Run like the Wind

Tuesday I was at the farm. 
I can't seem to say enough how therapeutic I find it going there.

At one point I happen to look out toward the far pasture to see Cozmo going for a run.  His long, white mane and tail flowing behind him.
His breeding is the Haflinger breed.  They have gold- light or dark- body coloring, white socks and a beautiful white flowing mane and tail. He sports a white blaze down his face.
The breed is build broad, sort of drafty, yet as all horses, they are strong and can go fast.  
Seeing him run made me feel good to.  Like"Yay, Go for it".  So free. 

I haven't ridden in a time, and seeing him run reminded me of the times I have had the experience of riding with the wind in my face going fast.  What a thrill. It's so freeing.
When I was in high school, many moons ago, I volunteered for a time at a riding stable.  I cleaned for a chance to ride.  For a little while the other kids and I would take turns riding a horse the owner had bought to resell.
Then there was a time it was just me and another boy there.  The owner let me ride her horse.  She had palomino coloring- gold body, white main and tail.  I think she was a quarter horse. 
Similar to Cozmo who isn't a young horse, Star was about 22 yrs old.  Yet she had spunk still in her as Cozmo does. I'd ride her around the yard. The barn was set sort of on a hill.  When we'd get to that part she'd insist in cantering up the hill every time. 
I certainly honed my skills through that.  She was attentive too.  If I seemed a little unsure she'd go a little slower. 

There was one time in early spring.  We started around the yard, but there was a bit of snow still in areas, so I turned her around to go back up a slight incline the way we had come.  She seemed rather happy to be out.  As we got to the end of the fence she looked back at me on her back.  Her eyes twinkling and ears turning back and forth.
I sensed what she wanted, "lets go fast up incline".  There was only a little snow there maybe barely an inch.  I thought and barely spoke, "yay, OK" when she went into the most flowing trot up the incline. The cold wind brushed my face. Her warm body was beneath me- I rode her a lot bareback. Her hoof steps were rhythmic crunching sounds in the snow. 
What a ride that was that day. 

Run sound and free.
 

Awareness and Learning

This week the Providence Entrepreneur group had a Lunch Lab.  I'm a member of the group.  This is a day where there are round table discussions on business topics. This week's topic was websites.
I've found these meetings fruitful.  There's always such good information and perspective from those in this group. 
We meet at the organizer's house.

He has a cute little dog.  I met him another time I went to his house- that time I thought the meeting was that day yet it wasn't.  We sat and talked anyway.  Nice.
When I was leaving, he noted that his dog was rather quiet and calm around me.  I was like "oh huh.  I do have a sensitivity toward animals.  I think they pick that up."

This time it was as if I was having that confirmed.  Dog barked a welcome to everyone , including me as we came in.  At the end a few people left and he barked them out-  a "bye".
I left after those few and by myself.  Dog quietly looked at me.  I stopped and said "goodbye, see you later".  He watched me go, Quietly.

hmmmmm

There's Awareness and Learning.


Like once when I was young I was a little bothered that our neighbor's dog seemed a little uncomfortable when I patted her.  She was mostly a nice dog, but sensitive. My sister happen to point out that maybe I was patting her too lightly.  When I adjusted how I did it she relaxed.


Then there have been times when I have been "spot-on". I've felt odd about this.  Thought "Here we go again. There it is again."
And yet I have come across people that see it and think pretty well of it.

I remember going to the Boston Aquarium on a school field trip.  This was years ago.  My teacher wanted us to visit the tidal pool.  So a few of us went with him.  It was a small exhibit then.
There were snails, mussels, and a horseshoe crab.  I picked up a snail for a short time.  I got to talking about how my sister and I, when visiting the Cape, would explore the breakwaters-  A line of rocks reaching out from the beach.
In between the rocks one could find snails, mussels and tiny fish.  Cool to admire them.
We noted the horseshoe crab.  My teacher asked if anyone wanted to pick it up.  I couldn't resist the opportunity.  I've never picked one up before. I made sure to be gentle and sensitive.  I carefully picked it up and turned it so it was cradled in my hand, shell against my palm. I was able to see the creature under the shell.  It's bony like legs were bent.
I hovered my other hand over it yet didn't touch it.  I just wanted to see some movement. I was rewarded. I admired the living creature within.  So alive and covered in a protective shell. I then placed it gently back in the pool. 
On the ride home the kids were noisy.  Yet it felt like a good trip. 
Teacher was a little annoyed about some of the kids behavior and he expressed it the next day when he talked about the trip.  Then he mentioned one good thing- how I picked up the horseshoe crab. He came over later and told me "That was quite good".  I remember thanking him though I found I couldn't quite look up.  Odd feeling there.  And yet I had had no instruction and did the right thing.

I've been to the Aquarium another time.  They now have a larger tidal pool and beach exhibit and have associates there to answer questions and engage others in exploring the exhibit.  Neat.

Something to it perhaps.


Another significant moment in time was when I was at a horse show one day.  I was checking out the horse show and had my camera with me.  I ended up spending a good amount of time there that day watching each class, and occasionally taking pictures.  I take pictures for my art reference file.  There was a girl and her horse there that were doing pretty well. I found myself watching the pair a bit.
Near the end of the day there was one more class- a jumping class.  I was standing a little off from others watching.  A woman was standing not far from me.  As we watched the pair, the horse slightly tossed it head, yet went ahead. 
The woman asked out loud "I wonder why that horse did that".  There was a surge through me.  I had an answer and I couldn't hold back.  I said - trying to sound casual- "oh, he's probably just tired.  They've been going all day". 
She looked at me. "Oh, do you know them." she asked.  I could feel myself blush, and tried an answer "no, but I've been watching them all day"---yah that's it,sounds good.
"Here I go again" I thought.  I tried not to make eye contact really.
This woman gazed at me for a moment. 
Then said to me "You know something". 
I was like "huh".  I bravely looked at her. 
She said "You know that's a gift". 
I was like " uh, yah".
Since I looked a little unsure she added, "It is a gift". 
I replied to that.  "Yes.  Yet sometimes it's not received so well--odd thing. But yah". 
Her last words "Do cherish it, It's a Gift.

Lately I'm thinking  I should see it as that-is - A gift.


Here' an image I created from that show.  I noticed near the barn a couple of black draft horses in a paddock.  They were nuzzling each other occasionally. I got a picture of it.  Later I created a Pen and Ink drawing of it.

things come up

At farm things happening.

Larry had arranged dumpster pick up and didn't want anyone in the yard.  He also was using the tractor to pull up trees and had plans to build a ramp to manure.
"Emily", pig, was still sick, though no one mentioned of what.
"Lady", horse, had thrush and was sort of stiff besides being lame.
All I could do was be available to help.
Ann had me clean a hay cart so we'd have another wheel barrel to sort of finish the paddock cleaning.
We did as much as we could.

I felt bad for sick ones, yet it does happen.

I'm not a veterinarian.  Though the thought of one has crossed my mind.
In school I was sort of OK in math.  When I entered high school I was placed in pre-algebra for 2 yrs then Algebra and earth sciences.  No calculus or physics, that would be needed to enter into a medical degree.  I was steered in another direction.
The Art direction was there.
Thoughts of "must be practical", "not become stereotype starving artist". 
Yet the path to being an artist was showing up strong.  Moments in my life were pointing in that direction.  Could I be strong, courageous, persistent enough to follow.
Yes.

I am.


oh, there was a short time I thought about being an animal technician assistant.  But I became allergic to cats a number of years ago.  So not.

Being an artist does suit me well.  I create works that express my view of the world.  A closer look.  A way to draw viewer in to see what I'm seeing.  I do that.
When I've had an exhibit on display I can't help notice how people seem to go right up to the art work and look closer.

Perhaps part of this highly sensitive person's gift. 
I see things that others may pass over or not notice.  And part of me wants to share it.
I can tell you there have been times it's been received well and others well...not so much. 

Got out to farm- Good

Last Friday the Honda's brakes were feeling a little odd.  So I brought the car in to our repair guy.  The car needed a master cylinder.  Repair guy made some calls to find a good one through used parts places.  It is one of those things that takes more than one day.
We managed with the other car.  On Monday after my work at the school, I went with Max(hubby) to work, then drove Chevy back so I could get to my dr. appt. I did some food shopping too.
I didn't get in time to go to farm until Wed.  Tuesday I managed without a car.

By Wednesday I was antsy and thankfully had the car back and fixed.  yay.

I'm a country girl at heart.  I like the more open places and nature.  I feel like I can take a true breather there.
I can de-stress and open up.  It refills and energized my sensitive side.  My kind of therapy.

I got there and they had had some help, so I just did one of the last paddocks that needed to be done.  I did "Lady's" Paddock.  She was at the gate.  She's sort of silly and very sweet.  I gave her a pat as she smelled and nuzzled me-her welcoming me in. Too cute.
It was a day for horses to have their hoofs trimmed and some shoes.
Ann, who's in charge, mentioned she wanted to have them hand grazed after their turns as a reward. Tommy Girl was the first to get trimmed and shoed. She's a veteran at this and was very calm. We- women there watched and talked. Barney, the great dane mix, and Milky, poggle, came in to visit us in the barn.  I've known Barney.  He loves affection and sits on his haunches and on one of my feet when I've patted him.  He may be the size of a pony, but he's so sweet.  Milky was one of last years puppies.  I met her last week. She may be small, but her happiness bubbles over. Barney and Milky sort of jockeyed for pats from me.  I couldn't help giggle.

Ann noticed Milky seemed so excited about me.  I just told her, I've met her before so she sort of knows me.
I noted that Barney seems to like to sit on my foot.  Her comment was, "He doesn't want you to go anywhere-stay".
I feel that,"yup".
Milky is one of those small dogs that gets so excited you'd swear that she thinks in a Big way.   Lots of energy.

I watched the bunnies in one stall.  They're pretty cute.  Ann mentioned they love to sit in the boxes.  Some two in a good size box.  With the smaller box they sometimes compete to sit there.
They do move fast.  There is 8 all together, though the most I found were 7.

There was talk about horses.
Tommy Girl and Zoe know the shoeing routine well.  On the other end of experience is Cosmo.
I was told he's a 2 yr old.
"Hmmm", I thought out loud.  "That explains things." 
When I've worked in the paddock he's in he has playfully tipped over the wheel barrel.  Ugh, yah.  Like a kid who doesn't listen well, He'd keep coming back over even when I shoo-ed and yelled.
It was decided I wouldn't do his paddock unless there was someone with me, or if someone moved him.  Can't have him misbehaving.
Interesting.  One day when I was working in one of the stalls in the paddock adjacent to him, I could hear a horse in the stalls in the "his" paddock. I couldn't see him, yet something in me just "told me".  I thought to myself, "hah, can't get to me here".
anyway

I hand grazed Tommy Girl and Zoe.  They were good.  Zoe quickly knew where she wanted to start near the barn.  Interesting how they seem choosy when eating grass.  They pick just the bunches of blades that seem the best to them.  They seem to know.  Neat.  I kept them from eating the flowers in the pot. I said to them "No, don't eat the flowers, though you can eat the daffodils,  That's just fine".

Ann is the executive director of the farm.  It's been nice getting to know her.
She seems to have a keen eye too.  I could feel her taking in watching me and noting skill.  You know how sometimes one can feel another person watching.

I quietly felt good about that since I'm an "observer" too.

Horses Help

I volunteer on Mondays at a therapeutic riding farm called “Lend-A-Hand” farm.

The farm does Hippo therapy. 

“Hippotherapy, from the Greek word for "horse," is based on the idea that the rhythmic, repetitive movements of the horse work to improve cognitive skills, balance, posture, and strength in the disabled rider. Individuals benefiting from this kind of therapy can have a variety of diagnoses, including cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, stroke, autism, and learning or language disabilities.”

Part of the farm involves volunteers working in its program and on the farm.

I work my schedule around my children’s school.  So, volunteering in the mornings work best for me.

When I went to the volunteer orientation, they mentioned they needed cleaning help on Mondays.  I was good with that. 
Monday mornings are spent doing my volunteering at LAH farm.  

I live in a city.  So going to the farm is refreshing.  It’s beautiful there. 
Pastures and field.  Horses, some dogs, a cat and a sweet “mama” pig. 
I often see robins and others birds.  At least once when I was driving up the driveway I spotted a Red Tailed Hawk.  Cool.

More so, I enjoy being around the horses.  

I’ve loved horses since I was very little.  To be exact it was at my first pony ride.  I loved them from first site.  I thought they were one of the most beautiful creatures I’d seen.  Being up in the saddle on their back and being led around the farm’s dirt lane, I felt like I could see so much more of the world- what was around me- as this pony carried me along.  The pony seemed so gentle too to me.  What a feeling.
I also couldn’t help notice too once in the car, that I was probably one of the few that didn’t get scared up in the saddle above the ground.  I was too enamored with the experience- I loved it.  That was only the beginning. 
Horses books, drawing horses, reading about horses, some breyer horse models.  

And I can tell you, this woman, me, has never out grown it.