On Entering the Field of Equine Assisted Activities & Therapies...

In December of 2009, I participated in a PATH Intl. On-Site Workshop & Certification (OSWC) and became a certified Registered Level Therapeutic Riding Instructor. It was the weekend I turned 31. During the then-three-day training and test, I remember feeling a mixture of nervousness, performance anxiety and over-the-moon excitement about entering the field of Equine Assisted Activities & Therapies (EAAT) in an official sort of way. When it was over, I wrote this in my journal:

After everyone tested, I got the Evaluators’ feedback. On a document titled “Evaluator Recommendations,” they checked the box next to “Recommend PATH Intl. Instructor Status.” I’ve passed and just like that, I feel part of a new professional world. More than a certification, I have forever changed the way I will define myself and my life. My identity has shifted and from here on, I see part of my life’s purpose as continuing to learn all I can about horses and disabilities, as well as how to maximize the profound potential of the horse to improve human lives. It’s funny to me that I’ve just turned 31 and only now become a therapeutic horseback riding instructor. It seems like all I ever really wanted to be. 

It was a great moment in my life, which came after several years of emotional and financial hardship. About a year and a half before the certification, I had finally owned my life-long love of horses and riding in a way that meant I had to have and keep horses in my life. I had also understood that being a teacher, and supporting those with unique challenges, is part of who I am. Teaching therapeutic horseback riding seemed the natural merger of these two realizations. The year of training had its ups and downs, but the OSWC felt – for me – like a joyful experience of learning and succeeding.

Not to say I wasn’t stressed! Testing in the EAAT field essentially means doing what we do everyday - teaching individuals with special needs (who may or may not have "impulsivity" as a very real component of their disability) on horses (large prey animals with a flight reflex) - but undertaking this already somewhat stressful endeavor under the scrutiny of evaluation. I think one would have to lack awareness to not be at least a little nervous. Also, back then, I didn’t get to ride as frequently as I should have to prepare for a career as a riding instructor, so I was particularly nervous about the riding test.

 

A funny thing happened, though. At the OSWC, I was sitting in a quiet spot at High Hopes (the center where I did the test), dressed in my breeches and waiting to be called to ride. I felt like such an imposter. (I was really an English teacher, dressed up as a riding instructor!) To distract myself, I leafed through the training materials that had been distributed at the OSWC and happened upon an essay titled “On Mentoring,” which had been written by none other than Bonnie J. Perrault. The name Bonnie Perrault may not mean much to you, but to me it meant everything - Bonnie was my riding instructor for about two years, from when I was 13 – 15, and helped me work through some very challenging horse behaviors with the first mare I owned. She was tough, but she had exceptional integrity and was always both super kind and firm with the horses. Bonnie taught me what I consider to be the foundation for all future success I would have with horses (specifically, to ride from my seat instead of my hands, and the power of knowing my own physical, mental and emotional intention – clarity – when asking something from a horse). I hadn’t seen or spoken to Bonnie in years but sitting there, I was filled with confidence as I read these words from her essay:

At a seminar given for dressage instructors, the participants were asked what attributes constituted a good instructor. The answers were: knowledge, understanding, sensitivity, patience, ability to communicate, imagination, creativity, open-mindedness, professionalism, manners, honesty, humor, humility, flexibility and organization… another attribute is commitment, which constitutes a deep love for work and the willingness to meet the challenges of work… that they never stop learning, and never stop caring.

Making a living as a riding instructor is not easy. I know it now. Looking back, I’m very sure Bonnie knew it, too. But when I look at this list of attributes, which she embodied, and which I hoped to, I knew that doing this work meant more to me than a piece of paper from any organization (which is not to say I didn’t want that piece of paper!). I hadn’t seen or spoken to Bonnie in years but sitting there, I felt like I could hear her saying: Of course, you can do this. You could have ridden this test 15 years ago! And if you fail, you’ll just have to decide if you want it bad enough…. Then just go and do it again. (Bonnie always had just such a way of pointing things out that made you realize they were oh-so-obvious and logical – how could you have possibly missed that?) A lot of work with horses is about commitment. Bonnie helped instill that in me when I was young; in many ways, the process and testing for instructor certification was no different.

So… why the nostalgia? Well, one reason is attending the Evaluator Training really got me thinking about what brings people to the EAAT field, what keeps us in the field and what I truly want most in my working life. There is the ever-present challenge and reward of teaching people with unique challenges to ride horses and hopefully facilitating their safe enjoyment of this activity and its many benefits. But beyond that, there are many questions about how to earn a living, how to keep work fresh, how to keep learning in the field and expanding one’s own potential and contributions.

A second reason for reflecting on my own Instructor Training is that I have several friends who are testing next week at the OSWC at Little Bit Therapeutic Riding in Woodinville, WA. They are great teachers, horsewomen and people and I know our field and their many future students will be lucky to have them.  (Other friends are doing the Advanced Level On-site that same weekend… when I did mine I went home from the first day of testing and caught my kitchen curtain on fire while cooking dinner, so stressful and distracting did I find the process. Not to mention that it took my stomach a month to quiet down after all the nerves!) So, I guess, thinking last week about what it means to “pass” instructor certification at any level got me thinking about what the process meant to me, and what it hopefully has meant to my friends – a chance to formalize a lifetime of interest in horses, riding and helping others into a professional career path. (Again, the pun… I really didn’t mean it this time.) Each of the friends who is testing is so special – brings such a unique and fascinating background to the field. It’s incredibly exciting for me to think about the contributions these instructors will make to the field and the insights they will bring. They just have to get through that nerve-wracking testing and I feel so sure they can do it! Very confident these great teachers will show their best stuff (and maybe even relax and enjoy) their OSWC! They will be awesome!

And don’t forget what Bonnie said: Of course, you can do this. You could have passed this test years ago! And if you fail, you’ll just have to decide if you want it bad enough…. Then just go and do it again.

Notes from PATH Intl. Evaluator Training

Vacation this year consisted of a good visit with family and friends in the Northeast and a trip "home" to High HopesTherapeutic Riding, the PATH Intl. Premier Accredited Center in Old Lyme, CT where I was first introduced to the field of Equine Assisted Activities and Therapies and received much of my instructor training.

This time, I was visiting High Hopes with a purpose: namely, to participate in a PATH Intl. Evaluator Training given by Kitty Stalsburg, who is a Master Level Instructor, Lead Evaluator, Executive Director of High Hopes and a mentor who has had a major influence on my own teaching. I've wanted to do the Evaluator Training for a couple of years now and have completed several prerequisites, including becoming an Advanced Riding Instructor and attending the PATH Intl. Mentor Training. Now, having also completed Evaluator Training, I am officially an Apprentice Evaluator. I will need to apprentice at two Registered Level On-site Workshops and Certifications (OSWC) and receive the recommendation of both Lead Evaluators to achieve Associate Evaluator status. Associate Evaluators can serve as faculty at PATH Intl. Registered Level workshops and they can also evaluate candidates for certification in riding and teaching.

Sounds complicated and it is... a little. It's also awesome to be part of a field and membership organization that takes therapeutic horsemanship practices and instructor training so seriously. One important take away message from Evaluator Training is how crucial the evaluator role is to establishing our still growing profession and to serving as a face of PATH Intl. at workshops and training/ testing events.

A second important point was the vital difference between being a mentor (which might be loosely defined as "an extra-invested teacher-trainer") and an evaluator (where one's key responsibility is measuring an instructor candidate's performance against professional criterion, as objectively and fairly as possible). Evaluating is an advanced and challenging role: one's decisions influence a candidate's professional future, perhaps their livelihood, and definitely the manifestation of months or years of hard work and deeply instilled dreams. (No pressure.) Evaluating requires focus, attention to detail and the ability to let go of all kinds of personal biases and preferences one may have about teaching style or approach. When mentoring one is developing a teacher (one of my personal passions!); when evaluating, one is - however fairly - assessing a teacher. A big difference.

Certainly, there is some overlap... Being a good mentor for PATH Intl. Instructors in Training absolutely means having a proficient working knowledge of the Instructor Criteria. Of course, serving as an evaluator mandates that one stay current and well-versed in said criteria and this can only help one become a better mentor. Likewise, mentoring skills are an important component of the evaluator role, especially given that evaluators are faculty for the workshop portion of the On-Site. By mentoring regularly, an evaluator also practices the teaching and leadership skills necessary to effectively and supportively inform Instructor Candidates of the results of their testing (pass or fail) in a face-to-face interview. (Again, no pressure.) 

The training emphasized for me how important not only well-trained evaluators, but also the Instructor Candidates themselves are to the EAAT field. Instructors in Training bring new ideas and energy and often unique qualifications to our field. They also help EAAT expand, necessary if we hope to come close to meeting the potential need for our services around the globe. It’s exciting to think that as an evaluator, I will help to welcome newly certified professionals to the field and to set a fair, consistent and professional standard for certification.

I so enjoyed spending the day thinking, learning and talking about instructor training within the field of therapeutic horsemanship and look forward to investing more deeply in the process of becoming an evaluator. My goal is to attend an On-site the fall as an apprentice and then hopefully another in the spring, which is something I so look forward to although I know it will be an intense process. Teaching is learning... it always comes back to this!

Notes from Linda Tellington-Jones' Dressage with Mind, Body & Soul

One evening last week, I was sitting ringside with two friends and the conversation turned to great horse books. We compared notes, reminiscing about joyful childhood hours spent reading The Black Stallion, Black Beauty and all of Marguerite Henry's young adult, historically-based novels about horses. We debated which of these childhood horse stories had influenced us most as adult equestrians, but one point we agreed on easily: horses invoke our imaginations, and have for a very long time!

As an adult, I still read a lot of horse books, though mostly non-fiction, and I just finished Linda Tellington-Jones' most recent release Dressage with Mind, Body & Soul: A 21st-Century Approach to the Science and Spirituality of Riding and Horse-and-Rider Well-Being. Wow, that's a long and complex title!

And, frankly, it's a long and complex book!

Even for me, admittedly the ultimate horse-dork (Need proof? See throwback photo!), it reads a little textbook-y, especially at first. Since I am only superficially familiar with Tellington-Jones' renowned body work (for horses, dogs, other animals and humans!) and training methods, I had to do quite a bit of paging back and forth between the text itself and the glossary. Having said that, I am so glad I stuck with it... truly, the book is filled with vital, valuable information about riding, training, the sport of dressage, learning in general, and just being a best friend to the horses in our lives.

It's hard to summarize a book that contains so much vibrant information, but the premise of the book is an updated, holistic approach to the traditional dressage training scale pyramid, with the addition of balance as the base of the pyramid. (Tellington-Jones is quick to specify this includes physical, mental and emotional balance - Amen!) The author makes a unique, insightful and fun (color-coded!) exploration of each element of the updated scale (balance, rhythm, suppleness, contact, impulsion, straightness and collection), and describes how to access these elements using techniques that are holistic, humane, meaningful and, yes, even fun for both horse and rider. I love this organizational premise and it motivated me to keep reading.

I admire how Tellington-Jones explains the importance of intention when working with horses. She develops the concept of riding/ training in dressage with "heART," highlighting the concept that dressage should be an ART, one that is "an aesthetic representation of your relationship with yourself... and with your horse." She elaborates: "It is my desire to make you more open to the idea of being 'one' with your horse." As I was reading this encompassing text, I recognized: if Oprah wanted to choose a trainer/ rider to feature on OWN Network's Super Soul Sunday, Tellington-Jones would be a great pick! (And, yes, that's a huge compliment! I love Super Soul Sunday!) Tellington-Jones simply goes beyond the "norms" in dressage training to include the betterment of the person/rider as a key element of dressage.

Dressage with Mind, Body & Soul is definitely a book to be read, studied, re-read, put aside and revisited from time to time and used for reference.

Though there was much practical info woven throughout some really inspiring soul-talk, my favorite line of the book and take away point is this: "Dreams shouldn't be constrained by reality. Reality should subsist of the dreams you make come true." I love that this comes from a trainer who is respected internationally at all levels and in multiple disciplines and is obviously an intellectual, intelligent, practical horse woman on many levels. The fact that much of her advice is extremely down-to-earth makes the inclusion of this dreamer's wisdom all the more inspiring and profound.

After all, most of us do turn to horses and riding for connection and inspiration, as well as sport and fun! There is an element of "dreaming" to loving these animals... at least for me, there has been since I first turned the pages of those "horse-y" novels as a young teen. I believe that dreaming and imagination are woven through all of the best work with horses, and that this can inspire us to pursue, find and get to know our best selves. Tellington-Jones' book is definitely one entry point for this pursuit!

On NOT blogging...

It's been weeks since I've written a blog entry and I feel as if I owe my loyal readership - all seven of you :) - some explanation. This blog is still alive and well. I am determined to keep a public journal of my experiences within the EAAT field because writing is one way I acknowledge how much teaching and learning with horses matters to me. Somehow, though, a month has passed since I last wrote and now it's hard to get started again!

This blog began back in January with a post called Actually Blogging.... (a brief entry on starting a blog about EAAT). So, it seems fitting to rejuvenate the blog with an entry about NOT blogging. Or, perhaps better said:

 

What I've Been Doing Instead of Blogging:

• For one, I've been teaching and riding in the heat, rain and humidity, which is pretty extreme here in Charleston, South Carolina. I'm told this has actually been a "mild" Charleston summer due to all the rain we've been having, but it certainly seems like Serious Summer Weather to me, and I am often exhausted after working in it (though teaching riding, as usual, is FUN! and rewarding work).
• For another, I've spent 8 weeks on the Beach! Now, before you envision me relaxing on these beautiful South Carolina beaches and get all jealous, do know that I mean I've spent 8 weeks on South Beach, as in the Diet. Some might remember my earlier posts on Ride to Exercise or Exercise to Ride? Well, I realized to get where I wanted with my riding and health, I had to lose a few pounds/ change some eating habits. (Disclaimer: By no means do I want to imply that anyone has to be Skinny-Minny in order to ride well. That's simply not true. There are very balanced and fine riders who have larger frames or who are heavy-set. It's just that I was having trouble getting my body to move the way I wanted it to on the back of the horse and my lower back and right hip were always sore. I had the feeling that losing 10 pounds would make a difference, which has proved true.) Anyway, I like the food on the South Beach Diet and it's been kind of fun to have all these new recipes and successful new eating strategies. The flip side - it's TIME CONSUMING. Yeah, so instead of blogging, I've been chopping veggies and poaching lean protein.
• Riding! I've been riding at work, taking some lessons with Katie Poag and I accepted an invite from a friend to trail ride on the beautiful and remote Wadmalaw Island, which was a fun and enriching experience. (Minus the hairy spiders the size of my hand... yes, dangling over the trail. OK, beginning to understand some of what accompanies living in "sub-tropical climate.")
• Running a household... with Lee gone in CA for 5 weeks, I had my hands full just keeping our life here going. He is normally fantastic about doing the laundry and some other chores, so I was on my own with all of that. Then, there's always some readjustment when he comes back from a long time away. And now we have a big trip to the Northeast coming up and Lee's 40th birthday to celebrate. All fun, all wonderful - all perfect distractions from blogging!
• Reading! To me, there is nothing better than a quiet, cool house, maybe a glass of wine and a good horse book. This summer, I've read and studied Linda Tellington-Jones's Dressage with Mind, Body & Soul (notes to follow soon) and now I'm in the middle of Alois Podhansky's Complete Training of Horse and Rider. I also read Anton DiSclafani's intriguing coming-of-age novel The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls (good beach reading for horse lovers!) and a few other memoirs and novels.  
• Writing. I haven't been completely lazy on this front. For some time now, I've been writing a memoir about returning to horses during a time of personal distress and then the process of becoming a therapeutic horseback riding instructor (the working title is Barn Dust). I spent much time on this project over the summer and entered the manuscript in a few book-length, non-fiction writing contests. I've also spent some time studying the (impossible) publishing industry and trying to figure out how I can get even one literary agent or small press to read my memoir draft. It's been a little discouraging, but I am determined to share the content of that text somehow, so I'm still working on it!

Okay, you can see why I have missed a week or two of blogging! I'm now determined to get back into a weekly groove of updating this blog with some exciting new entries coming up, including Notes from LTJ's Dressage with Mind, Body & Soul and from PATH Intl. Evaluator Training at High Hopes Therapeutic Riding on Aug. 16th (can't wait!).

I also have been thinking about profiling certified professionals making a career in the EAAT field (What does it take? How do people make it work over time?) - please let me know if you are interested in being profiled or have any ideas for someone to write about! And, I know, I really need to get more photos on this blog! I have been thinking about how to make this a more dynamic virtual space. I'm really grateful to those of you who read and sometimes provide comments or feedback. Thank you and more to come soon!

20 Hours of Professional Development: Part 2 Saddle Fitting

As a PATH Intl. Instructor, I am required to complete a minimum of 20 hours of Continuing Education each year. I have to submit an Instructor Compliance form to PATH Intl., listing my hours and what I did. As I completed my form this spring, I realized it's kind of a shame that the professional development compliance requirement is just a list. It seems like to take something away from these professional development experiences - and learn something - there should be a reflective component. So, over the next few blog entries, I'm going to reflect on my three biggest "take away points" from some of my own Continuing Ed experiences this past year.... 

5 Hours: Saddle Fitting

I was fortunate to attend two Saddle Fitting In-Services this year, one out in the Seattle area and one here in South Carolina. I learned so much from the generous professionals who gave these lectures/demonstrations (and took pages and pages of notes), so to sum up what I learned about the complex subject of saddle fitting in just 3 points is difficult!

However, since I've tasked myself with summing up the 3 main points I took away from these saddle fitting in-services, I will focus on the key messages that both professional imparted:

1. Everyone who rides, trains and works with horses in any discipline or capacity needs to stay aware of and be vigilant about saddle fit, which can constantly change as the horse is conditioned, gains or loses weight, ages, etc. It should become instinctual to think about the fit of the saddle: Horse bucking? Rearing? Refusing to go forward willingly? Seem grumpy? Girthy? Not standing still for mounting? All of these problems can stem from an uncomfortable tack fit and it's always important to eliminate this as the cause of negative behaviors! (I remember someone saying, asking a horse to go in a saddle that doesn't fit well is like asking a human to go hiking in uncomfortable high heels that pinch at the toe or to carry a heavy back pack with the edges of a book digging into your spine!)
2. If possible, it's always best to have a professional saddle fitter evaluate the tack, at least once or twice a year. In between visits with a trained professional, it's important to check that the saddle sits level, clears the withers and spine and fits/ is positioned to allow plenty of room for the shoulder to move. Those are just a few checkpoints to look out for on regular basis.
3. Finally, materials and condition matter! While it isn't necessarily important to have the most expensive, trendy saddle available, it is important to find out what your saddle is made of, and especially, what your saddle is flocked with (stuffed with). Wool is the best material for flocking and will provide the most comfortable ride for the horse. It's important that the saddles be re-flocked regularly and inspected for tears, wear and damage, especially when being used in a busy program environment where a saddle might have 20 or more rides a week. 

Saddle fitting can be intimidating to those of use who are not extensively trained in this vocation, but what I have learned from attending these two in-services is that even with some basic knowledge and training, it becomes much easier to develop an eye (and feel) for the differences between a really bad fit and a decent fit. A professional can then often help determine a decent fit and a really good fit. 

Another point that I found really interesting (and I know I promised just 3) is how important it is to actually see the tack in motion (while the horse is going on the lunge line and then being ridden) in order to make a final determination about whether a saddle fits well. In a really interesting demo at one of the in-services, we watched a mare get lunged with a saddle that didn't fit her (she stayed hallow and refused to round her back) and then switched the tack and saw her go in a saddle that did fit (she fairly quickly lowered her head, looked more relaxed, rounded her back a little and her tail started to swing gently).

In any case, attending these in-services has brought saddle fit to the forefront of my mind and it's something I now look at more carefully and with a more informed view!

Notes from Linda Kohanov's The Power of the Herd

I am a terrific fan of Linda Kohanov’s writing. Her most well-known text, The Tao of Equus,* deeply inspired me when I first read it back in 2006. I was going through a tumultuous personal time – profound and heart-numbing grief – and my mother brought The Tao of Equus back from some bargain book sale. Reading it, I was reminded about how important horses once were in my life, how comforting I found their presence.  This led to a nagging thought in the back of my mind “get yourself back to horses and riding!” which led to volunteering at High Hopes Therapeutic Riding, which led to certifying as a PATH Intl. Instructor, which led to, really, healing and the channeling of my grief into a newfound sense of purpose.

When I finished reading it, I wrote this note on the last page: "This is what I've always known. It's what I can do and have to do. I'm grateful to have read this book."

Formally, Kohanov’s ideas relate most directly to practices of Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy, but really she coaches (and writes about) a hybrid practice of horsemanship, spiritual practice, emotional resonance with animals and people, and interpretation of myths and symbols. It sounds complex – it is!

At the deepest level, her methods are informed by the “non-predatory wisdom” of horses, which she knows as sentient beings capable of the deepest forms of emotional connection, communication and teaching.

Kohanov makes a point in Tao of Equus of distinguishing her work from therapeutic riding (the adapted teaching of horsemanship/ riding skills to individuals with disabilities) and hippotherapy (the utilization of the horse’s movement to achieve therapeutic goals). However, I think Kohanov’s practices and beliefs are deeply relevant to anyone who engages in therapeutic or healing practices with horses or other animals: at the essence of her texts, Kohanov asks us to listen to and learn from our animal partners as well as to respect them as individuals with diverse gifts to offer.

Kohanov’s latest text, The Power of the Herd,* could really be appreciated by anyone who has ever been in a leadership position (and I believe all teachers are leaders!) or aspired to one. It’s a complex text. She explores: (1) The successes and challenges of great leaders throughout history (i.e. George Washington) and the remarkable influence that horses and horsemanship had in the lives of many of these leaders; (2) Leadership dynamics among horses – how they are really much more complex than there just being an ‘alpha’ horse – and what we can learn from them; (3) Her own experiences, positive and negative, as the visionary leader of Eponaquest Worldwide; and (4) She details “The Twelve ‘Power of the Herd’ Guiding Principles,” which give insight to applying leadership lessons learned from horses to interpersonal communications.

I read it on my Nook and feel like it’s a book I need to read again in a print version. It’s the kind of text you want to write all over, highlight. Pages should be dog-eared. A few question marks in the margins and maybe even tears smudging some ink! There’s much to learn from this text and I see so much potential for Kohanov’s ideas about leadership, based on the non-predatory wisdom of the herd, to help those of us who work in EAAT centers to collaborate most effectively. She makes the simple but profound point: “Horses demand a balance of strength and sensitivity” (109). This is exactly the balance that I seek in my daily work with horses and individuals with special needs. From reading Kohanov’s texts, I realize how important it is to try to bring this balance to all of my human interactions, not just with people who happen to be my students. Her book contains fabulous insight about how to attain this balance.

I am eager to read it for a second time!

*The Power of theHerd: A Non-predatory Approach to Social Intelligence, Leadership, andInnovation. Novato, CA: New World Library, 2013.

*The Toa of Equus: A Woman’s Journey of Healing & Transformation through the Way of the Horse. Novato, CA: New World Library, 2001.

 

 

Down & Out: 6 Ways to Prepare for Instructor Certification while Lying on Your Couch

A friend of mine has been diligently preparing for PATHIntl. Registered Level Certification for over a year. She’s worked on her riding (bought a horse!), interned full time at a well-known center and participated in trainings. She is hoping to certify in 2013 and has certainly put in the time, effort and dedication of a professional.

An accident – not horse related – has left her with broken bones and she finds herself “down & out” – not medically cleared for riding or teaching! I had a similar, though less severe, experience when I began my Instructor Internship at Manes & Motions Therapeutic Riding. I had gall bladder surgery and was unable to lift for 6 – 8 weeks. I told my doctor this was inconvenient due to my internship/ new profession. He shrugged and said, “Well, no one likes to be down and out.”

How true.

So, I want to give my friend something to do while she recovers! I hope this “something” will motivate and inspire her to pick up her instructor training once her recovery is complete!  In general, hands-on, arena time is the single most important factor in preparing to teach riders safely and effectively. However, if that arena time is not practical, there’s still a lot you can do to work on your knowledge base and improve your eye for teaching. If I had 6 – 8 weeks of “non-horse” time coming my way, but I still wanted to prepare for Instructor Certification, I would read and study. PATH Intl. provides Instructors in Training with a suggested reading list (and it’s a good one!), but I am also going to make my own list:

6 Ways to Prepare for Instructor Certification while Lying on Your Couch:

1.       READSally Swift’s Centered Riding and really study balanced seat riding position. Swift’s text is filled with imagery, metaphor and illustrations that benefit riders who are trying to achieve positional alignment and effective aids. It’s really a text that you need to study as well as just read. Take notes, write in the margins, try to picture riders you have worked with and how you could apply these concepts to your teaching. Then, go on the internet and watch some riding videos that anyone(I mean Joe Smoe and it can be any discipline) has posted. Analyze. How does the rider’s position compare to your understanding of Sally’s descriptions? 

2.       READ over the PATH Intl. criteria for Instructor Certification and identify your areas of weakness (we all have them!). Find legitimate websites, magazines or books that you can read to increase your knowledge in these areas. For me, this meant reading the most current edition of Giffin and Gore’s Horse Owner’s Veterinary Handbook, cover to cover. It is boring and technical, but provided me with more in-depth knowledge about the health and management of horses.

3.       STUDYtask analysis. The best therapeutic riding instructors have internalized the “whats, hows and whys” of basic riding skills. My favorite classic books for task analysis are Cherry Hill’s 101 ArenaExercises for Horse & Rider and TheUnited States Pony Club Manual of Horsemanship, D Level by Susan E. Harris. A more recent favorite is Hollie H. McNeil’s 40 Fundamentals of English Riding. I love McNeil’s text because it provides a concise description of each of the “40 Fundamentals” but then also includes a DVD, broken into 40 sections, to demonstrate and further describe each of these skills.  I think the best way to use McNeil’s book is to read, study and watch one skill a day for 40 days. (It sounds slightly biblical and I guess for those of us who worship the horse, it is.)

4.       STUDY disability knowledge. I would use the PATH Intl. list of Precautions & Contraindications (on-line copy free to members) and take a condition-a-day to study, understand and research on legitimate websites. 

5.       TEACH. Again, go to the internet and search for riding videos. Find riders of all levels. Search different skills. Then, turn your computer to mute and watch the video. “Teach” the rider! And yes, I mean talk out loud, in your biggest “instructor voice” and tell this person-you-will-never-meet how to ride the movement they are working on or how to improve their position or aids. (This is obviously best done in the privacy of one’s own home while the rest of the family is at work...) You can practice finding your words, analyzing a rider and projecting your voice, all while sitting in an easy chair. (This may sound crazy, I know, but “virtual” practicing like this is becoming a more and more common way of training athletes, performers and people working on all kinds of skill development.)

6.       REFLECT.Being “down & out” gives you time to think about your goals, define your next steps and really look at what is most important to you about the Instructor Training process you’ve engaged in. If you are inclined to read horse-oriented materials that have to do with self-reflection and personal improvement, I recommend Linda Kohanov’s TheTao of Equus (and all her subsequent books) and Kathleen Lindley’s In the Company of Horses. Both include anecdotes and techniques related to the emotional side of being around horses and the way that horses enhance our lives. Increasing my own understanding of the horse’s sentience has always been part of my intention in working with horses; bringing awareness of the horse’s power as motivator, teacher and friend to my students has also become increasingly important to me.

If that doesn’t fill 6 – 8 weeks of couch-time, I don’t know what will! My friend, I hope you feel better and are riding and teaching again soon! Thank you for letting me write about this on my blog. In your case, you are recovering from injury but many Instructors in Training have other reasons for not being able to be at the barn as much as they’d like (work, children, financial considerations). While I can’t stress enough how crucial hands-on, extensive barn/arena time is to preparation, there are also practical and important ways to prepare, study and train from home.  Hope this list inspires someone!

 

 

That Beating Heart

Horseman Mark Rashid writes:
...it is the horse that allows us the opportunity to listen to that beating heart, to feel the ebb and flow, and ultimately, to get back in touch with the spirit that is harmony...
(Nature in Horsemanship, Skyhorse Publishing, pg. 205-06). 

March was a crazy month for me, mainly because the hard drive on my laptop crashed. This led to several weeks of drawn out repairs (ordering a system restore disk, waiting for technicians to fix it, finding out my hard drive was so far gone that all data was lost, re-downloading all my programs/ data onto new hard drive). Then, all this downloading led to exceeding our data limit (bill to come...), so I have been trying to minimize on-line time. I'm still not really caught up from this month of technical difficulties. In short, I've realized how extremely dependent I have become on my laptop: like many, my professional and social life rely on Internet connection and, as a writer, my laptop is also essential to my daily writing/ editing/ brainstorming/ researching routine.

I found it disorienting to not have this connection/ access. I was less productive, grouchy and restless. I also started to make other absent-minded mistakes (lost my keys for two days). 

I have never really consider myself a "tech-dependent" person, but I certainly am! I've realized I am now totally dependent on my computer for what I consider "normal" daily life. I would now rate my laptop as more essential than a working oven (lived without one for the past six months), a television (gone without for years at a time), and probably even items of personal hygiene like a toothbrush (you can always improvise). 

As of today, I think I am totally reconnected: functional computer, Office 2013 installed, and the first day of a new month of our nearly unlimited data plan (which we've never even come close to exceeding in the past). This feels so good! Writing life begin again!

So - is this a long, drawn out explanation for why I have not been blogging? YES! It is also, though, a personal confession of how much technology now influences my thinking, communicating and ability to function. I just hadn't realized!

If there is a connection to horses in all this (and for me there almost always is!), it has to do with the fact that they (thankfully!) can't log in. Facebook will never be an option for communicating with horses (OK, never say never, but highly unlikely). Social media is wonderful and plays a big role in my life now, but I am ever-grateful for the more intuitive, personal, nonverbal, non-image-based communication skills that I practice with horses and try to instill in my riding students on a daily basis.

I can no longer deny my dependence on (and affection for) on-line communications, but I don't want all the communicating in my life to be based on clicking a link or typing a short, quip-y comment. I want to understand and practice a level of communication that involves listening from my heart, processing in my gut and relaying my intentions with empathy, presence and clear signals. Working with horses is the perfect opportunity for practicing nuanced communication skills. 

(I can now report with certainty that the Technical Services Staff at our local Staples would benefit from practicing some of these deeper interpersonal/ communication skills, which interacting with hard drives and system restore disks apparently does not foster...)

It's a grounding and authentic experience to communicate with horses, whether on the ground or in the saddle. As my own life becomes more and more technology-dependant, I am thankful that keeping horses in my life requires me to practice deeper level communication skills. I echo Mark Rashid's perfectly chosen words: the horse "allows us the opportunity to listen to that beating heart."

Because my laptop may have a lot to offer, but it does not have that!

A Look Back...

In Quiet: The Power of the Introvert in a World that Can't Stop Talking, author Susan Cain claims that to discover your larger purpose in life, you should "...think back to what you loved to do when you were a child."  About five years ago, I went through significant career change, and my therapist also asked: "What did you love best when you were a child or adolescent?"  My answer: horses, horses, horses! 

I recently went through some old pictures, and realized I was destined from a very young age to become a horseback riding instructor.  Here they are!

(1) That's me leading (age 13), Kris riding.  I like how Kris is smiling at the camera, but I am completely focused on Sudora (our first horse).  I also like my jeans (where did those come from???) and the fact I'm wearing my helmet - ready to hop on at any moment if needed!   

 

(2) One year later! Sudora and I are at the Southern Rhode Island 4-H Horse Show.  You can see how unlike in the first picture, where I am racing to keep up with Sudora, here she is focused on me and walking in step with me. This concept - keeping a horse attuned through the use of intention, specific body language and personal energy- is the essential skill that we train Volunteer Horse Handlers in therapeutic riding/ EAAT. Somewhere between age 13 and age 14, I learned it well - from my spunky Morgan mare Sudora. She was a great teacher and it's an important skill to have when working with horses (maybe the most important)!

 

(3) This is my first official riding student - MH - on our wonderful Quarter Horse cross gelding, Al (Yes, it was the mid-90s and yes, Al was short for Aladdin... our "diamond in the rough"... making this the first and last time I will name a horse after a Disney character).  MH went to many shows with us and rode in the Lead Line division, winning blue more than once. (I'm proud to say she was often the only competitor who could post! Plus, what a cute pair they were!) That's me leading - not sure if you can see my face clearly enough to realize how seriously I was taking her (our?) success.  But little MH looks pretty serious, too!
 

So, in my case anyway, Susan Cain's advice proved true.  I loved horses as a young teen, and as an adult I become unhappy if I have to go even a few days without being around them. Cain lists two other principles for finding one's important life projects: (1)"pay attention to the work you gravitate towards" and (2)"pay attention to what you envy." Although I only read Cain's book recently, I see how these concepts were also relevant when I was exploring what I most wanted to do with my professional life.