Kathy Pike's Blog, page 9

Power and Freedom through Vulnerability

Every time I write a blog post, new levels of vulnerability potentially arise within me. This week’s blog and video has been sitting on my desktop for over a year. The content personal and revealing of the intimate relationship I have with my herd. I have not felt ready to post it. You would think that after posting blogs for twenty-two years my level of resilience and ability to roll with the comments and feedback would be like steel. This video gave me a run for my money. To test the waters I asked a few select graduates and dear […]

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Baby is All Grown Up!

Ginger is all grown up, or at least she thinks she is.  Nearly as tall as Corazon, Ginger continues to grow; her legs getting long with a more elegant look emerging. However, Ginger, aka Twinkle Toes, is still, and always will be, “the baby” to me. (photo: Ginger One Month Young) Ginger stepped into “teaching humans” for the first time during the Mindful Horsemanship clinic here at the ranch. In hand with an experienced horsewoman, Ginger brought her human, Gloria, to the past to remember her childhood when she had a filly of her own. Gloria shared that the training methods […]

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A Change of Color

The light cool breeze strokes and folds the golden tops of the drying grass. Patches of soft blue-green sage bushes sprinkled with scatterings of deep golden sunflowers accent and contrast the smooth water-like flow of the grass.�� Light moisture hangs in the air and the Rocky Mountains feel more like the east coast than the arid climate I am accustomed to.�� As I ride my sweet Diva along the sun-filled hillside a big bull snake slithers away from the red sandstone rock where it had been gathering warmth. There has been a change and shift, late August has arrived. I […]

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Cantering into the Sweet Nectar of Life

It was a very wet spring. Daily rains kept the land more than moist, creating slop and mud, deeper than usual and too dangerous to ride or do much at all with the horses. The coming of summer has been slow, but finally, this week it seems to have arrived. Sleeping with the windows open I now hear the birds start up their song around 5:00 am, rousing me from my deep slumber, even when my joints are aching from the labor I had given the land the day before. Each day I begin with the song of species I […]

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The Dynamics of Connection and Separation

The energy and concept of push and pull, in and out, touch and release, contact and disconnection, and all of the cycles of inner relationship dynamics were streaming through my consciousness before the April EFLC Level One program began. Now with a herd of six, including a barely trained mare with a strong matriarch drive, a once wild stallion with his drive, and four additional and more domesticated herd members, each day I observed their cohesiveness, protection and affection with one another, or sometimes their less affectionate and rather aggressive behavior toward each others. This dance of self in relationship […]

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Expand Your Heart and Life with Horse

Last month I was in the deep Southwest enjoying the early budding of spring on the desert floor and low brush of Arizona.�� One morning, I went out to say hello to the herd.�� Five glorious athletic equines came cantering down the gentle sloping hill as soon as they saw me near the gate at the bottom. ��Once started on this journey together, they flowed like a river with momentum and power toward me. My presence filled with grounding energy as I invited them into my space to say hello. Surrounded by a very masculine and stocky paint, a stoic […]

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Layla and Vulnerability

These last few months I have been totally immersed in playing with my 11 month old filly, Ginger, and her six year old momma, Layla. I knew when I made the decision to bring a pregnant mare into my herd there would be lots of growth. Boy, was I right. However, I did not realize just how much growth! Decisions create change, change creates growth and new insights open us to more possibilities. I am forever grateful that I brought in this mare. Her baby, Ginger, is proving to be a very intelligent, calm and gentle little filly who has […]

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The Gift of Taking Action

For the last five years I had my eye on a training program. Each year it comes to Denver and each year I have found a reason not to attend.�� Finally, this year, I knew I needed to stop putting it off and that my whole being would benefit from attending the program���even if I did not know exactly what those benefits were ahead of time. Instead of booking the program when it would be here locally, I actually booked the program that was taking place in another state. I instinctively knew that getting away from the demands of my […]

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The Emergence of Horse as Guide, Mentor and Spiritual Teacher

There are many ways to engage with Horse as one���s teacher, muse, spiritual guide or leadership mentor. Every coach and facilitator needs to find a style and approach that best works for them���AND their horse. ��It is a complex and mysterious unfolding bringing unexpected turns and delights as one���s relationship with their co-facilitator deepens. Remember to ask your horse what he or she wants to do in this type of work. During sessions it is imperative to watch, with our eyes open. Notice closely the subtleties of body movements, eyes, quality of presence and the texture of energy being exuded, […]

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Is Horse Part of Your Vision in Life?

A ���Vision��� is big.�� Something that is often unattainable, but keeps us moving forward in creating and expanding.�� One sets their vision high for this purpose. My vision in life is�� . . . To create the opportunity for every individual in the world to experience the power of Horse to expand their heart and presence. You know as well I do that the statement above is a BIG vision.�� I may never reach it but it is worth trying.�� If every person in the world had this experience then people would treat Horses and each other with Love, Honor […]

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