Stories from a Once-Was cowgirl

[forest_light]

Just a thought: some horse lovers reading this thread might be interested in bitless bridles. (video demonstration)

There is a local woman, Suzy Malone - who works with Riding for the Disabled / has written lots of articles in a local paper here in NSW, Australia about her experience with 'bitless bridles'.

An extract from her website:

And then something happened. A client of mine was getting a bitless bridle and I decided I wanted one too. We went to Equitana together and while there chose our bridles. I went home to try it on my horses. I had three main riding horses at home at the time and another four at work. I tried them with the bitless bridle and they all went really well in it. It felt great because I wasn’t hurting my horses anymore. I rode the same as I had been taught and was impressed with the results I was getting from the bitless. My horses were softer and more responsive and stayed calmer in elevated situations. The first time I catered my dressage horse in the bitless he did the softest canter I'd ever felt while being fully collected - without a bit! I started crying while we catered around, apologising to him for all the years of pain I had put him through unnecessarily. This moment was a cross-roads for me, it changed me forever. The two green broke brumbies I rode at work still reacted to things, but in the bitless bridle were easily corrected then instantly calm. With the bit they would end up being hot and difficult after a correction and I never realised it was the pain of the bit causing it until I took the bit away.

Then the magic of the bitless bridle really started having an effect on me. The connection between myself and the horses started opening up and changing. There was no longer pain for them while being ridden so they slowly emerged from a place where they’d been hiding. It was only then I realised what a huge thing a bit is, for the horse. For us it disappears when we pop it in the mouth and the mouth closes. We can’t see it so we don’t think about it. But the horse does. The whole time the horse is thinking about the pain in their mouth. Without that pain the horse starts thinking more about other things, about the rider and what’s happening. They start responding to more subtle cues, which they can now perceive without the loud distraction of the bit. The rider can get lighter and lighter with the cues and the horse will hear them. My whole way of thinking about horses and all animals took a step back to where I'd started as a young girl.

 

[pinkfreud]

Yes Arabians are my fave breed. They are so graceful and elegant. But i love the spirituality and love of all breeds really. Especially how horses are fantastic non verbal communicators and tactile healers for people with psychological problems.
I also love the natural practice of horse whispering which thankfully is gaining more traction now.
I shared your tribute with my daughter Amelia. We are both going through very traumatic time atm. Both traumas involve destroying and stealing everything we own and have worked for! Mine i will relate another time.
However, simultaneously in Amelie's case the 5 interns she employed in her international online music business (sync media - she supplied the sound tracks for Scorcese's daughter's last film) colluded together with the ringleader Skye, a Cypriot, taking over her entire business, mobile, everything digital. They have all her intellectual property, clients, everything. Plus spreading vicious untrue lies to her clients who they then stole. They started their own company from everything, and all the hard grind she had put in over many years. So she will have to close her company soon and has lost all her income.
Police using digital forensic experts are helping her but spirit informed me they will not be able to collate enough evidence to prosecute sadly.
So evil and incredible that 5 random interns 100% could collude with not one have an iota of conscience.
Anyway, I explained the above because we were able to chat via her new phone eventually yesterday. She told me about her first day in a new job she had to quickly get so she cld pay her rent - it is with horses!
I am praying for her safety but my pint sized Amelia is now working with some fun people at a racehorse stables. Between them they have to look after and exercise over 150 top racehorses!
I did warn her that spiritual peeps should try to avoid high risk sports but realized this is just what she needs to heal and recover. Her love of horses and the 6am to 6pm long hours with sleeps in between and free meal will help distract her with her fave animals and being in nature. She also has to attend the race meets with the horses.
I also reminded her of the awful treatment of racehorses by wealthy owners as aired in a panorama documentary i can never forget.
But it then occured to me that she is in the very environment and alongside the very wealthy owners who could actually fund her horse sanctuary
A longshot i know but the universe does work in strange ways!
Plus the evening before she started the job she saw and heard from my dad in spirit.
This is what she sent me:

I had a dream last night I saw GPA. He looked a bit younger and had glasses on. I walked round the corner and he was stood waiting for me. He said 'I'm here to take you out of this' then I woke up. Think it was situation related.

Oh my goodness! So sorry for your troubles, of course!

But I’m so happy for Amelia - the horse life is so good. There is danger, yes. But what a dream come true, just to have the experience.

She could indeed go on to do greater things from here. I will be thinking of you both, and asking Spirit to keep the path open for her.

May her heels stay steady in the stirrups, and may her equine clients stay steady on their hooves

 

[pinkfreud]

Just a thought: some horse lovers reading this thread might be interested in bitless bridles. (video demonstration)

There is a local woman, Suzy Malone - who works with Riding for the Disabled / has written lots of articles in a local paper here in NSW, Australia about her experience with 'bitless bridles'.

An extract from her website:

Just something fun to watch - there are many videos on YouTube showing amazing skill and bond between horse and rider.

I always loved the idea of bitless bridles.

I rode Vip in a hackamore a few times, which is a “bit” that applies pressure to the nose rather than sitting in the mouth and pressuring the tongue.

I also dared ride him with just a halter and lead rope on occasion, back when we had the indoor arena at the boarding barn.

He was trained to take cues from balance shifting. I used a regular but when showing for safety, but in the ring, the judges don’t want to see hands moving. And so all of his cues were given via moving weight from on side of the seat to the other, or else an increase of pressure in one thigh or the other (judges also don’t want to see feet or legs move.)

What a time it was

 

[Voyageur]

Oh he was a good boy. Feeling so blessed.

Horses, they are so special. You have done Vip a great honor by sharing his and your life together. You will meet again.

 

[maiko]

My condolences for your loss @pinkfreud and thank you for sharing the story of beautil Vip with us. What a blessing to have had such a close companion for a long stretch of your journey.

I never had a horse of my own, but I was lucky enough to get riding lessons as a child and later as an adult. As a young teenager I spent every free afternoon possible at the stable, helping wherever I could to spend time with the horses. They are such incredible creatures. The picture you painted of Vip and your relationship was very moving.

I hope you find strength and joy in these precious memories! I hope Vip is now roaming free, exploring unknown meadows. But I am sure he will never be far away and from time to time you will feel his big head nudging you on with memories of your time together.

 

[Deliverance]

My condolences @pinkfreud , you seemed to get along so well with Vip, that I hope you can find another companion one day and give him your precious friendship.