Author: Stefanie

The Girls….

Posted on by Stefanie in Uncategorized

Meet Khali and Khassidy….Half sisters, half Arab and with me for 3 months of Equine college education….:) The girls are from Metchosin, B.C., and have been with me for a month and a half. They are as different as sisters can be (or so they tell me, as being sister free, I lack first hand exposure:) and loads of fun!
They are here for mostly ground work thanks to their wise and long seeing parents, Lesley and John, and are building that solid foundation for a future of long happy rides and sensible behavior…

If all young horses were to get this good a start, exposing them to new sights, sounds, dynamics and experiences, I am supposing there would be a lot of confident horses around that took new things in stride….It is an investment in their and YOUR future, and pays off for years and years to come…

K & K have dragged tarps, logs, feed sacks full of cans, had ropes on every part of their body, around their flanks and under the tail. They will lead from their legs with a rope, and had it dragging alongside. They will stand untied for brushing and foot trimming, bath and trailer load.
Backing through the low narrow alley of the old log barn is a YAWN….as is backing out of the horses trailer. Bathing clippers, ponying out on the hills and thru mud creeks and brush, walk, trot and canter, with crazy Danes galloping in and out of view. Sitting on them bareback, bathing and fly spray.

So…. Inevitably, tacking was next, even though they still need some size on them to ride much, we made a group decision, Khali, Khassidy and I and up went the saddles….YAWN!
Whatever……

They did not move a toe, and were as relaxed as if they had done it 1000 times before….and THAT is what makes me happy. no stress, no fear, no rushing…no sweat. Nothing to un-do down the road……….So, as things were so casual and they felt relaxed, they went for a short ride alongside Carson and Gumby yesterday and in the play field today, walk, trot canter, play in the water jump, and untack like a pros….. and that’s that.
Nice work Girls! A +’s for you both and hats of to savvy Owners that want the best for their ‘kids’ future……it makes me so happy and what a great thing to be a part of…..

Thanks Lesley and John…….:)

Cita’s Blog

Posted on by Stefanie in Uncategorized

This would be Cita saying

“Thanks for allowing me to spend my life with Stef, Papa Terry and Mama Vicki! I love it here, I love Indy especially, and the dogs, and my big grassy field, and going for walks in the hills, and playing in the water jump and in the river, and splashing Espada (….she HATES getting wet🙂 . I Really like it when Stef brushes me with the super soft brush and
sprays Conditioner in my mane and tail so that I look as pretty as IV(….well, I AM actually WAY prettier then that cheap floozy with her wavy mane….and she’s such a pale washed out Palomino, too!) and I even like standing tied like the grown up horses do….but I am sooooo good at just standing quietly while Stef puts that heavy saddle on my back and I even kinda like that, because I think maybe I get to spend more time with her. Especially since she actually got on the saddle on my back and I was SO Proud and Indy was so surprised! and I just can’t WAIT to get going and doing cool things that all the other horses seem to get to do with Stef…..So Thanks Vicki and Terry! I LOVE my life and my human….and I am pretty sure she loves me, too….:) “

Cita is apparently quit chatty tonight, and has suddenly learnt the unusual Equine Talent of typing, which I can take no credit for……..but she has made a heck of a mess out of my keyboard typing with her big ole hooves…..

…Bit of a Blog

Posted on by Stefanie in Blog

Beside us here is a photo taken 4 days ago, on the road to the river and Yes, it is Merritt! Yes it IS green! Even the Sage is ridiculously green…..(well the OTHER Sage is still black and white, although she HAS come back green from finding something that smelled suspiciously like bear poop, smiling and all pleased with herself….:P) The river is over its banks in some places, and no one can remember seeing it this high before and sure am glad I moved a couple Camp dates around, as there will be no swimming in this river in June!

OH! Yes! Please check out the updated Schedule page as The Connecting at the Dot Camp has moved to July, and the Feel Like a Kid Camp has moved to Last weekend in July. There are just two spots left in the July 7 1/2 Diamond Camp, and August is full, so if you are thinking on maybe you’d like to explore one of the prettiest areas I have ridden in, and enjoy the gorgeous Log cabin and arena for refining your feel, delving deeper into Conscious Horsemanship…….and tons of trail time and relaxation….Saloon anyone?

My good friend and riding buddy Kimberly, rode around the place on Monday, and were just so blown away….and the wildlife!!!!! And that looooong grass covered pipeline that just screams…” GALLOP!!!!!!!!!!”

Oh! and now that I am able to sit and Blog……….Suddenly no photos will upload…. well, huh!
And so much has happened…! I,I, I have Pictures and and everything….!
Oh well, Better luck next time…..

It looks like The Collaborative Workshop “Finding A Feel” with Alexa in Duncan at Twin Creeks June 18-20 is in a couple of weeks! This should be a fascinating, revealing and deep journey into the interconnectedness of ourselves and our horses….THIS is what I have been searching through and with these last couple of years and it excites me and intrigues me the depth of relationship and connection possible to ourselves and those in our lives, animal or human. Truth, congruency, softness, power, humility and presence……zooooeeee! Next chance to do this ground breaking Clinic will be in Sept in Squamish at Lauren’s www.goodhorsemanship.ca

Well….this is just no fun without pictures, and its bed time again….busy week, Vicki D coming to see her boy (who happens to be the now gelded father of Cita), Griffy’s sister’s are visiting…Jazz with Vicki, and Zoe on Weds. Thursday its Summer Turn out at Quilchena ( I am sneaking in with the cowboys, and maybe they won’t notice my big roan horse…..:), Friday off to Pritchard to do feet and lessons…..oh and ride 8 horses….

yep, its a pretty amazing life….:) Follow your dreams, kids….follow your dreams….

ok….I’m gettin’ off the soapbox…….hahahaha!

Cita’s Sunday Ride………

Posted on by Stefanie in Uncategorized

So Much has happened since I have last been blogging.AHH! Where to start! so many very, very cool things have happened, new horses in, clinics, road trips………and here it is past my bedtime again……………..

So, an offical update will have to wait another couple days, but I HAVE o have to share today……

Cita is my often “Left to Last, and Then Run Out of Daylight Girl”, so I surprised each other today, and brought her out and spent some time with her.

I have been getting on bareback, and noodling around a bit, untracking her and getting some basic steering operational, as well as standing for mounting and of course the actual bit where she gets used to having me up there….hahahaha! She has been a pretty typical mix of confident and cocky Teenager and nervous and un-confident Teenager so far, but feels to me like she is happy and ready to do more soooooooooooooo….

Without any further ado, may I present, Under Saddle for the First time ever, wearing her very flashy coat and learning the basics of ‘how to steal grass while wearing a saddle’ ( I get this started RIGHT away, so’s they can practice this and have it firmly in place when I start to ride…hahahahaha)

La Vida Cita!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Now I know Lauren will tell you that a good Andy Knight saddle will make ANY horse look good, and I am the very proud Mom, but, seriously!



Is she amazing or what!!!!!!!!!



Did she care? hmmmm, well she had the pad on and off three times and was ok with its first visitation, on and off bareback and move hind end and front end abit, and then up with the saddle, tighten cinches slowly, place her gently back the one step she took and VIOLA!


I um, did tighten that back cinch a teeny tiny one hole tighter then I ought to have straight away, and she was fine till we walked a bit, and blew up……! Three big crow hops and felt for my ask and settled beside side me. Rub belly, neck, flanks, disengage softly and repeat a few more times and she has completely relaxed. Slapped the stirrups gently to ask her to move on, and out the driveway, up and down the ditches, and back…. easy off with the saddle, and extra grass snack for Sure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The only deep meaningful thing I have to say is….it sure can be easy on them if we go easy and have rapport, trust and feel for them. Softness with confidence in each other can really go a long way and just watching for those tiny little changes…..

Oh and Indy wanted to show off his new Sarah Hagel Mecate……

He and i are getting very excited about our road trip to Nanton Alta with Lauren and pony to do the Richard Caldwell Clinic….Yippy!