Dorothy McDonall's Page

... I tried to share with non-horsey people the elation and overwhelming sense of "being" I felt after an "Aha!" moment with my horse.

Picture this ... it's my once-a-quarter dressage lesson with Canadian Olympian Belinda Trussell at her beautiful Oakcrest Farms. The second of a long series of thunderstorms looms on the horizon as I enter the magnificent arena to start warming up for our 45-minute lesson. As the lesson begins, a rumble of thunder introduces the stormy symphony that's to follow… Continue

Lest anyone think that Valentine's Day is going to pass us by without a jaunty love missive from one Shakespeare the Equine, let me not disappoint you but offer, herewith, his ode to one fair filly who lives down the aisle ... Happy Valentine's Day!!!


Fair Damsel
To Fergie

Is it thine amorous eye
That seizes mine awareness,
Or the wistful yearning of thy
Tender whispers in mine attentive ear?
I know not save the craving
In mine heart for thee.
Of a certainty thou dost often
Appe… Continue

It's a snowy Boxing Day in Aurora, Ontario. Having no respect for time and a head full of cold symptoms, I managed to pull myself out of bed around 10:30 a.m. and have been able to simply enjoy the experience of being -- such a rare occurence lately with all the hustle and bustle of the past few months. My spirits were warmed as I ate my granola and fruit breakfast and read the report in today's Globe and Mail (front page too!) of the successful efforts of a group of people in McBride, British C… Continue

Yesterday was "Talk to the Hoof" day. No matter what I did, how hard I asked, begged, cajoled or pleaded with my leg, I was greeted with "talk to the hoof." Bear was simply not interested in listening to my opinion or in going forward the way I wanted him to.

Was it the heat? We worked in the arena because the sand ring was too soggy, and even with the doors thrown wide open, there wasn't a lot of air circulation. We both were coated in sweat when we were done. (This lady doesn't 'glow' after a… Continue

No quotes today, folks, just a moment to expound upon the frustration of the elusive left lead pick up.

It's elusive because I'm not nailing the cues Mr. Bear needs to make it happen. He asks me "Is this what you want?" as he throws his head up and moves into a faster trot; "Or is this what you want?" as he slows down to do the little prance thing that he thinks I'm requesting? "No buddy, that's not it!" I respond as patiently as I'm able. I half halt to rebalance and attempt again to

… Continue