Tania Kettle

Everyone is loving being able to wander round the house.  Especially this morning when everyone (I use that term loosely, Caps) decided to have a bit of a gallop up and down the driveway and then start everyone else (Sequoia, Ralph, Chew and Az) off.  Moi was not impressed, gave everyone a growl and put them back in paddock.  Rule number 16: There is NO galloping in driveway.

Everyone apologised.

But apart from that it was a gorgeous day.  I played with Az after and I just cannot believe the difference in not just Az but all the horses.  We've moved up an emotional level and I have no idea what I've done right.  

Az and I are also learning how to step up to mounting block and stay there.  Quieten the Energy and just be.  Super cool.

Sequoia's next.

And everyone puts themselves in the paddock when I ask and in some respects, go to gate and stand there patiently waiting for me to open it and put them in.  If I was not living this connection with the horses I would think I was lying but I'm not.  I'm watching my horses communicate in a way that is just blowing my mind.  In fact, I feel like I'm the slowest member of the herd at the moment and I am saying, Wait for me...

****

And moi is now the proud owner of 1/10th of a racehorse.  Alex naturally.  I am super excited!  Not only are the family super cool and the little missy is just awesome but it is the first time in over 20 years that I have done something singularly and only, for myself.  

And you know how much I have wanted a horse.  Tick.  I'm also excited to see how well I can pick a horse.  I mean, I did but you know what I mean, exactly how well did I pick?  But she is super cool and the trainer is awesome so this should be a fun journey.  And I'm working up my courage to do the double sulky.  I've been asked before a few times by different people and it's always been a no, oh c'mon, we both know what a baby I am, but I may do this one.  Eventually.  

****

Az now just stands at mounting block with moi's leg hanging over.  Honestly, he's the crusiest horse.  I can't use Caps to show Sequoia how to bareback as his leg is fine but not perfect and I'm not 40 kg's so it worries me that he can carry his weight but not his and mine in comfort.  But I'm ok with that, we have a great relationship and whether we can ride together or not is of no consequence.   

Sequoia watches Az and I out of the corner of her eye though.  Good, because I have no idea how to train her to ride so we're both winging this.  We are doing real baby steps but since trust is the foundation to ride and all our relationships are based on trust anyway I'm going to keep going with that training method.  We'll take it one step at a time and see where we go.

Wish us luck.

****

Aren't my horses beautiful!

What a shame Sequoia looks like this on the other side though...

I know.

The bloody cow decided half way through her bath that she didn't wish to participate anymore so without any form of consultation with moi she gave Mr C and I the Talk to the hoof, bath time is finished.

And a very trying 30 minutes later it was.  She wouldn't stand still, she took off dragging the young one after her (not on the ground thank f*k) and no way, no how and under no circumstances was she having any more cold water on her.  I gave in and sponge bathed the rest of her as much as I could actually, I held her as she tried to wrap herself around me while the young one sponge bathed her.  Well, it was either that or tie her up and make her be washed down which was not ideal.  Anyway, it's suppose to rain like any minute now so fingers crossed it does before everyone realizes I have a purple horse. However, she was an absolute angel standing at mounting block so you know, pick your battles.  

And it was super cool with Mr C.  Hard work today in parts because I was consistently going, Don't stand in kicking distance! Don't put your head there! Don't. Stand. There.  so you know, I was being uber fussy however, certain things did work.  We did get the majority of Sequoia washed.  Sequoia at mounting block, Az at mounting block, Az being ridden (well, sort of).  

However, I used a lot of phrases today that I haven't in the past like...We don't do that with our horses here, we are best friends with our horses, Az isn't very happy right now so you need to go talk with him and find out why, won't it be great when you can ride like the Energy you guys just had right there.  It's funny but I'm finding my mojo.  I'm like, I don't care how everyone else does it, this is how we do it here.  But it's also easier to do that because you can see the difference with my horses  Everyone is not just happy but they freely communicate.  They love people.  So, I can show the young one the difference in physical vs Spiritual.  That's the only word I can use.  It is a Spiritual way of working.  Respect, honour, love, kindness.  

The mini's were supposed to have a bath today too, but we ran out of time, 5 hours just flew by, but Caps was his lovely gentlemanly self.  He came out for a bath, I did most of him but I didn't want him getting cold (I know, I know stop babying him) and hung out, had a snack, brush down etc and he was smootchy with us then went back in paddock.  He did do mounting block but he doesn't want to ride and I'm respecting that decision.  It's no biggie.

I sometimes don't know who gets the most out of these days though, the little one or me.  But I do know that I dig deep and give everything that I have when I work like this with the horses.  It is a deeply rewarding and Spiritual experience.  

****

And 4 cows have gone home so it's only Marvin and Cookie left behind (both girls incase you're interested), who have now decided they like hanging with the horses.  Which is not perfect.  Because they eat the hay which is (again) not helpful because I need them to eat the long grass and I also hand feed them a little food at night.  Unfortunately though, when you hang in the paddock with the horses then no feed gets hand fed unless Caps eats it first.  And this food has molasses in it and no way is Caps eating it.  Any form of sugar to him is like a kid who is ADHD given sugar.  He goes 20 million different kinds of batshite crazy.  So, cows are sulking, Caps is sulking and Sequoia is super happy, just because she's in a super happy kind of mood.  Bloody mare.

****

It's raining.  Sequoia's still purple and to rub salt into my gaping and open wound she called me as she trotted up this morning, Hey Tania! 

Really?  I mean, Seriously?

And the cows now want to play with me.  Which is nice in theory but isn't quite as cute and cuddly when they are hooning down the hill at me like a bat out of hell.  We have had to learn boundaries very quickly.  Which I did once my heart rate went down to normal.  

It's still raining.  

Missy is still purple.

Lucky she's super cute.

And today...

You're welcome. 

* For the first time today in ages though I saw my horses go, Nothing to see here, we're just horses.  Eating grass...when someone visited. No interaction whatsoever.  Although to be fair I was feeling a bit like that myself with my Energy starting to scream, Would you please just leave... Super interesting though as I would swear, hand on heart that Caps told the other horses, Don't move one hoof.  This then begs the question, What comes first, the chicken or the egg?

Wishing you much love my friends and of course, my humans.

Caps, me, Spirit, Sequoia, Ralph, Chew, Az and Marvin and Cookie

xxxxxxxxxx