https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzURgrNIhrA
An apt song not only for the day and the time but also for the feeling of our course today. Tracey and I were left feeling very humbled by the people we worked with and the reactions of our ponies to them. Maureen and Alice have had very little to do with horses although they both love animals. Both of them just got involved, gave themselves and seemed to get so much out of being with the Jack, Nettles and Blue. We had to check our privilege all over again - knowing that we get to play with horses out in the woods every day of the week and not have to deal with too many complexities in life.
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| Ready? We were born ready! |
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| Jack is an energyometer, you can only touch him if you bring it right down |
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| Nettles demonstrates the hug |
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| A little walkabout |
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| A huge hug |
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| How slow can you go? |
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| Theoden loves a little female company |
We left the course open-ended and flexible just so that we could adapt and do whatever seemed right on the day. We just didn’t expect anyone to find out so much about themselves quite so quickly or to give up there fear and apprehension so readily. Alice realised that she had to drop her energy levels to stand a chance of getting near to Jack but soon had Nettles matching her stride for stride. Maureen who was concerned about going within 30 foot of a wild mare and her foal at the beginning (quite rightly because the mare might have been protective), ended up this close to a loose Theoden. The horses really liked being with both of them and reflected their energy, intent and temperaments so clearly. It was just lovely.
"I think you are a natural at inspiring people with your love of horses and Alice
said she really liked the way you and Tracey explained things from the horses
perspective and showed them how to do things. We all went home with a better
insight into the horses behaviour....and our own!" HM, Society of St. James
http://www.ssj.org.uk/
http://thewaterfall.org.uk/#about
Photos with very kind permission of the participants.
