As I built a barn to bring home my horse Grace, I prepared to bring home another horse, Atticus. This feisty, athletic gelding, with a curiosity that would put cats to shame, daunted and thrilled me to become his caretaker. Horses, like people, are social creatures. As herd animals, they need company, preferably one of …
Continue reading "Atticus Runs Home"
There are many near-legendary stories of barn-raising parties from the past. People would get together and work incredibly hard, not for money or recognition, but for the community and a good meal or two. These days that can sound like folklore, but somehow, I had the good fortune to experience it. Moving onto our farm, …
Continue reading "An Old Fashioned Barn Build"
A massive mare rears onto her hind legs and strikes out with power and precision. Ears pinned back and a fiery fury in her eye, she bites at anyone who comes near and sends her abusers flying up against the walls. This is the scene my client walked into when he went to claim the …
Continue reading "A Noble Horse"
Since I became a farrier, every week someone offers me a free horse. Every week, I say no. There are always horses looking for homes for a plethora of reasons, and I am honoured people feel that I would be a good owner. That being said, horses are incredibly costly in time and money. Declining …
Continue reading "Riding My Way To Grace"
“Optimist: Someone who figures that taking a step backward after taking a step forward is not a disaster, it’s more like a Cha-Cha” -Unknown My husband and I had found the farm of our dreams. Every atom in my body vibrated with excitement and a knowing this was home. The lovely couple selling this magical …
Continue reading "My Farm Commitments"
We knew where we were headed, but getting there was another story. After returning home from India, Aquila and I were wildly driven to buy a farm, and completely broke. We hoped and prayed to win the lottery so we could jump into our farm dreams immediately, but we knew the only way to accomplish …
I could swim before I could walk. Some of my earliest memories are with my dad in a pool, showing me how to blow bubbles. A few years later, I would be moving fluidly and weightlessly, picturing myself with a whale's tail propelling me forward. My love for the water has always been deep, but …
Continue reading "Seas of Manifestation"
The first shoe I ever pulled off a horse took 45 minutes. My arms, hands, back and legs were screaming at me why are you doing this??? Beads of perspiration dripped into my eyes as my fingers gave their best death grip on tools that felt awkward and heavier with each passing second. Still, the …
Continue reading "Climbing Horseshoe Mountain"
The first time I heard the word farrier, I thought it had something to do with taxidermy. No, I was told, it is the person who cares for the horses hooves. The horses need regular trimming and sometimes shoeing, and the farrier travels around to different barns to provide this service. My highly opinionated project …
Continue reading "Become A What?"
What is in a name? A LOT! Contessa was proof of that. A two year old dark bay filly with attitude coming out of every pore - she was a handful. Contessa was born on the farm a couple of years before Aquila and I arrived as WWOOFers. From the moment she entered the world, …
Continue reading "A Diva Named Contessa"
My Horse Heart 