R I D E N I P O M O E Q U E S T R I A N T R A I L A L L I A N C E

Have you met Andy Camacho?

A Master horsemen and Trainer, our neighbor. Three cheers for Andy, we feel so fortunate to have him!Page 3

Horse & TrailHazards of ill-fitting Equipment

Read Heidi’s story of partnership and courage during performance with her mare, Windsing!Page 2

Windridge Stables Annual Summer Program 2011Gratitude for trails well kept & photos of the young riders enjoying their summer lessons!

Page 10

A Quarterly Newsletter www.ridenipomo.com Fall 2011A Note from Taylor Greene Including fabulous photos of Taylor and Nemo in action! Catch up on Taylor and enjoy her story!

Page 5

Northern California Renaissance Fair

Enjoy the fabulous photos at the Faire! Ladies and horses looking good!! They got to meet the Queen!!!Page 9

Summer Memories

Read about the fun and adventure! Even from the Face Book entries! Did you know we had a Face Book page?

Page 7

Hot off the Press! New Trails at the

Woodlands!

I've added two new trails at the Woodlands - one is short and continues the Pink trail (where it ends facing the bluff on a straight trail going east/west). Turn right on the straight trail and in 40 feet you will see blue ribbons that take off through the woods to your left and bring you out on the big trail that has the cutoff to the trail to the sewer ponds.

It's not too long and kind of woody right now, but once everyone uses it will get better.

The other is on the other side of the meadow and continues the "blue" trail (the one where the ribbons are mostly gone now) that parallels the ridge above the newest homes that lead to the waterfall entrance.

In the woodlands and if you are facing East (the direction where the Berry farm is), just cross over the straight (North/South) trail and follow blue and red ribbons (there are some of each).  They are sometimes on both sides of the trail so if there is one on each side go between them. It will bring you out on the next North/South trail/road.Hope you find what I am describing. Darcy Murphy and I marked them a few days ago and I re-rode and

reworked them and added more ribbons yesterday.

Linda Clarke

Thank You, Linda, from all of us, for all you do!!

Message from the Treasurer

What do my club dues do ?Did you know that Ride Nipomo is wholly responsible for maintaining the following trails?1.Knollwood One and Two

Trails 2.Native Gardens Trail3.Inga Trail 4.Nipomo Regional Park Trails5.Camino Caballo Trail 6.Woodlands Staging Area off Hwy. 17.Sweet Gum

Trail 8.Mesa Meadows Trail (as needed)

Here is a snapshot of expenses faced by Ride Nipomo:

Weed eaters and trimmers are essential to maintain the trails and often need repairs along the way. The workers are served water and snacks if the project takes overly long. The Camino Caballo fencing needed repairs this year. The recent purchase of fencing for the Inga Trail cost $1,455. One of our Associates and SLOPOST helped offset that expense with contributions. Thank you! Signage includes “Trails Maintained by” and “No Motorized Vehicles”. Insurance for the Directors and Third Party Liability Insurance for trail rides. Promotional expenses include the website expense (even though Annie

volunteers all of her time!)Have you visited www.ridenipomo.com yet? Also there are prizes for contest winners. This newsletter is a labor intensive outreach as well and the advertising in it generates income to reduce the cost. Fund Raising Expenses ,Cherie and crew have labored choosing a logo, selecting colors and sizes to purchase polo and sweat shirts being sold to help raise operating funds.

Income sources This is where you come in!.

Annual DuesSales of Ride Nipomo shirtsRaffles at our meetingsDonations, contributions and grants Nora Jenae

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Ride Nipomo Equestrian Trails Alliance 2 Edited by Lisa Chadwick and Published by Annie Dunbar

Hazards of ill-fitting Equipment

Broken leg takes the prize!

The importance of proper fitting equipment was dramatically reinforced this summer when I spent a weekend competing at first level for qualifying scores at a distant dressage show. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. It was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.” It was the best score of the class, it was the worst score of the class. Was it a Charles Dickens story or was it a Heidi and Windsing victory?

This dichotomy unraveled that weekend when I realized my mare, Windsing, was disturbed by the saddle fit, yet still loyal to our partnership. I should have serviced the saddle and properly adjusted my spurs before the show. I did not assure those simple equipment fittings were appropriate and consequently paid dearly. I will remember the episode for the rest of my life; the agony of forewarnings unheeded coupled with the enlightenment of an unbreakable bond between two species.

On Saturday Windsing was agitated during our class. Her tail swishing,

bucking, ears back and stopping out prompted me to listen intently for the whistle to be excused. The tolerant judge silently documented the details of my unfashionable rodeo stunts. I was proud of a few brilliant marks on the test, however our score put us in last place.

Sunday, I mounted in the barn area and urged Windsing forward toward the warm up arena. Windsing looked back at me as if to say, “You’ve got to be kidding.” Suddenly, I was on top of a whirling dervish of floundering defiance. It was unsafe to ride it out so I preformed an emergency dismount. This was nothing different than what I’ve been doing the past forty-five years (only those nagging spurs were uncomfortably tight).

After my dismount two lades approached saying, “what a graceful dismount!” I said, “thank you but I think I hurt my leg.” One of the ladies helped me remount and put my sore foot into the stirrup. It hurt badly, so I decided to go for it, without a warm-up, then visit the EMT after the test. Windsing suddenly went soft and compliant as if to say, “Heidi, you just sit there and let me handle this one.” With tears of pain streaming down my cheeks we won that class.

Windsing had performed brilliantly; lifting her back and collecting up into my wounded intent as if it were her own dance. The connection and communication between my equine partner and I seemed spiritual. She sensed my inability to perform and yet, despite her discomfort, she pulled through for our partnership.

Oh, by the way, the next day I visited the doctor and had indeed broken my leg most likely from the ill-fitting spurs. Surgery and two screws later I am on the mend, with a new respectful insight into my beloved partnership.

By: Heidi Goetz Nipomo, CA

www.ridenipomo.com

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Ride Nipomo Equestrian Trails Alliance 3 Edited by Lisa Chadwick and Published by Annie Dunbar

Andy is a neighbor of mine, and it took almost 13 years for me to meet him. He grew up in Nipomo, the sixth child of Katy and Felix Camacho. As a child, Andy was able to ride to the beach from his home. There were no paved streets; almost all were dirt roads with plenty of intrigue for a young man with a curiosity and 5 older siblings to badger. Andy was a very quiet and respectful young adult.

He gives all his credit to his mother, Katy, a well respected horsewoman and his father Felix, a Mexican Charro. Katy got her Masters in Animal Science at UC- Davis and rode in every discipline you can ride a horse. His father, Felix, is a sixth generation Charro. His parents met each other as they were neighbors, with Pomeroy Road as their fence. After they married, they would live on the property that Andy and his family enjoy, with Pomeroy on one side and Willow the other, the Edwards barn on the corner.

As a child Andy would go off with his father to the different ranches in the area and learn the “Mexican Charro” way of life. His mother taught Andy her way of training horses. With the combination of skills learned from both his parents, it would have been difficult to not become

the master horseman Andy is today. He loves what ranch life has to offer when everything is running smoothly, but on most ranches there is barely a day that ends that way. “You can’t step away and separate home life from work”.

Overall, he feels very lucky to have been raised here, and loves what he is doing; seeing the horses and people he trains succeed, “It was a perfect fit for me.” I asked Andy if he had a favorite horse, as he has so many run through his ranch. He told me it is Parade, a 26 yr. old gelding that is out of Sheila Varian’s Huckle Berry Bay, and daughter of Khemosabi. Andy has won multiple national championships on him, “He is the mark I will try to train others to”. He also added, “I would give anything to know what I know now when I had Parade at a younger age”.

He finds that geldings are more even tempered, and that some mares can’t always give that 100% needed, when they are in season. Stallions can be tricky when they are young, “They are way to cool to listen to you, it is like they are on sensory overload, but as they get older they do have that physical ability, or edge, to get it done”.

Looking for more than the standard answers, I asked Andy what people should look for when buying a horse. He said, “People need to buy a horse that is trained enough to take care of you. Too many people buy horses and think they will learn together. If you get through to your second horse, then if you want to learn together, do it. Not for your first one”. He sees lots of young girls getting into riding. If they still ride during high school it often becomes a life commitment. Older adults have the time and money to ride, but those who are ‘middle’ age, working and with kids, tend to not be as into horse organizations as the others.

What does Andy do to relax and have fun? He hunts wild hogs on local ranches, he loves reading fiction and training books on horses, and when all else fails, a good movie to just turn off his brain. I think Andy’s patience with all us ‘old’ ladies taking lessons from him, probably came from his mother, whom the family lost to cancer in 2008. I know she is proud of him for all he has accomplished! Andy feels that with the guidance of his dad, he is learning how to improve all aspects of the ranch. I’m so glad I met you Andy Camacho! Cherie Dodds

And Andy with his sister Madelena & Parade VHave You Met Andy Camacho?

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Ride Nipomo Equestrian Trails Alliance 4 Edited by Lisa Chadwick and Published by Annie Dunbar

Letter from the Vice-President

Fall is here. Children and grandchildren are back in school and it was a busy summer for Ride Nipomo. The County took the easement on the trail from Sandydale to Inga and agreed to officially open it if Ride Nipomo completed the fence to County Standards. Your Board needs to decide how to deal with one of the land owners and get this project completed.

We are lucky to have a new volunteer member on the Board, Deah Rudd. Deah has taken on many projects for the club including the Secretary position. She is kindly working on grant applications. We have also been very lucky in getting Lisa Chadwick and Annie Dunbar as volunteers to do our news letter. Also, Anne Dunbar has rebuilt our website (go take a look! www.ridenipomo.com ) Thanks to all for a great job.

If there are other Members who

would like to be on the Board, they are invited to indicate their interest. We always need new members with new ideas for the board. Please contact a board member or myself at (sbwlff@sbcglobal.net)

Our members continue to ride and maintain the trails. We have members maintaining trails thirty to fifty hours per month. Thank you to all of you who are willing to donate your time to this effort.

I have attended meetings for the Master Plan Development for the Dana Adobe property. The Dana Adobe Group received a $2.9 million grant to build an education center, and other improvements.

This project is moving along and will soon go to the County for the Environmental Review determination. The Dana Adobe Group included an arena for shows and roping events that will be one hundred fifty feet in diameter. At 10:00 a.m. on August 13, 18 Ride Nipomo members met at the Woodlands, they split into four groups and rode different trails. We met back in the Meadows at 2:00 p.m. It was a fun ride and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.

Any time you are out for a ride, please remember to keep the staging area clean - do not leave your trash or manure, take it home with you. Woodlands trails are ever changing and will continue to be a great place to ride as long as we continue to meet and work with the developer.

Ride Nipomo had another ride on October 29 at the Yellow Jacket Ranch. This was a member only ride and limited to the first thirty riders. This was a fun ride and sit down bag lunch. See pictures on page 8 and youtube slideshow as well: http://youtu.be/7Usfo4lzlmk.

Again I would like to thank all of you that monitor, clean, ride and do maintenance on the trails and staging areas.

James Harrison Vice President

The Best Damn Grass Hay I’ve Had All Year!

544-0041www.OstranderGrassHay.com

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Ride Nipomo Equestrian Trails Alliance 5 Edited by Lisa Chadwick and Published by Annie Dunbar

A Note from Taylor Greene

I want to take this time to thank you for all the emotional and financial support and good wishes you gave my family, me and Nemo to make our trip to Kentucky possible. As most of you know, our road trip to Kentucky was very stressful with truck problems. Other than that, my experience was amazing. I met so many people and made some great friends. I learned first hand what it takes to be successful and the feeling of disappointment. Being on this type of team really pushes you to do your best and work together with maturity. I also needed to show patience when things didn’t go as planned.

Having participated in the USPC Championships and Festival has given me the desire to learn more and even change the direction of my life. I got to hold a polocrosse stick, participate in a fox hunt (without the fox, bummer) and learn more about veterinary science. I just entered high school this last week and would like to pursue Ag Business and Ag Science. It’s amazing the opportunities that are out there. I guess my parents do make sense once in a while.

I also saw the relationship with my family and other families grow stronger. I got to see how groups come together when people face difficulty. The Camino Real Region that I represented really came together during some rough times and that made me proud to be part of such a great organization. And finally, my pony was amazing. I could tell he didn’t like being there, but he put on his game face every time he went in the arena. He showed me the ultimate meaning of team player.

Thanks again for all of your help. I couldn’t have done it without everyone’s love and support. Taylor Greene and Nemo

Letter from the SecretaryIn April, I had the pleasure of attending the

California Trails and Greenways Conference in San Ramon, California. It was attended by over 500 people this year and the numbers grow each year.

It was amazing to meet other trail enthusiasts

and share their passion for our love of trails and nature and who are working for their preservation. It was there I learned about the grant which we, Ride Nipomo, have recently applied for.

Since becoming Secretary for Ride Nipomo my eyes have been opened to the many hours the Ride Nipomo Board and associates devote to the building and preservation of our trails.

The, behind the scenes, time they devote to trails is immense and commendable. Their hard work and professionalism has earned the trust and partnership of the Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo (Black Lake Canyon) and the County of San Luis Obispo Parks and Recreation (Calendar Grove trail, Inga Trail, and Knoll Wood trail).

All the hard physical work of all of the Officers, Board Members and associates are a big piece of what makes it a success. It puts a new level of appreciation into the Nipomo trials I ride.Happy & Safe Trails,

Deah Rudd, Secretary

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Ride Nipomo Equestrian Trails Alliance 6 Edited by Lisa Chadwick and Published by Annie Dunbar

Letter from the President Fall has arrived, giving us many perfect

riding days.  We do indeed live in a wonderful area. 

Our shirts have arrived.  So much work was put into this project, but the end result is worth it.  We have had a lot of positive feedback on the logo. 

 Our hard working crews have done a great job maintaining Knollwood One and Two, other trails and the Woodlands staging area.

 We have had a small delay on the Inga trail, but hopefully we will have the fence completed within the next month.   County Parks is being very helpful, and soon we hope they will approve another group of trails.

 We will keep you posted on the outcome of a small grant we just applied for with the California Trails & Greenways Foundation.   

We had one of our large group rides   in September and had another at the end of October as guests of the Little Yellow Jacket Ranch in Husana. These are so much fun that we hope to have them frequently.   

Our general meeting at Patty Fuller's Full Bar Ranch was a huge success, and we really thank those that have taken over the planning.   We sincerely appreciate all the hard work, time, money, items donated,  and planning   it took to make this event so spectacular!  Have a great autumn.

Hans

You’ve got to love this club!

Don’t forget to check out the new website at www.ridenipomo.com!

Heartfelt thanks to Deah Rudd for the time and energy spent writing a proposal for a grant for Ride Nipomo! Annie

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Ride Nipomo Equestrian Trails Alliance 7 Edited by Lisa Chadwick and Published by Annie Dunbar

Summer Memories We asked you to share your stories and snippets of what you

did this summer. Good reading ahead and a big thank you to all who participated!

Moon shadows--Enjoying our shadows moving ahead of us as we ride, with the moon at our backs, after observing a spectacular moonrise over the hills of Chimineas Ranch in September 2011. This is my most unforgettable memory from this summer. Patty Hawes

Moonlit night around midnight, I took off bareback to the farm nearby. I rode the soft sand slowly marking the pipes and obstacles on our way. The dog tracing our path ahead anxious to take off, she dashed about. Finally, a clear soft lane before us I leaned forward gently urging her to move out and....... we were off!    Time and space disappeared. We were flying through the moonlight in full run, soft sand beneath us, stars above, on a wave of speed and wild abandon! "Beyond my wildest dreams" means something to me now.

Anne Dunbar 

Five year old "Mi Ki" loves animals. I can see the delight in her eyes whenever she sees a horse, dog, cat or any animal. She is especially enamored of my horse Spirit, who when he was 6 years old showed HIS love of children by standing perfectly still as a 10 month baby girl cooed while  sitting on his back. During the years, he has stood in hoof deep in swirling ocean water as children crowded about! To him children are a horse's neigh! Recently Mi Ki has been 'helping" me walk Spirit by holding the end of his lead rope.   Just this week Mi Ki got into a screaming bout with another child. She actually threw herself on the ground. I walked over to her and whispered, "Spirit would not like that, would he?" Mi Ki looked up at me, stopped screaming and said a soft "Nooooo." She got up and calmly went along to play. Amazing the effect a horse has on the mind of a child. Linda Walden and Spirit

In July, while on vacation, I met trainer Ray Ariss, the Ambassador for the Mustang Foundation. You may recognize his name from the column he writes for the Horsetrader "Hey Ray." Ray is a dressage trainer who trained "Hail Yeah" who brought the highest price at auction ever paid ($50,000) for a wild Mustang at the Extreme Mustang Makeover in Ft. Worth, Texas in November, 2007. There were 100 trainers who each drew a horse to train in 100 days. RFD TV did a show on the story of Ray and "Hail Yeah” which some of you may have seen. It's a heart warming story about a $50 horse that touches everyone's heart. If you haven't seen it yet, I hope you get a chance to see it. I also got to meet "Hail Yeah" (named after a hail storm the night they got him) who was purchased by a donation to the Mustang Foundation and then given to Ray and lives a luxurious "horse life."

Deah Rudd

  Just wanted to send out a thank you for all of your continued efforts on our trails. They are in great shape!! I recently got a chance to ride the new blue & orange ribbon trail while doing a trail riding lesson. It was very enjoyable with the switchbacks and logs to step over. We recently had our annual summer horse program, which was a great success do to all of our participators. Our lesson and summer program continue to keep our facility up & running. I also want to send out a thank you to Edward & Janis Malaznik for allowing us the use of the facility and the ponies. Thank you to Peter & Peggy Hesse for allowing us to use Bob; he was a gentleman again as always. The children had lots of fun with sparkled painted ponies, Tee shirt decorating, horse apple bobbing and making rhythm beads (horse necklaces). We had a few returning students as well as beginners and everyone got to learn basic horse care as well as riding lessons. Thank you to all of the assistants this year, the summer program was a great success due to all your help! I have attached a couple of photos. Hope everyone had a great summer with lots of trail time. Thanks again.

See photos on page 10! Windridge Stables                                                                   Justine Malaznik

This has been an incredibly terrible Summer for me.  Surgery in June kept me from riding until this week at the West Coast Rocky Mountain Horse Club (WCRMHC) Annual All Girl Camp out at Montana de Oro (MdO).  This was to be the ‘Spring/Summer of Miles’ for my 5 year old Destiny Dolce; both of us just got fat.  This week was the annual WCRMHC All-Girl Camp & Ride at MdO.  I was a little nervous at first and not sure if my decision to go was a wise one.  After girlfriend Marilyn loaned me her two-step stool making it possible for me to get in and out of my trailer, all was better. I put my broom-stick away and settled into a wonderful camping experience.  The weather was perfect, the friendship never better, terrific food in abundance and horses, horses, horses.

Well, my darling Destiny was so good I'm still grinning!  Destiny hasn't been ridden in at least 6 months and then I rode her two days in a row.  After the first 30 minutes of Day One she was saying “okay, I remember this” and remained on a loose rein unless I asked something of her.  Day Two we rode for 3 1/2 hours and neither one of us ever missed a beat.  No sore backs and plenty of energy to keep going, which goes for both of us! Thank you's go out to the lovely ladies who patiently rode with me on both days.

Also, I'd like to send Thank You's to all the many riding buddies, friends and family for helping me through these tough months.  The food, visits, caring for my horses, updates, lunch dates, phone calls, emails, cards and notes ...  wow, I'm surrounded with love and hope that it bounces off of me and back to you. May you always be searching for what's around the next bend and may I always be bumping into you when you get there,

Jeannie Keeffe Summer Memories is continued on the next page.

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Ride Nipomo Equestrian Trails Alliance 8 Edited by Lisa Chadwick and Published by Annie Dunbar

From the Ride Nipomo Face book Page! Did you know we have a Face book page? Go take a look!

Karyn Stevens: I went to Texas & rode in the Texas Hill Country at the Franklin Family Ranch! I’m excited about America’s Favorite Trail Horse starting in a couple of weeks and will do the Porterville Ride for the Mustangs on Sept. 10 at Lake Success. Rode at Rancho Oso, the regional park, Fiesta and the SYVEC, so you could say it’s been a pretty nice summer.

Mary Ann McPherson – Horsing around, of course! I am taking dressage lessons on Matador and really focusing him (and me trained) to move up the levels. I am really having fun riding this beautiful talented horse. I did manage to get in some horse camping, still have my mandatory (sigh) beach ride patrols for CMA.

Jim Harrison – Riding once in a while, mostly in the park or the Woodlands, went to La Purisima mission yesterday. Rode for 3 ½ hours, it was really great.

Hedy Rogers – Did a Richard Winters Clinic in Ojai over the 4th of July weekend and my Rocky sorted cows. Hopefully doing the ACTHA ride in Porterville too, as an ACTHA Buddy to check it out.

Many thanks to Betsy and Skip Dyke for hosting the Fall Yellow Jacket Ride October 29th for Ride Nipomo Members!

Stay tuned for the next Ride

Nipomo event and don’t forget to take a look at the new website

at www.ridenipo

mo.com

Continued from Summer Memories!

Link to slideshow on

youtube: http://youtu.be/7Usfo4lzlmk

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Ride Nipomo Equestrian Trails Alliance 9 Edited by Lisa Chadwick and Published by Annie Dunbar

Northern California Renaissance FaireHello to all of the Ride Nipomo members!

My horse, Oberon, and I went up to Gilroy for a couple of weekends. We had an absolutely fabulous time! It is really like living in another time period. All of the people that are working there are dressed in the correct time period. And of the thousands of people that pay to come in, 90% are also dressed accordingly! My horse, Oberon, and I had been practicing for weeks (at home) on: how to “Bow to the Queen”. Wouldn’t you know; the Queen walked up to us and surprised us! We were not ready. But she did say that my Oberon was a magnificent steed! (Not too bad!!) I guess we will try again next year at the Renaissance Faire!

My friend Lisa Fiske and her gypsy horse Luka went with us the first week. We took Bear, my 22” mini the second week. And we took my newest horse Brian the third weekend.

I also want to mention that my friend from right here in Nipomo, Vickie Moore came up and took pictures!

Barbara and Oberon

(Thanks, Barbara, for sharing. It sure looks like great fun! You all look fabulous!!!

Annie)

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Ride Nipomo Equestrian Trails Alliance 10 Edited by Lisa Chadwick and Published by Annie Dunbar

Opportunity at Your DoorDo you….Want to go on more Ride Nipomo

trail rides? Want to have another Ride

Nipomo social engagement? Want to see Ride Nipomo have a

clinic of some sort?These are just some of the

opportunities awaiting you. YOU are Ride Nipomo!! If you would like to have one or more of the above activities, why not volunteer to put an event on? If you can dream it, you

can do it! Call one of your very friendly and helpful board members for help and go for it.

According to our treasurer, only about 10 % of our 250 members actually get involved to make Ride Nipomo a successful organization. Prevent burnout of these overworked volunteers and lend a hand to make our club even stronger. The future of the trails you ride is at stake!

Team Maintenance Trail Leaders are Needed. Opportunities are

available right now! Remember the famous words,

“Ask not what Ride Nipomo can do for you, but what can you

do for Ride Nipomo?”

www.ridenipomo.com

Windridge Stables Annual Summer Program 2011

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Ride Nipomo Equestrian Trails Alliance 11 Edited by Lisa Chadwick and Published by Annie Dunbar

Reflecting On CommunicationBy Kitt Jenae, September 2011

Consistent efforts to understand your horse are rewarding. Areas to recognize include what motivates him, how he thinks, and shifts his weight preceding movements as well as hoof sequences. Putting yourself ‘in your horse’s hooves’ sharpens abilities to ‘hoof direct.’ In a herd of horses, the one who moves the other’s feet around most effectively is the one who gains the leadership role.

The above ingredients also uncover clues for ‘feel and timing’ to propel progress in amazing ways. The more consistently your horse is set up in a way that causes him to yield, choose, and do what you desire the faster progress is made. Your horse should give to pressure in many ways, for performance as well as your safety and theirs.

Horses learn by feel. If the sensation is not a ‘cue’ your horse can interpret, your expectation of him will be minimal at best. The finer your awareness the more clearly requests are understood. In riding, as well as in handling, correct body energy,

positions, strength of balance, and coordination all help in defining messages.

Just as with some humans, horses can need more time and/or information broken into smaller bits to comprehend. Each piece of information is like a puzzle piece. If steps are clear, puzzle pieces are bound together by a thorough understanding. As each piece of puzzle is added, the horse comprehends a better ‘picture’ of what is being expected and requested of him. Reflect how confident and relaxed you are when expectations are clear. Confidence heightens learning and results in stronger performances.

I’ll let the words of Tom Dorrance bring out my last area of consideration. The quotes are from his book True Unity. Success in the following area is revealed as the above understandings are grasped. “When I observe people and horses, it often seems to me that when the horse is trying to avoid something, or maybe is not doing what the rider asks of him, it is because the horse’s sense of self-preservation is immediately taking effect. This may seem as though the horse does not want to

cooperate. But the rider needs to recognize the whole horse: the horse has a basic need for self-preservation.”

Tom says self-preservation includes the horse’s Mind and Body with the third factor as being most important to recognize, spirit. When handlers realize what that means to the horse their approach can assure the horse that he can have his self-preservation and still respond to requests. “That is going to be a useful thing to both the person and the horse,” as all horses cycle with curiosity, skepticism, retreat, and waiting. Understanding brings comfort. Comfort equates safety. These assurances develop confidence from which trust blossoms, an essential ingredient for a horse to disregard their apprehensiveness and hear the rider/handler requests. Trust is indispensable for safety in stress and multiplies threads of unity and pleasure between you and your horse.

www.ridenipomo.comLike this newsletter? Come and take Diamond and I out for a ride. I have no

trailer and we need new views & a social life, too! Halcyon, Ca. Call us! 441-7391