Dear Horse Lovers,
I am in awe! Since I had gotten Eagie I have had this dream about my riding and where I saw myself going with my riding, even though I learnt a lot about natural horsemanship with him I never really got close to what I had in mind and I didn't really have any direction with my ideas. Now, when I got Island, I had very clear direction in my mind with what I wanted to do with him. I had this idea, this dream but I had no clue where to start or how to put this dream into action!
My dad had asked me what I wanted to do with Island and I had this idea in my head but I didn't really have the words to describe it. I said to him that I wanted to be able to do everything and anything with my horse and that I wanted to build an indescribable bond with him. And of course I also wanted to compete in dressage (and kick imported Warmblood ass on my OTTB, no offense to imported Warmblood owners, people just always put OTTB's down and they are actually pretty awesome :) ).
This wasn't exactly the picture I had in my mind but these were the best words I had to describe it. My dad, and not for lack of trying, didn't understand. He said that, that wasn't really horse riding and that he didn't understand, he felt that I was contradicting myself and couldn't make sense of my plan. Well, even though I had a clear idea in my head, I couldn't make realistic sense of my idea either.
Being a law student and having a complete lawyer brain/personality, I jumped onto the internet and started researching all the components of my idea, trying to find a way to piece them all together. And it was in this research that I discovered the realization of my dream. It was through this that I found everything that I had needed for this idea, this dream to become a reality, and all this right on my back doorstep. And that the reality of it was in actual fact much greater than what I had ever dreamed of.
It was through this research that I discovered Xenophon Equus Centre. Where I read articles found on their websites and watched videos of the work that is done there and I saw my dream in action. Well my dream and more! This idea of mine had manifested itself and I am super excited to announce that I will be moving my horse to this stunning yard at the end of the month.
To top off the way that they train and all the things I am going to learn, it is the most beautiful yard I have ever seen. Beautiful surroundings of mountains and Sir Lowry's Pass; big airy stables with an almost grecian theme; enormous paddocks filled with lush grazing and the most stunning indoor arena I have seen to date!
Just to give you some idea of how this has happened and how opportunities are all around us, if we dare look for them, and of course once you find them, if you dare take the leap of faith to actually take them!
I was researching straightness training (mostly the liberty part of it, I didn't really understand the full extent of it at that stage) and I came across an add for a straightness clinic and I have no idea why but I decided to take a look at the Facebook page of the yard where the clinic was being held (at this point in time I didn't even know the yard was in South Africa).
So I was looking through their page and I was so impressed by the photos and articles and I thought to myself I'd better like this page so I can read all these articles because some of them are in line with my ideas. Then my eye caught a comment that said "even though you are far away in SOUTH AFRICA..." and my mind went OH my gosh, I didn't know places like this existed in South Africa, it's probably some fancy Johannesburg yard.
But I was curious so I looked at their "about" section and it said Sir Lowry's Pass. Now my mind was going crazy, like how could this even be, I must be dreaming!! I then went onto their website and the more I read the more I understood that my idea is only a part of what they do and that I had to change my way of looking at riding (and my way of riding too).
So I contacted the owner and she informed me that they have a space for livery. So at 10am this morning my dad and I set off to view the yard and chat to the owner. I fell in love with the place. The owner is also very nice and I can see myself building a relationship with her and working with her for many years to come.
I firmly believe that everything happens for a reason and that if you believe and open yourself up your ideas will manifest themselves in the world around you in ways you cannot always fathom.
Island and I are going to a place where he and I can learn and grow together. Where the "indescribable bond" I had dreamt of will be formed and cultivated. I read on their website that someone had said: "she didn't fix my horse, she fixed me" and that sentence just confirmed what I believed.
For a very long time I have believed that horses were constantly trying to communicate with us but that we could only understand the surface of what they were telling us. I believe it was that iceberg theory, we chose to only see the top little tip and I wished that I could become a horsewoman that could read into the rest and also communicate accordingly, and this is the place where I will find those skills. Where I can explore my inner being while getting to know the inner being of Island, so that we may co-exist in a beautiful relationship.
I am ready to open myself to going beyond what I had dreamed of and to learn everything that this amazing place and the people who work there have to show me. I am beyond grateful for this opportunity and I cannot wait to see what the future may hold!
Watch this space world, Island and I will become a force to be reckoned with!
Love and blissful excitement,
Jana and Island
