Anna Blake's Blog Posts Tagged 'with' (13)

Respecting Your “Other” Space

I assume your horse respects your space; that on the ground he stands a couple of feet away, relaxed and cool. He doesn’t shove his way through gates ahead of you, or jerk the lead rope out of your hands, or perform police-like…

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Added by Anna Blake on June 5, 2015 at 9:28am — No Comments

Left in the Dust: Your Ridiculously Slow Response Time.

Have you noticed that horses are incredibly quicker than we are? I’m going to tell you the good news about that, but it’s going to take a while to get there.

Horses have the fastest response time of any common domestic animal. Yes, they measure these things, and horses are quickest to perceive and respond to stimuli–partly because they are…

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Added by Anna Blake on February 13, 2015 at 9:51am — No Comments

Seeing Things Like Horses Do.

We see things differently than horses.  And like usual, I think we should try to be more like them.

To start, one of the easy ways to tell if a mammal is predator or prey is eye position. Predators, like us humans, have our eyes close together, aiding our depth perception and…

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Added by Anna Blake on January 23, 2015 at 8:50am — 2 Comments

Breath: The Miracle Cue.

It might be the word I say more often than any other during a lesson. I know it’s the cue that does the most good. It’s certainly the cue that’s the most natural:

Breathe.

Alas, it’s also the cue most under-rated. I see riders disregard the suggestion immediately.…

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Added by Anna Blake on September 5, 2014 at 9:27am — 2 Comments

Horses: Boarding or Homeschooling?

This Halloween was the 14th anniversary of moving here to Infinity Farm. In the beginning I called it the Howlin’ Cowgirl Rancho. Old friends still like that name better. And the first few years, I did a whole lot of howling at the sky. Moving here was a strategic retreat, a witness protection sort of escape, from a life that was falling apart…

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Added by Anna Blake on November 1, 2013 at 8:00am — 2 Comments

Nope, it’s Me- I’m Too Sensitive (Part Two.)

“You know what your problem is? You’re too sensitive.” Ouch. Have you heard this? It feels like being accused of throwing like a girl.

It’s dismissive. This definition of sensitive means I’m not dependable, that I’m an emotional liability. When I was younger, hearing this would make me defensive. My mind ran like a rat on a wheel, I choked on my tongue and my heart rate jumped.  I appeared… well… too sensitive.…

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Added by Anna Blake on February 24, 2012 at 8:33am — 3 Comments

Give Peace a Chance- Start in the Barn.

This is the time of year holiday greetings include Peace on Earth. We need it- there is so much conflict in the world…

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Added by Anna Blake on December 30, 2011 at 8:34am — No Comments

An Everyday Nativity Scene.

Infinity Farm is not located in the Holy Land, but we are a stable.

This isn’t really a manger. It’s a banana yellow pull-wagon.

And this isn’t Baby Jesus. It’s Hannah- she helps me with…

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Added by Anna Blake on December 23, 2011 at 8:24am — 1 Comment

My Barn is Haunted.

It starts innocently. Maybe when you were little, your dad watched John Wayne movies like mine did. We fell in love with a column of cavalry horses (instead of their riders.) We loved those horses until the cavalry met a band of Indians- Indian horses were always better.  Or it may have been a  movie like My Friend…

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Added by Anna Blake on October 28, 2011 at 8:00am — 1 Comment

Let’s Dance.

 

The connection between horses and music is not abstract. It’s literal.

I was learned this fact years ago riding with a group of friends at a barn party. The sound system was cranked up and Bobby McFerrins’Don’t Worry was playing. I am sure…

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Added by Anna Blake on October 14, 2011 at 8:00am — 1 Comment

Under Saddle: Control and Freedom.



The equestrian world can seem kind of bi-polar. Some of us ride like headless (brainless) horsemen with little consciousness for our horse or surroundings.  Some of us are such control freaks that we slow every walk stride and micro-manage our horse’s nose into being afraid to take a breath. Most of us are working towards a middle ground.

Dressage seems to attract riders who like…

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Added by Anna Blake on September 16, 2011 at 8:12am — No Comments

What a Parrot Taught Me About Horses.

There were a few dark years (between leaving home and having enough income to support a horse) that I was earthbound with only house pets. I survived it. Barely.

During that horse-less time, a box arrived. It was a surprise parrot -from a friend in Panama. I’m not saying it was a great idea to catch a bird and ship her, I’m just saying that she…

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Added by Anna Blake on July 29, 2011 at 8:17am — No Comments

Beauty -Redefined from the Saddle.

“Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate and wine in one hand, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming “WOO HOO what a ride!”

The first time I saw this quote it was on a…

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Added by Anna Blake on April 8, 2011 at 8:18am — 1 Comment

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