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 …
Started Talking About Fear in May; In June, Black Lives Matter
I began this post on 21st May. I'm leaving it as and adding to it now, in June. *** Horses give out only that which they receive because, as prey, they are prepared to react to changes in their surroundings. They have evolved as a species due to this alertness and preparedness. “Horses have ensured …
Continue reading "Started Talking About Fear in May; In June, Black Lives Matter"
Social Distancing and Open Order
The first time I experienced open order in a lesson, within two minutes I was like, 'Yeah, no, thanks but let's go back to the other way.' The other way was warming up in a group; open order meant we were warming up, but individually. At that stage I wasn't riding very independently, not yet. …
Endorphins: Purged
Not that it's a good thing. It's what we're all missing during this sheltering in place/self-isolation time. With the lack of human contact—and additionally in my case, contact with the horses—the production of endogenous opiates is way down, if not gone. I'm trying to get topped up on negative ions from being by the sea, …
When Things Feel Out Of Control
The worst days are the ones when I ought to be up the yard. As a writer and freelancer, I'm good at managing my time. I have stuff to get done and I know how much energy each task takes, and, more likely, how much anxiety I have to be generating around a deadline until …
Victories of All Kinds
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 …
Talk About On the Nose
I'm going to block quote this, because: yeah. "Sometimes we find ourselves in a situation so difficult that it seems like a long-drawn crisis; we cannot solve it; there is no way to escape. Such a problem will occupy our thoughts continually—round and round it goes and the more we think about it, the more …
Tough Love from ODAT
Getting back into One Day at a Time is nothing like getting into a warm, welcoming bath (I'd say another Al-Anon day-by-day book, Courage to Change, is more like that). Nope, this is more like sitting down with a friend who is all about the tough love. They have your best at heart but are …
The Wisdom To Know The Difference
The yard is closed, as is only correct. It's a challenge not to feel > I was going to qualify that, but yeah: it's a challenge not to feel, and as much as I'd like not to feel, if I don't, it's only going to go worse for me. Even though I had gotten myself …
There’s Always a First Time
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 …
MANY BRAVE FOOLS 