Lately I have been able to find this quiet place in my head where I have stopped beating myself up. I love it! I am finding comfort in a place I did not know existed. I have spent a lot of my life trying to figure out what everyone else wanted me to be. Now, I am at the beginning of asking myself, (not someone else) how I want to be and what I want in my life. I am letting go of when the other shoe will drop or the idea of when the pain will begin because I did not do "it" right. I am transforming the fears that have run my life into possibilities. I am willing to step into something new, something I have always kept myself from doing, because the infamous "they" said "that will never work". Now I am asking myself how can I make it work.
What noise lives in your head? How does it affect your life? How does it affect your ride, your horse?
Let us know what's happening in your world.
Enjoy the moment
Barb
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Monday, February 13, 2012
February has turned into such an interesting month. The cold snaps that chill to the bone and the warm snaps that breath in the beginning of spring. Spring is the time of reawakening for me. The time when I begin to look at what I want to do next. This year I want to develop my business and do more coaching. I want to let go of the thinks that have been keeping me from moving forward. I want to ride more and have more fun. Now is the time for me to figure out how to make it happen before time passes by and i don't know where it went.
What is your plan for the up coming season? Have you chosen what you want in your life? Have you created a plan to make it happen?
Barb
What is your plan for the up coming season? Have you chosen what you want in your life? Have you created a plan to make it happen?
Barb
Sunday, February 12, 2012
rebuilding my body
Where to begin, it is always the question that pops up for me when I decide I need to make a change. Some changes just seem to happen and others need some conscious attention. Lets face it as I have aged and there were other things on my plate I neglected my body. So..... I have for several years now been putting it back into place. I could spend hours talking about the dysfunctional array of things that have occurred with in my being. I could beat myself up for having let this happen or making this happen. Or I could find some gratitude for how generously my body has put up with how I abuse it. Any way not wanting to spend hours ruminating on the past, I have recently stumbled on to some fabulous and easy exercises that are creating huge changes in my body. My hips are straightening and opening, which has mad significant changes in my riding. My back is realigning and my arms are becoming independent of my shoulder girdle. (did you say independent aids). How can this be possible after years of yoga and palates etc.
Simple targeted exercises re aligning the body and helping it to remember its own kinesthetic ability. Cool! It is called the Egoscue method and it is just another thing of the many millions out there and it is working for me. What is happening in your body that you thought you could not change? What if you could? Would you be willing to commit some time to yourself and improve your riding? What would it take for you to have more of what you want? Take a chance and believe in your ability to make a change in order to have more of what you want. If your happy and life is all you want it to be, no need.
Barb
Check out the upcoming workshop on creating greater connection with your horse and your body on Feb 26th. www.cegavt.com
Simple targeted exercises re aligning the body and helping it to remember its own kinesthetic ability. Cool! It is called the Egoscue method and it is just another thing of the many millions out there and it is working for me. What is happening in your body that you thought you could not change? What if you could? Would you be willing to commit some time to yourself and improve your riding? What would it take for you to have more of what you want? Take a chance and believe in your ability to make a change in order to have more of what you want. If your happy and life is all you want it to be, no need.
Barb
Check out the upcoming workshop on creating greater connection with your horse and your body on Feb 26th. www.cegavt.com
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
True connection
Hi, everyone.
We have all hard a great deal about connection as it pertains to training your horse. I’d like to get you thinking about your horse as a beautifully engineered marvel of design, and the true connection in your horse’s body, from nose to tail, from head to hoof.
Here’s a brief overview: your horse’s HEAD is connected to his FEET, from JAW muscles (such as the omohyoidius inside the jaw), which connect to muscles of the NECK (the cephalic muscles, for example), which connect to the muscles of the CHEST (some of which make up the bicep complex), which connect to the FOREARM (the carpi muscles), which connect to the HOOF (via the flexor and extensor muscles and tendons).
Think about it: head to neck to chest to forearm to hoof. None of these parts operates independently. What does this mean? Any tension or imbalance or strain in one part, will of necessity have an adverse effect on the rest of the system. A strain in one area means compensation in another area. Restriction of movement in any area is going to lead to problems, some obvious, some subtle.
The best thing you can do for your horse? Allow him to carry himself freely and in a relaxed way. A tense horse is not using his muscles to their full advantage. Look at your horse when he is moving, and pay attention to how he feels when you ride him. Do his strides feel even or choppy? Do his hooves make the same sound when each hoof makes contact with the ground? How does he carry himself? If you’re not sure what you’re seeing, ask someone you trust to help you. Asking questions doesn’t mean a lack of wisdom, it means that you know enough to know that you need to learn more.
Our horse’s bodies are truly wonderful.
We have all hard a great deal about connection as it pertains to training your horse. I’d like to get you thinking about your horse as a beautifully engineered marvel of design, and the true connection in your horse’s body, from nose to tail, from head to hoof.
Here’s a brief overview: your horse’s HEAD is connected to his FEET, from JAW muscles (such as the omohyoidius inside the jaw), which connect to muscles of the NECK (the cephalic muscles, for example), which connect to the muscles of the CHEST (some of which make up the bicep complex), which connect to the FOREARM (the carpi muscles), which connect to the HOOF (via the flexor and extensor muscles and tendons).
Think about it: head to neck to chest to forearm to hoof. None of these parts operates independently. What does this mean? Any tension or imbalance or strain in one part, will of necessity have an adverse effect on the rest of the system. A strain in one area means compensation in another area. Restriction of movement in any area is going to lead to problems, some obvious, some subtle.
The best thing you can do for your horse? Allow him to carry himself freely and in a relaxed way. A tense horse is not using his muscles to their full advantage. Look at your horse when he is moving, and pay attention to how he feels when you ride him. Do his strides feel even or choppy? Do his hooves make the same sound when each hoof makes contact with the ground? How does he carry himself? If you’re not sure what you’re seeing, ask someone you trust to help you. Asking questions doesn’t mean a lack of wisdom, it means that you know enough to know that you need to learn more.
Our horse’s bodies are truly wonderful.
Monday, January 9, 2012
What do you choose to see?
Welcome to 2012
It is hard to believe that time has passed so quickly and January is here and going fast.
We have been working on developing a winter workshop series that actually goes into May and I really hope it is not winter in May. I am really excited about the topics we will be covering. The first one is about being courageous and transforming how you work with your fears. It makes sense that this has developed into a workshop, we have discussed this topic before and now we want to give you some real hands on tools to use. So once again I ask: When do you act courageous? What does it mean to you to be courageous? What about your horse? Would you like to transform your fear into something you can manage?
What would it take for you to create a plan to make a change this year?
That's the sales pitch.....
The other thing I want to talk about today is something that happened before Christmas. Every year I send out an e-mail to my family asking, is there something you would like this year. My father, who is 92, replied that he would like for me to do a blog or something that would let him know more about what was happening in my life, the day to day stuff. I was really touched that someone (even my family) would be interested in my day to day existence. Hard to believe in these times of face book and twitter where so many share so much.
I now find myself looking for the things that have happened in a day or week that would be nice to share. I did not expect that this simple request would change my life. I find myself looking to have more fun in each day. I am looking for great things to happen and they are showing up. Somehow I could not give this to myself before, I have been struggling to respect myself and prioritize the things that are important to me. Even though I am doing this as a gift for my dad, it has become a gift to myself. Look for the good things that are happening in you life and you may be surprised by what you find. What we focus on really does get bigger. What do you want to choose?
Wishing everyone a wonderful new year filled with exciting choices.
Barb
It is hard to believe that time has passed so quickly and January is here and going fast.
We have been working on developing a winter workshop series that actually goes into May and I really hope it is not winter in May. I am really excited about the topics we will be covering. The first one is about being courageous and transforming how you work with your fears. It makes sense that this has developed into a workshop, we have discussed this topic before and now we want to give you some real hands on tools to use. So once again I ask: When do you act courageous? What does it mean to you to be courageous? What about your horse? Would you like to transform your fear into something you can manage?
What would it take for you to create a plan to make a change this year?
That's the sales pitch.....
The other thing I want to talk about today is something that happened before Christmas. Every year I send out an e-mail to my family asking, is there something you would like this year. My father, who is 92, replied that he would like for me to do a blog or something that would let him know more about what was happening in my life, the day to day stuff. I was really touched that someone (even my family) would be interested in my day to day existence. Hard to believe in these times of face book and twitter where so many share so much.
I now find myself looking for the things that have happened in a day or week that would be nice to share. I did not expect that this simple request would change my life. I find myself looking to have more fun in each day. I am looking for great things to happen and they are showing up. Somehow I could not give this to myself before, I have been struggling to respect myself and prioritize the things that are important to me. Even though I am doing this as a gift for my dad, it has become a gift to myself. Look for the good things that are happening in you life and you may be surprised by what you find. What we focus on really does get bigger. What do you want to choose?
Wishing everyone a wonderful new year filled with exciting choices.
Barb
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
The holiday season
Hi, all.
Here we are in the thick of the holiday season. How are you doing? Are you remembering to breathe, and take some time for yourself? I know, these can sound like platitudes, but it is vitally important that you take time to nurture yourself. At this time of year, it is so easy to get caught up in giving everything we’ve got to others, leaving us exhausted, drained, and with little time to enjoy what really matters—our family and friends.
It is easier to be generous to others when we are not running on empty. Allow yourself the time to do what feeds your soul—make a cup of tea, sit with a favorite book, spend time with a friend, two-legged or four-legged. Give yourself a few extra minutes at feeding time to bask in the company of your horses. I find that there is nothing that grounds me more than sitting in my barn, listening to my horses munching on their hay. Their contentment washes over me, and I am at peace.
Here’s wishing you all a truly joyous holiday season, and the best to you in 2012!
Here we are in the thick of the holiday season. How are you doing? Are you remembering to breathe, and take some time for yourself? I know, these can sound like platitudes, but it is vitally important that you take time to nurture yourself. At this time of year, it is so easy to get caught up in giving everything we’ve got to others, leaving us exhausted, drained, and with little time to enjoy what really matters—our family and friends.
It is easier to be generous to others when we are not running on empty. Allow yourself the time to do what feeds your soul—make a cup of tea, sit with a favorite book, spend time with a friend, two-legged or four-legged. Give yourself a few extra minutes at feeding time to bask in the company of your horses. I find that there is nothing that grounds me more than sitting in my barn, listening to my horses munching on their hay. Their contentment washes over me, and I am at peace.
Here’s wishing you all a truly joyous holiday season, and the best to you in 2012!
Friday, November 4, 2011
Weekend plans!
Heading to a two-day Equine Biomechanics clinic tomorrow, taught by Dr. Deb Bennet, a noted expert in the field, with Dawn Jones-Low of Faerie Court Farm. Positively can’t wait!
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