More On Horsemanship

Some Questions,

Some Thoughts,

and some of what I have

found for me.

Questions

What really is Horsemanship?

Do you think you know it?

Is it important to?

Do you want to be one of those truly trying to find it?

Are you one of those that try to destroy it in those that have it?

Are you one that does not get it but pretends too?

Are you one of those that denies it exists?

Are you one of those that are threatened that it exists?

Or just one of those that doesn't, but rides the wave of those that do?

Thoughts

One cant be a faker, a taker or breaker to get there.

It's about having the right attitude.

If you cant feel yourself , you cant feel your horse.

Ego, jealousy, hate, selfishness and anger will stop one from finding it.

Physical and mental abuse have no place in horsemanship.

What I have Found for Myself

The horse will tell you how well your doing by it's actions.

Making mistakes is part of learning and never deny when you make them, the horse knows anyway.

Don't miss seeing the willingness in the horse and reward it.

Reward any amount of try a horse presents and they will want to try some more.

Show the horse simple acknowledgement that they matter.

You will come to a place where you no longer care what other humans think or how they may try to influence your way of working, it will only matter to you what the horse thinks.

Believe, just believe.

You want to be a giver, as you want everyone to get it.

Touch the horse, you want to, you have to, you need to,you cant help yourself from doing so.

Elizabeth Graves

copyright 2008

Spring is on it's way here, slow but showing here and there and with it brings folks thinking horses again. The ranch is a buzz of being busy with lots of friends and clients non stop through the days. With this comes long discussions, sharing sessions of experience's, ideas,and observations, not only of horses but of life and living it.

We share those things that have or still do motivate us, help to carve our own paths and bringing us together as a community. With a desire help others that choose to be a part of our chosen path as students of this interesting and often challenging thing we know as life.

I myself find writings of others to be very inspirational to me and helps me find clarity in thought, emotions and striving to keep working on my self to be better as a human and better for my horses and my family of fellow horseman.

I today will share some that I have found along the way and read often to ponder.

Liz

With out trust, there can be no tranquil rest of mind.

With out trust there can be no belief.

-Joesph Campbell

What will happen, will happen.

There is time for miracles until there is no more time.

But time has no end.

-Unknown

Here's a sigh to those who love me.

And here's a smile to those that hate;

And whatever sky's above me.

Here's a heart for every fate.

- Lord Byron

Your gut is your barometer.

Your mind is your activator.

-Unknown

The world turns and the world changes

but one thing that does not change.

How ever you disguise it, this thing does not change:

The perpetual struggle of good and evil.

-Joesph Campbell

With grateful hearts we can say, in the language of oriental eloquence,

that a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night,

guided our footsteps to a land destined by heaven

for the protection of the innocent, and the asylum of the oppressed,

where now we enjoy, by the blessing of heaven,

the reward of all our patriotism and all our valor.

-William Sanford Pennington

The above was part of an address given by my

Great, Great ,Great, Great Grandfather

in Newark , NJ on July 4Th 1826

to celebrate the hero's of the Revolution.

He himself being an officer in the Continental Army and

eventually becoming the 6 Governor of NJ.

He passed this same year, Sept. 17Th 1826.

Just because I don't say it,

does not mean I don't see it,

or think it in my own mind.

I will know the best time and share

when I feel you are ready and need to hear what I see and think.

-Bertha Pennington Carter

Bertha was my Great Great Grandmother,

my own mothers riding instructor along with that of the US Calvary

being a child raised in a military family.

Bertha was a well known horsewoman in her own right .

Her last horse before her passing was "Bo jest" an Irish hunter

she loved to ride through central park, of course side saddle.

It has been 2 years this month of March in which Lee passed away.
The memorial trophy Gaited Horse Magazine and myself commissioned and donated has just been completed. I will shortly ship to MFTBA in MO to be presented as a perpetual trophy for the first time this year at the celebration held in Ava, MO.
Dave created the above photo as a memorial to her including the trophy and a photo which was taken at a clinic Lee and I did a number of years ago together in Woodland, CA.
I also in trying to keep her work alive adapted one of her articles with permission from Gaited Horse Magazine as they owned that material for Trail Rider Magazine, March issue.
In any way possible in a positive manner, let us all help keep her work and memory working forever to help the horses she felt so passionately about.

This is for you and to you Lee!
Elizabeth Graves
Copyright 2008

Free Horses

To witness what you may call wild horses and I see as just free horses in an environment that is true, healthy and natural to the specie, creates feelings of Ah, respect, wonderment and joy.

Just to observe it all before me is a gift and for them to allow me in and among them while accepting me for what I am, as I am, is a life worth living.

Elizabeth Graves

Copyright 2007

Finally!!

I got a day to ride with out my snow suit.

Now I will admit I have on my polar fleece lined jeans on but so much better after a long winter riding in that blasted suit.

The photo above is of Jugueton a.k.a Whodamus Horseamus. Whodie is a Spanish Mustang, a coming 5 year old and even better is a gaited individual in this breed.

He is owned by my Friend Jane and was with us last winter for basic starting work and is now back for continued under saddle work.

He loves being here and his best friend here is Stryker my Champagne TWH, those 2 are always into something and trying to stir up the rest of the horses.

He's a little horse with a lot of heart, joyful and the mind to equal 4 horses, brilliant, just a brilliant horse.

Liz

Discovering That Journey Called Horsemanship

Elizabeth Graves

Copyright 2008

Break free from the traps, those of others and our own.

Seeing the reality before us,then try it and finally living it.

Honesty to ones self first, present honesty to the horse, this is when the door opens, and when a horse truly gives it's self over to you.

One never really finds this place until we enter the place of self-discovery, of what we are in our strengths, weakness's, admitting them, accepting them and working on them.

It is a place one starts to discover, learn ,grow, it's a place with no end.

In this place, horse and human are both teacher and both student, showing, giving and sharing with each other.

Each respects and reflects what the other has to offer.

True horsemanship is not of power or of control but of just being, allowing, learning to let happen in it's own time, when communication between two different species is clear, understood and reasonable to both.

True horsemanship has no place for trickery, hiding , or games, but opens up curiosities in each other,horse and human.

It brings understanding, while finding comfort in their own skins and with each other , rewarding with enjoyment in their time together.

It is in thinking WE not me when finding that working relationship with a horse.

More is not always better but less can be more.

Horses are emotional creatures in the way of a horse, just as you are in the way of a human.

You have good days and bad days and so do they.

Make the best of the horse you have in the NOW.

Not what it was yesterday or times of the past.

Ride the Horse You Have Today!

Elizabeth Graves

Copyright 2007

Today's Quote

There can be no true partnership without relationship.

A relationship created through two sided communication, honesty and an understanding of both parties needs.

Elizabeth Graves

copyright 2008

Here is a fun photo of a screech owl that moved into one of our stall barns about a month ago. Dave and I love wild life and our ranch being off the beaten path and very private we have so much of it to enjoy.

Liz

Hi All!
How exciting technology has come this far. I'm looking forward to sharing my blog with you as I have time. My hopes are to share some of my work here on the ranch, horses and people I meet in my travels, and just thoughts and ideas I have along the way in my journey through horsemanship.

Liz