing Rebel respects, and it now seems pointless for me to ride without it. Which means I gotta figure out how to get it from …
An experienced horse person might read about my first successful crack at a course and scoff. If I was bothered by that, it might serve to minimise the sheer joy I can still tap into when I think about it. Luckily: not bothered. In the same way, there's a lot of chat on socials about …
Ah, Saturday. I have missed many a lesson, by choice and due to injury, and now, due to global pandemic. #StayHome and read about my very first horseback riding lesson. It's the very first thing I ever wrote about my experience, well before Many Brave Fools was even a glimmer in my eye. It's also …
How in the world did I survive One Day At A Time In Al-Anon? Insert craughing emoji here. The page for today talks about acceptance, insofar it does not mean accepting a 'degrading situation' but rather accepting what the facts of the situation are, and making decisions according to the facts. Hahahahaha, facts: facts could …
As we call it in the rooms. Oof. Not gonna lie, this little blue book still gives me the shudders. I bought it, resisting, and read it, unwilling. But after buying it and becoming willing, that's when the changes — the courage to change — started taking effect. Copyright prevents me from publishing a photo …
All the folks who need meetings and can't get them have really been on my mind, due to social distancing and the current health climate. I've always been a fan of the twelve-step slogans and found them to be my way in to grasping the principles of the programme. Here's an excerpt from Many Brave …
Just... can barely cope. I tried to write about my first Dublin Horse Show in 2007. I didn't even know there was one until someone asked was I going, and I was like whaaaat are you even talking about. I remember having to go sit myself down after only half an hour in the Main …
Continue reading "Many Brave Fools at the Dublin Horse Show 2019"
I was honoured to contribute to the great work that Addiction Blog are doing in providing touchstones and resources to everyone contending with all manner of addictive behaviours. Here's a link to the article, which has had many eyeballs rest upon it! *** Many Brave Fools: A Story of Addiction, Dysfunction, Codependency… and Horses is …
MANY BRAVE FOOLS 