From Moshi

Photo credit for Moshi’s pic to Liz Ritz Photography Dressage riders tend to be a very driven group of folks. It’s such a demanding sport, it’s natural that it attracts Type A personalities. It takes a real work ethic to be good at something this challenging, so those who get into the competitive part of the sport tend to over do much more than under do. Jane and most of her friends and students work very hard and have a difficult time taking time to just RELAX!

I’m not like that at all. Being a Friesian, it is natural for me to be fairly laid back. Sure, I get excited sometimes, but for the most part being quiet and easy going is natural for me. My gift to Jane is reminding her that someone can be relaxed and go with the flow of life, and still be very successful.

There is a time for work, and there is a time for play. There is a time to be driven and give it all you have, and, there is the time for rest and recharging.

If you’re feeling tired or burned out, perhaps it’s time to do something different. Maybe today is the day to go to bed early, and perhaps even sleep in. Or maybe just sitting on the back patio and watching the sun go down while listening to some soothing music is the best thing to help you to recharge.

Remember, if you try to cut down a tree with a dull saw, it will take forever. If you stop and sharpen the saw, you will cut it down in no time. Rest is the same as sharpening your own personal saw. Stop. Take a break. You’ll be better at what you do, and happier doing it, for spending the time to recharge.

I’m going to go rest in the warm sun. Would you like to join me?

Love, Moshi

From Indy

It was hot today. I’m not nearly as energetic in the heat as I am when it is cold.

So today I slept in. I lounged in the warm sun and let it bake my bones. It felt so good! When it got too hot, I came inside to sleep in my soft bed. It was wonderful.

Figuring out what you want sometimes requires that you pay attention to the opposite. It’s called contrast. If I realize I’m too hot lying in the sun, I go inside. I don’t focus on the heat and complain about how hot it is, I simply recognize that I want something different and make it so…

When I go into the house, I let myself feel grateful for how good the nice cool air feels. I don’t leave my attention out in the hot sun. I enjoy what I have NOW.

Do you ever leave your attention on what you don’t want? Does it serve you in any way?

If you don’t like your NOW, change something. If you do like your now, don’t think about what you didn’t like in your past. Be NOW!

(Yawn!) Right now, I want a NAP!

Your Friend,

From Moshi

I heard one of the horses at our barn say that the grass is always greener at the barn across the road. I’ve heard people say that the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, but I think the grass here at home is just right. YUMM!

Sometimes people think if they buy a new horse, get a new trainer, order a new saddle, or move to a different barn, that things are going to be “greener,” or better for them. But remember this…Changing things on the outside is much easier than changing things on the inside. What if changing things on the inside was the only way to really CHANGE?

If you’re one of those people who thinks the grass is greener somewhere else, I challenge you to stop for a moment and direct your attention to what is going on INSIDE YOU. Because if you move, buy a new horse, change trainers, or get a new piece of tack, you’ll still have YOU in the equation. YOU are the common denominator. Is there anything you’re doing that you need to change first?

Change is inevitable, but growth is optional. Change is rarely easy. But if you really want things to be different, start from the inside. Growing strong from within is the foundation of everything you wish to achieve.

Let’s go work on our canter departs today!

Love, Moshi

From Indy

I am the King of the Forest! Okay, maybe I’m just the King of the Pasture. But it’s fun to pretend. I can imagine all the other animals being in awe of me as I sneak around in the bush, ready to pounce.

When I was a puppy, I wasn’t afraid of anything. I had never been hurt, and everything I needed had always been provided for me. I was fearless as I prowled the thick grass around my home and chased anything that moved.

Then one day a horse stepped on my foot. I don’t think the horse meant to do it, but it HURT! Now when I visit the horses, I’m more careful. I’m not really afraid of them, especially my friend Moshi, but I’m cautious like I never was before I got hurt.

I’ve listened to Jane as she helps people with their fear of riding horses. Often these people are terrific riders who had been hurt by a horse accident and found that they lost their nerve. I know just how they feel.

It takes willingness and dedication to let go of our mental monsters. But the kind of people who seek Jane’s help are the kind who love horses so much that they’re willing to do whatever it takes to move on from the fear. Their love of horses is stronger than their natural desire to avoid anything that might cause them injury or pain.

I’m so glad Jane and Rhett took me back to the barn and helped me overcome my fear of being stepped on. I’d feel very badly if I didn’t get to visit my friend Moshi anymore. My love for Moshi is stronger than my fear of being stepped on. So I was willing to do the work to let go of my fear. And, I’m glad I’ve learned how to be safer when I’m around those giant feet!

What are you afraid of? Is it worth the risk to overcome your mental monsters? Are you willing to do whatever it takes?

Meet me at the barn and we’ll see if you need some help with fear! I’ll be the one pouncing on monsters in the grass.

Love, Indy

From Moshi

When I was a baby, I used to love to run around the pasture as fast as I could go, then launch myself in the air, kick out behind, land with a thud, then do a sliding stop into my mom’s side. It was great fun. I would play fight with my friends, rearing up and striking at each other with our little hooves as we shook our heads in mock anger. We were preparing for the day we’d have to fight for our own band of mares, but we were also just having fun.

Of course, being a domesticated fellow, I never had to fight for a band of my own. My “family” became Jane, Rhett, and Indy. I have horse friends too, but I’ve never had to compete for company or food. That’s the nice thing about being cared for by human friends.

But that playful colt is still in there. Sometimes, when I’m turned out, I run as fast as I can and launch myself in the air. It’s not as easy as it was when I was a baby, but it’s still fun. It’s exhilarating.

What fun things have you stopped doing? What could you do, today, that would put a smile on your face or rekindle the enthusiasm you had as a youngster?

I heard Jane say once, “we don’t stop playing because we get old, we get old because we stop playing…”

I hope you’re going to go to the barn today! Your horse wants to PLAY with you!

Love, Moshi

From Indy

In dog years, I’m a teenager. I’m at the prime of my life. I can run as fast as a car (well, at least a car going down the driveway), I can jump as high as a deer, I can wrestle my friend Geoffrey to the ground in three seconds or less, and I can catch a fast moving ball in mid-air.

I don’t intend to grow up. You know what? I don’t have to! I’ve heard Rhett tell Jane how much he enjoys my child-like enthusiasm in everything we do together. He says I remind him to “play full-out.”

Play isn’t just something for kids. The sense of play is what keeps you going when things get tough. It is the inspiration to keep you from stopping when you’re tired. It’s the difference between quitting and giving everything you’ve got.

It’s easy to change your mental focus from serious to playful… just remind yourself of a time when you had a whole lot of fun doing something you love to do. Remind yourself what that feels like. Own it. Feel it. Let your imagination rekindle that sense of fun and excitement! Then apply it to the thing you’re doing now.

My body may look all grown up, but my enthusiasm for life is very puppy-ish. I don’t intend to ever lose that. And I intend to remind both Rhett and Jane how to maintain that sense of play, no matter how serious the task may be. That’s a very serious job, but I do it with joy and playfulness.

Come on! Grab the ball and let’s go outside! Let’s go PLAY!

Love, Indy

From Indy

I was really hungry this morning. I mean REALLY hungry. I was so hungry I could have eaten a riding boot! But I remembered that I’m not supposed to do that anymore.

I wandered around the house and found Rhett in his office. I asked him for a biscuit, but he didn’t hear me. He was so intent on editing video he didn’t notice that I was at his side asking for something to eat.

Then I went to Jane and asked her for something to eat. She was focused on her computer, working on her next book, and didn’t even notice that I had come into the room. I sat at her feet feeling totally ignored. My feelings got hurt, and I felt very sad. I sighed and whimpered and felt like no one loved me anymore.

Before long, Jane stopped what she was doing, noticed that I was lying there, stood up, and asked me to follow her into the kitchen. She went to the cupboard and got a doggie biscuit and handed it to me with a smile. For a second, I considered refusing to take it, to punish her for being too busy for me. For a moment I thought I wanted her to feel bad, because I was feeling bad. But then I realized how silly that was.

Jane and Rhett both love me, and would never intentionally hurt my feelings. For me not to forgive them would only hurt me. So I decided to accept the gift of the biscuit and the love that came with it.

Forgiving someone helps the “forgive-er” even more than the “forgive-ee”. Forgiveness doesn’t mean you have to accept negative behavior. It’s simply acknowledging that we’re all doing the best we can at that moment. It is the mature act of letting go of the need to make the other guy wrong.

Who could use a dose of forgiveness in your life? Can you give them that gift? Give forgiveness a try and notice how good you feel.

Love, Indy

From Moshi

It’s hard for me to imagine Jane with another horse. She’s MY person, and I’m pretty possessive of her. I know she’s partnered with lots of horses before I came to her life, but I can’t imagine her with anyone but me.

I noticed Jane was a bit melancholy the other day, and then heard her
say that her former mount, Woody, had passed away. Woody was very old
and ready for his transition, but it was still sad for Jane to realize
he was no longer on this planet.

Jane said she was so grateful that Woody had been cared for by a
wonderful lady during his senior years. She talked about how much Woody
had taught her, and how much fun they had together at shows and clinics
over the years. Jane intentionally focused on the brightness he brought
to her’s and other’s lives, not on the loss of his passing.

When someone dies or moves away there is a natural period of time when we need to grieve. Horses grieve too. It is easy to stay in that place of sadness and let grief become a habit. Sometimes it takes some conscious effort to focus on the happy memories and the joy your friend brought to your life. But doing so will not only help you feel much better, it will help you train your brain to look for the positive in everything.

Allow yourself to feel your feelings. There is nothing wrong with being sad or upset. Just remember that the negative feelings will subside. Just take it one day at a time, and make the decision to put some effort into your happier thoughts.

All will be well….

Love, Moshi

From Moshi

Spring is here! I love this time of year. The grass is so tasty and green. It’s hard to imagine that my friends in the southern hemisphere are just now starting their fall season. The earth sure is an interesting place to live!

I’ve heard it said that all things have a season. Jane told a friend that there was a period or “season” in her young life when all she wanted to do was jump. She thought dressage was boring. She loved the sensation of the wind in her face and the challenge of higher and higher jumps. At the time she had a horse who was entering the “fall season” of his own life, and had to slow down and not jump anymore. That is why Jane started getting serious about dressage. It was for her horse’s sake at first, but then she found new inspiration, and dressage became her passion.

Sometimes, when we are moving through the autumn of our lives, we slow down a bit. We find that we don’t take the same kind of risks, or want the same kind of challenges. This is natural for all living being. It’s not a bad thing, it’s just the perfect cycle of our physical existence.

If you’ve slowed down a little, don’t be mad or sad about it. Just know that these changes are natural. With age truly does come wisdom, so allow yourself to recognize the payoff you’ve received in those years you’ve seen go by. Finding a new passion in the new season of your life is key to remaining happy.

What do you feel passionate about? Do just a little of that, today!

Love, Moshi

From Indy

I had a dream last night. Jane and Rhett talked about how interesting it was, watching my sleeping body try to run. My physical legs twitched and paddled as I chased rabbits in my dream.

Dreams can be scary, or they can be fun. Mine are usually very enjoyable, and almost always include chasing something. In my dream I’m always faster than the rabbit, but I usually wake up just when I’m about to catch it.

There is another kind of dream. It’s the wish or desire that has not yet been fulfilled. That dream may require some attention to bring to physical reality.

Do you have a dream you’ve not yet realized? What would it take for you to put some effort into that dream?

Today, write down your dream and put it somewhere you will see it often. Then take another piece of paper and write down five things you could do right now to get you closer to that dream.

Do at least one of those things TODAY. You’ll be on your way!

Love, Indy

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