Summer Reading List

These are the 3 books I am going to read from June 1st to September 1st.

*dramatic music*

1. Imagine: How Creativity Works, by Jonah Lehrer

2. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking, by Susan Cain

3. Outliers: A Story of Success, by Malcolm Gladwell

What You Would Find: In My Car

This post is of course what I will have in my car when I actually get a car and can drive! (Hey, my 16th birthday is tomorrow!)

Some people prefer to keep their cars impeccibly clean. Not a single spot of dirt. Of course, these people usually don't have 2 horses, 2 dogs and 4 cats, now do they?

My car is going to be full of stuff that I would carry around with me all the time if I could.

Let's start with my horse-related car clutter:

1. A collection of Parelli Audio CDs.

2. Horse treats.

3. Horse halter & leadrope.

4. Horses Never Lie by Mark Rashid.

5. Raise Your Hand if You Love Horses by Pat Parelli.

Onto other animal-related stuff:

1. Dog treats.

2. Dog collar & leash.

3. Dog seatbelt.

4. Cat treats.

5. First aid kit, including animal-safe items.

Other such things:


1. Notepad/paper - ALWAYS.

2. Pens/pencils.

3. Change, lots and lots of change.

4. One of the 7 Harry Potter books. to be interchanged every 2 months or so.

5. Phone charger

6. A copy of my published book.



Those are those things that I would keep in my car. The pleasure-related items at least. :)
What can you find in your car?

That moment

Yesterday I was struck with one of those moments where you realize "Oh my god, I have the most amazing pony in my life. He is just the most gorgeous, most kind-hearted, most loyal pony." It was one of those moments where you literally can't believe you are lucky enough to have him in your life.

He didn't do anything special. He was just there, with me. In all his handsome beauty. (He would insist on the handsome part otherwise it wouldn't be manly enough :P)

I love you Casper...
Julia

Parelli Conyers Tour Stop- PREVIEW

I have watched several of Pat Parelli's demos with problem horses. At live events, on Celebration DVDs and in the Savvy Vault. I watched him work with Beau, the rescue horse at Franklin, I've watched dozens of trailer loading make over videos. I've watched the change dozens of times. 

And I've never really understood what was happening. I watched, took it in...could see the horse at the start and saw the horse at the end but couldn't SEE what was happening.

This weekend I saw the change. I watched it and understood it. With the mismatch horse, with the trailering horse AND with the problem horse. Oh the wonders of understanding.

Tastefully Picked - 4

Theme: Color

What do you think?

col·or

  

noun

1.

the quality of an object or substance with respect to lightreflected by the object, usually determined visually bymeasurement of hue, saturation, and brightness of thereflected light; saturation or chroma; hue.

Silence Session

Hello everyone!


It has long been a lesson that Kara has tried to explain to me.
Silence.
You don't need words to communicate with horses.

Think. When you are level 4, you shouldn't have to use any voice commands- in my opinion anyway.
You use your body language, your legs, your seat...
Your focus. Your gaze.

With Casper a few weeks back, we were alone at the stables. Just us. No noise, no commotion, none of those bothersome things.

We did join-up before I began to play with him in silence. It was a connection that I could not really explain. An invisible thread that connected us.

He didn't move off, he allowed me to stroke him all over and pick up his feet without dispute (which is unusual)
He even let me play with a mechanical pencil to prepare him for shots when the vet came.
(That payed off today. The vet complimented his good behaviour, adding that ponies usually put up a huge fight.)

~Julia

Conyers in 5 days!

Tastefull Picked -3

Theme: Inspiration

Which is your favorite?

Absent...

Yes,
I realize I have been absent on and off for a while. Most of my posts since the new year have nothing to do with horses.

So a quick update.

I've been looking for a Wintec Pro Saddle for Sharlie. Not sure what size ... anything, but we will find something soon I hope.

Started working on goals. I need some for this year. They are based on auditions this year, rather than just specific tasks.
I would like to audition Casper for Level 1 in the spring, as well as Sharlie for Level 2 in the summer...
How I will find 120 dollars to spare evades me.

Lessons wise, I am making sure both horses are continuing to be polite while also advancing through Level One. I plan to write a post about how Casper has flourished as a lessons horse- the right way.

Hmmmm...how are you?

- Julia

Tastefully Picked - 2

Tastefully Picked- 1

I spend more time than I like to admit going through photos and pictures online- whether it be crude or perverted humor (we all have our guilty pleasures) or just a photo that catches the eye. I'm going to start doing these now and then because God knows I have a whole collection saved on my computer!

Theme today: Horses

Why don't you tell me which one is YOUR favorite out of these?

One of my utmost favorites