Sunday, January 31, 2010

Why we do this

Building from our conversation in class last Tuesday, I thought I'd share a video that sums up some of what we were saying. While I am very in touch with the realities of living with and working with horses (Obe makes sure I am with every ride!), there is still something undeniable about the emotional power of horses, especially in the bond between horses and women. I'm still working at fleshing out a complete theory of this, but the song in the video does a very good job at summarizing it in one sentence, "They don't care that I'm broken." Don't worry, this isn't going to be a therapy session, but I KNOW that there are those of you who will connect with this video. So, watch and listen and remember why we do this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrFJFHRlsp8

Thursday, January 21, 2010

A new class begins - oh, the possibilities!

I love beginnings. I love starting a new novel, a new movie, a new video game, a new day. This class is no exception! I'm excited about starting a new class, one that hasn't been taught before. It's fresh ground, wild terrain just waiting to be tamed by the thoughtful horsepeople we are!

I'm also excited about having back students that have taken the first Equine Management course. I think you all will enjoy the depth that we'll encounter this time around. The first course was about a mile wide and an inch deep. I tried to expose everyone to as many facets of the horse care, riding, and the horse industry as possible. The only problem with such a wide range of topics is that we weren't able to just sit with one issue for very long. This class will be a bit different. Each week is devoted to one topic - and each week will include not only my own lectures, but you are expected to research and present information each week. It's an interactive way to dive into the material and learn as much as you possibly can in the time we have.

So - welcome to a new beginning! It's going to be fun and interesting and maybe even a little bit of hard work. But, we'll all come out on the other end all the better for it!