I’ve been riding Baron on the beach at least once a week since I moved to Hatteras Island 7 months ago. At first, I rode alone because I hadn’t met any riding buddies. Baron was amped about going out alone, and I wondered whether I would survive the initial breaking in period until he calmed… Continue reading Helping Horses Conquer Fear without Force
My 18 year old thoroughbred is my only riding horse these days. Before I moved, I always had a project horse around, a horse that needed to get healthier or needed training or exposure to become a better riding horse. When I moved, Baron was the only horse I brought with me to the island.… Continue reading Baron isn’t quite ready to retire…
My donkey was invited to be the mascot for a virtual 5k here on the island (virtual meaning you run it on your own time instead of doing it as a group because of social distancing), and he was supposed to make an appearance on the evening when they handed out t-shirts and race bibs.… Continue reading The donkey redeems himself…
One thing I believe wholeheartedly is that everyone (human and animal) benefits from having a job. Meaningful work is what gives our life purpose. Some of us find that in careers; some of our life’s work happens outside of our paid jobs. I have found that work is good for animals as well. It gives… Continue reading Putting my donkey to work…
Yesterday I took Rusty the Donkey to the beach for the first time. I should start by saying that when I took my thoroughbred to the beach for the first time, I ended up underwater, soaking wet, and covered in sand. (He was afraid of the water.) This was not like that! Rusty is so… Continue reading I took my burro to the beach…
I think at this point you could call me a donkey or burro enthusiast (burro is the Spanish word and is more commonly used out west; donkey is common on the East Coast). I got into donkeys because I was already into horses, but I’m learning that there is a whole community of donkey fans… Continue reading Horse People vs. Donkey People
One cool thing about living here is that there are plenty of places to ride. A large portion of the island is part of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, which means that the beaches here are public, and access can’t be restricted by hotels or homeowners. As taxpayers, we all own the beaches here and… Continue reading Riding My Horse at the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
Horses will teach you to be confident and assertive, to take charge of a situation, to control your energy and become a trusted leader your horse will want to follow. I’ve written about that here. A donkey will teach you to wait. And wait. And wait some more. Horses and donkeys are similar in many… Continue reading If you want to learn patience, get a donkey…
Remember my little donkey, Rusty? When I moved, he stayed at the barn where he was boarded because a friend of mine has grandchildren who fell in love with him and they wanted him to stay. They’ve been taking care of him since I moved, but he’s a young, rambunctious donkey and he needs a… Continue reading My little donkey is coming back to me…
Every morning at 7:00 am, I go to the barn to feed the horses, and I go back around 6 pm to feed them dinner. To some people that might seem like a real drag, but it’s one of my favorite parts of the day, especially the mornings. Taking care of livestock is more rewarding… Continue reading Taking care of livestock keeps you grounded…
