Tag: allow

Finding a Feel

Posted on by Stefanie in Uncategorized

So….we did it! Just fresh back from the Island and the Finding a Feel Workshop with Alexa Linton in Duncan….! What a weekend! And Twin Creeks is such a idyllic spot to hold the workshop, with the weather co-operating perfectly as well it unfolded as 7 brave folks explored a new frontier of Feel…and broke the ice on some very fascinating depths and challenged themselves to slow down, breathe and gently enter their horses world, on their terms. A challenging topic to teach historically ( and for real, I might add!) but intensely important and the next piece for a more complete picture of our horsemanship journey. I for one, again became a student as the the roles are constantly flowing between student and teacher; horse and human.


Feedback loops of soft tries, hard spots, awkward moments, judgments, raw spots, tender connections, belly laughs, and surprises of insight. Touching the places in stillness where we so often shy away from with our busy minds and allowing the space for our horses to come to us….


This certainly was a different clinic lots of meditation, exploring our senses and beliefs, becoming open to new possibilities of interactions with our equine partner with things we take for granted such as bridling and leading, and how they can hold such learning and connection for us……

Alexa’s work with body talk, energy reading and intuitive readings was truly remarkable with epiphany’s everywhere all weekend. She did a great job of leading us through the fascinating Meditations and being such a pleasure to work with…the scope of Alexa’s knowledge and feel, dovetailing perfectly with my exploration of awareness and sensitivity of the horses……blending into a uniquely personal journey for all.





I loved the ‘Feel’ of this weekend.


The easy camaraderie, laughter, questions raised, and support shown for all of that are us fascinated in raising our understanding of this horse/ human connection, with all its rewards, mirroring, interweaving of lessons and deep truths. It was a pleasure to witness and be a part of and Heartfelt Thanks to all who participated and allowed Alexa and myself to be both student and teacher alongside you and your horses….. There is still a couple spaces available for the Squamish Feel workshop in September if this causes any interest to raise up in you……:)

This Phenomenal series of photos were taken once again, by my unsung Best Friend and support Crew Chief of Staff…….

Inet Sladecek!

Thanks, Sister!…without your insight, talents and friendship, I would sure not be where I am….:)

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!

The Muse

Posted on by Stefanie in Uncategorized

There are moments in our lives that are monumental.

Moments when we realize the true meaning of Magic and the miracle of this thing we so casually call life…………

Moments when all we can do is stand in wonder and let ourselves be overcome with emotion….

Moments of pure joy, bliss and peace…..

Moments that become memories eternal and unforgettable, every color, every smell, every word said, every feeling………….

There are moments in our lives we wish would go on forever and ever and ever….

But they don’t.


Which is why now is called the “present”. It is a Gift.

Scratch that favorite itchy spot just a liiiittle longer on your horse……….. That them out for a special walk, just eating that delectable spring grass………… Sit in the field with them allowing them to thoroughly check you out and really be with them…………. Go someplace new and exciting to walk your dog. Buy them that WAY to expensive treat…….Take your Dad a bunch of flowers and a bow of chocolates………..Fix that drippy tap your Mom has been frustrated with for so long, and then sit on her deck in the sun and share a glass of wine with her…….never hurt to bring her flowers either……. Call your Uncle living in Texas………..MAKE time to spend with friends….ok,ok….:) ALLOW yourself time to spend with friends,……and be a friend to yourself……..

Love them deeply, and when it is time……

Let them go.………

This blog is dedicated to Jeanette and Percy.
Thank you for a million treasured moments……….

La Vida Cita y La Traileria

Posted on by Stefanie in Uncategorized

With that ridiculous sunshine and warm weather out, making the horses drop their hair like there is no tomorrow, ice melting under the frozen poopsicles so I can finally pick up all 43 loads of it out of the fields, new training horses and feet to trim, and riding, riding, riding, I have been a wee bit slack about posting a new blog (as some of my more drill sergeanty type friends have pointed out..hahahaha)
So, since sleep is optional and surely the dogs get enough for all of us, I am going to share a nice little ‘Allow’ story with you. This is Cita. For those who don’t yet know my future diamond, she is 1/2 arab 1/2 Quarter horse, almost 2, and just beginning her next phase of education. And, like most most teenagers (or so I am told) she can have some pretty cheeky moments and others when she is real unsure of herself and runs back to Mommy Indy (much to his dismay, sooooo bad for his Ultra Cool Guy Image!) We have been playing around, refreshing her ground skills, and adding some new ones. Its funny to watch the herd watch us work, they are all so very interested and concerned that I get it right (yeah, no pressure, guys, thanks!) Mostly though, Cita thinks this is pretty ok, and is happy to be growing up and doing big Kid Stuff. I had her out and was brushing the mud off, and attacking her with the spray bottle, trying to squirt Toxic Palomino Death Juice on her...no! Wait! That’s just mane de-tangler! Oh, ok, go ahead……, picking feet (cause that what us Farrier type folks do once every six months, weather they need it or not), and getting in some good positive tying practice. (Oh! remind me to expand ad naseum on tying on day, and I will). And…….one of the all time Favorite things to Avoid Until the VEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRYYYY Last minute…The Trailer!

Happily and (not so) oddly enough, right after my little awareness kick on Allow, I am presented with one of the most triggering of all horsey related situations, designed, not as you may think, too haul your horse around in, but to bring out all the very worst traits and habits and truths in both horse and human. Here we have the opportunity to really get tight and tense, impatient and all pressurey. ” Make the outside uncomfortable, and the inside the good place” ( Make?) how many times have I heard that line? So, here I am standing outside of said aluminum torture chamber on wheels, wondering how this was going to unfold. You see, Cita has no real opinion yet on a trailer (short of when she was 4 months and hauled up here from the island, but two winter’s up here will have frozen that memory outa her head) and is a clean slate. And I sure don’t want to end up ‘making’ the trailer be an issue. So what happened was this. I decided to just allow her to get in the trailer.

Allow her all the time in the world. Allow her to just stand here and fall asleep while I brushed her with her nose in the trailer. Allow her to check it all out. Allow her to scoot backwards as she made the bum bar rattle. Allow her to paw the ground. Allow her to fall asleep for 5 minutes. (Gee, says human….wonder if I ought to be making (!) her do something now, dozing can’t be getting us closer to in…hmmmmm I should be doing something…hmmmm). Allow her to put a foot in and bring it out. allow her to go for a short walk around the patio furniture. Allow her to put two feet in. Allow her to rattle the barriers….and NOT come out this time, brave girl. Allow another calm back out and wander around the lawn furniture…… And allow her to just get all the way in, blow and happily take a mouth full of hay, calmly looking back at me standing outside the trailer door. Allow her to calmly BACK out and go for another stroll, and right back in.

Total length of Trailer Loading time? 13 minutes. hmmmmmmmm very interesting. All that was required of me was… presence, patience, softness, awareness, and feel.

I was so curious with MYSELF thru this process, as I wasn’t really sure that she was knowing what I was looking for (duh!) as she seemed almost disinterested, but, oh, she knew! So hard to not want to get in there and get all busy and make (ah) something happen! I also became aware of just how little we need to do to make our requests clear, and how often we screw it all up by just doing TO MUCH! When I asked her to move, I literally lifted my hand an inch, and quit as she went “Yes?’ So everything was just so small and relaxed and low key… what a neat experience, and another level again of just how subtle we can communicate. If we just get out of the way, they find the way we have shown……………easily, calmly, confidently and together we allow one another respect.