I’ve been thinking about mindfulness lately. Some people call it zen or a flow state. It’s that mental place where you are 100% consumed with whatever is right in front of you. In a podcast I was listening to the other day, the host was talking about getting rid of judgement as a precursor to… Continue reading Improving my horsemanship by getting rid of one thing…
I think equines are constantly communicating with us, whether we’re clever enough to listen or not. I’ve only been riding Ellie since this summer, just a few months, but as soon as I started I noticed some troubling signs. As soon as I would pull the saddle out of the trailer where I tack her… Continue reading Lessons from a Mule #8- Does the mule want to be ridden?
I love reading horse ads. What people say and don’t say is very telling. Some people are honest to a fault; some people tell lie after lie. I love horses and would have one in every size and color if I could afford it, so even though I’m not in the market, I still like… Continue reading There’s no such thing as a bombproof horse.
I don’t consider myself a super spiritual, New Age-ey kind of chick. I don’t consult a psychic or insist on Feng Shui-ing my whole house. But I do believe in energy, and there’s science to back me up. (If you want to totally blow your mind, Google “string theory” or the “Theory of Everything.” Seriously,… Continue reading The Power of Energy when Working with Horses
After cutting her face and being unable to wear a bridle with a bit until it completely healed, I started riding Ellie in a rope halter and reins. I didn’t have much control in it because it slid around her face any time I put pressure on the reins. Riding in a rope halter is… Continue reading Lessons from a Mule- Ellie goes bridleless.
I’ve been riding my mule, Ellie, for about 4 months now. We’ve trail ridden, done an intro endurance ride, and gone camping twice. We’re still learning about each other. She exclusively neck reins and I’ve always ridden horses that direct rein. At first it was really hard to get used to, just because I’m in… Continue reading Lessons from a Mule- Ellie goes bitless.
This is a hard post to write because it’s hard to admit that I’m afraid. They say admitting you have a problem is the first step to recovery, right? So here goes. Hi, I’m Julia and I’m afraid of getting hurt while riding. I used to read posts on Facebook and other equestrian forums about… Continue reading Dealing with Fear as an Equestrian
My daughter went from telling me that she’s not into riding and she’s never going to ride to calling me and asking when I’m coming home because she wants to go ride. This happened literally overnight. In one 24 hour cycle she went from non-horsey girl to full on equestrian diva, tall boots and all.… Continue reading The miracle continues…
I’ve owned several horses and they’ve all been quite good in one way or another, some more than others, but I’ve never had a horse as good as my mule Ellie. Maybe it’s because she is a mule and not a horse at all, but I think it has more to do with her age.… Continue reading Miss Mule Goes to School
My daughter is 10 years old. Since she could sit up on her own, I’ve been putting her on my horses and letting her sit on them while they eat. That turned into “pony rides” on the leadline, even though my giant thoroughbred definitely is not a pony. I hoped that she would fall in… Continue reading Dreams do come true…
Simple Southern 