This is one of my favorite moments. Everyone else in the
house is sleeping, except me and the kitty. The morning is soft and foggy, with only the intensely happy
song of some little birds nesting in the barn. The horses are enjoying their
breakfast. Between the munching of hay and the chirping of the birds, I find
the space to listen to the possibility of everything.
I was looking at some beautiful photos taken by an Indonesian
photographer, Tri Joko, and I’ve been thinking about what he said: “We need to realize that life can
not be repeated.”
Walking back to the house, with each step that I took, I
found myself saying, (left foot)“Thank” and (right foot) “you”.
8 comments:
The gratitude for the small moments of the day nourishes our hearts and brings value to our lives. Think I will go thank my hardworking feet now!
What a great quote. Can't beat those quiet mornings in the barn. I'm there.
Thich Nhat Hanh was in Ireland recently. One sentence of his has really stayed with me: "the kingdom of God is now or never". Sounds like you are on to that one too.
Dear Victoria,
I read about about Siete's problems with lymes from a post back in 2007. I was training my horse, a six year old warmblood cross gelding, for dressage. He was unusually quiet, and was doing really well and progressing quite fast until February when I felt that he was stiff in his canter. The next time I rode him a few days later he was erratic and began rearing and needed to be held from the ground. I assumed that he had lymes and we began treating it (he had been treated in the fall for lymes with only 25 pills a day for 6 weeks). The lab work was sent to Cornell where he was positive for chronic lymes. We gave him 50 pills a day for about a week and didn't notice any improvement, so we opted to have injections of IV anabiotic done. We got 4 days worth of injections and then finished the regimen of the pills. Then our riding instructor noticed that he sore on his feet, blaming it on a poor farrier job and his new shoes. Then we got glue on shoes put on by the instructor, but then he seemed to be sore in the back on his stifles. Once the vet came the next week to look at his stifles he was dramatically lame on left front which vet diagnosed as a suspensory injured. The vet recommended that we rest him for 6 months and walk him both riding and on the ground as often as possible. He walks fine in the ring, but a little slowly. I rode him around our yard today, in the past I used to do this with no problems. However, he reared up so high that I was on the ground, thankfully on my feet, with my disengaged stirrup before I even knew it. It seems like the more I ride him the better he becomes at rearing. I have been advised to give him away and restart on another horse. I was thinking of keeping him and giving him more time off, but after today I'm not sure what to do. Siete's story seems to match up with his in some major ways. What was the outcome of her lymes disease treatment? And do you have any advice for me? Thanks!!! Jesse
Jesse - I'm so sorry to read about what's happening with your horse. I completely sympathize with your frustration and your dilemma. With Siete, it took a long time for her to get back to normal. One thing that I did that seems to have helped her the most is start her on D Carb Balance, which I buy on-line from Smart Pak Equine. Is your horse also overweight and showing some IR characteristics? You could check with Dr. Eleanor Kellon and a company called Uckele and see what they recommend. It sounds like your horse is definitely trying to tell you something with his rearing. I was really angry with the advice people gave me about Siete to get rid of her. Instead, I took the time she needed to heal and also started doing the communication work with her that Carolyn Resnick teaches in her Waterhole Rituals. Even if you can't ride, there are so many interesting, rewarding ways that you can spend time with your horse. And when you do get back in the saddle, all those experiences make the trust and connection you have so much better that your riding improves. I hope this helps! Let me know how it goes.
These thoughts are so important - each moment, good or bad, is only once - now - and staying present in the moment instead of living in the past or anticipating the future, while hard to do, is the core of so many spiritual traditions. Thanks for the reminder.
Poor Jesse with her Lyme horse - I think he's trying to tell her that she shouldn't be riding him because he can't manage his body properly - he's probably trying to protect her as well as himself. I have no experience with Lyme (and hope I never do) - it sounds like a difficult disease to manage.
Oh, beautiful photos! :-)
On the whole Lyme thing...as a Lyme patient, it has been the most painful experience I have ever gone through. Since horses cannot give us numerical scores on how their different body areas are feeling, we have to find a way to hear them. Is he comfortable in just a bareback pad? Maybe he needs more time to heal?
I went from 21 hours a semester in undergrad with two part time jobs and energy to spare to ride my pony every evening to having to take med leave in med school because I couldn't stand up without feeling dizzy or walk comfortably up a staircase.
IMO, the depth of your relationship with your horse will be your barometer.
Post a Comment