Resource Day Gatherings (in order)

by Sally Spencer 2009-05-21

Thank you so very much to those of you who attended our first gathering at Saughs Farm on May 9th.

It was a pleasure to see so many happy and relaxed faces gathered together and to experience the contributions people made over the course of the day. Out of some 16 people the age of the group ranged from 17 years to into the 80’s, and, needless to say, brought a wonderful spectrum to the day’s conversations and experiences.

For those of you who were unable to attend, Sue Edge, our star speaker, captivated one and all with her rich and humorous personal account of what brought her to loving horses. She touched on the development of her private studies into Horse Rehabilitation and well being; the horse/human relationship, incorporating Homeopathy, Touch, Bodywork and Movement.

Over time Sue will share the layers of her work. She brought to light the importance of developing awareness, focus, feel, attention to detail and belief in self and exploration.

Sue’s time with the group clarified how touch can make a significant difference to the horse’s overall wellbeing and physical abilities. Her horse, Whisper, who is a glowing representative of this will be here for people to meet at the June 13^th gathering.

After a jolly good lunch people went to the yard to meet the horses, and to explore the benefits of touch techniques as taught by Connected Riding Instructor, Mette Tranter. People were encouraged to experiment with the benefits and feel of touch in conjunction with movement person to person, before dividing into groups and exploring the same with a horse.

After a very interesting debriefing over a hot drink the first Resource Day drew to a close.

I for one had a wonderful day. Sue’s Story has caused me to look back in time at my own early years and to review my own trail with horses. I discovered quite a treasure trove of memories carefully wrapped up in blankets and have been unfolding them since What an interesting thing to do and learn from.

The feedback has been gratifying!

So thank you Sue Edge for presenting us all with a terrific and thought provoking and inspiring start and to Mette Trante for her guidance duing the practical time in the afternoon with the horses.

All in all the day was a resounding success.

FROM SUE KEMP

‘As I set out to Saughs Farm I thought I have no idea what is in store for me today but I did know that the day would be spent amongst friends and the soup would be good. As it happened the day was about allowing ourselves to step back from our busy lives to relax amongst like minded people in a spirit of kindness and support exploring and sharing ideas and concepts.

Sue Edge gave a wonderful talk straight from the heart and gave us an insight into her personal journey through feel from childhood to her present reationship with her horses and work understanding the horses muscles and many techniques for massage and relaxing exercises that are proving to be so beneficial.

In the afternoon we all joined in a fun practical workshop led by Sue and assisted by Mette reviewing our own locomotion, balance and breathing and it’s effect on our horses. We then learnt to assess the breathing and locomotion of 4 of Sally’s very patient horses and also learnt some exercises for suppling and relaxing horses. Look for the signs, leave time for the try, take the time - no rush, allow not push, release is everything. A lot to think about!

It was a priviledge to attend the day and the collective whole did certainly amount to much more than the individual parts.

Thank you Sally for hosting such a lovely memorable day.’

RESOURCE DAY - SATURDAY JUNE 13

Thank you to those of you who attended our 2nd Resource Day Gathering!.

There were a number of new faces, great to see!

Sally welcomed the group and invited Sue Edge to officiate the group introductions and recap on her talk of the previous months’ gathering. People were agreed that Sue’s presentation had caused them to have a good look at how they had come to be with horses, their patterns and experiences and also how useful it was to do this.

The star speaker was Michael Tremlett who proceeded not only to share his extraordinary time with horses in Kenya over a time span in excess of 40 years but wowed everyone with a slide show of photographs taken during that time. He amused the group as to how he learned to ride, using the benevolence of a pack mule. It was an exemplary and inspirational presentation, full of ingenuity, humour and self-made knowledge. Talking about his life with his family it became clear, not only had they propagated an enormous amount of fun with horses, training and latterly competing them but they designed some rather unusual escapades that resulted in their acquiring some of the horses they would need to fulfil those adventures.

We look forward to another instalment, Michael. There must be more!!

After another feast-like lunch, proving that the ‘bring to share’ idea is rather a splendid one, the group gravitated to the stables and enjoyed visiting with Whisper, Sue Edge’s very glowing grey mare. Sue proceeded to demonstrate some of the hands-on work that she has been developing with Whisper. There were many very interesting aspects of Sue’s work. One example was the placement of her hands on certain areas of Whisper’s torso that brought Whisper’s awareness to her breathing and resultant softening of musculature. It was shown how such a simple and focused way of spending some peaceful and supportive time connecting with your horse could prepare the horse prior to work and assist it to release any tensions when the work period was over.

Michael Tremlett conducted our debriefing over a satisfying drink and snack answering questions and stimulating some excellent discussion.

Thank you to Michael and Sue and the group for another memorable day!

July 11^th Resource Day Gathering

A bright and sunny Saturday welcomed people to Saughs Farm. New people to the group arrived and their introductions fascinated one and all.

Peter Neilson gave us a terrific talk about his time as a Master of the Buccleugh Hunt and how he met a rather troubled horse called Nod that was to change his life quite considerably. In his book, Nod Whispers, is the full story of Peter’s journey with Nod and his expansion into the world of healing and belief systems. Anyone wishing to purchase a copy of Peter’s book can contact him at p. Neilson 523 @ btinternet. com .

He would be most appreciative if film producers would contact him J as this story could be created into quite the epic.

An epic lunch was enjoyed by everyone. I want to relay my huge thanks and appreciation to one and all as there is nothing quite like the sharing of an inspirational meal, and the flow of happy conversations.

Penny Nisbet led the afternoon by giving an informative talk about her life and times as a Chartered Physiotherapist and how she was attracted to train as a Cranial Sacral Therapist, not only for humans, but horses as well.

So that Penny could provide a practical demonstration of her work the horses selected themselves for treatment. They gave very clear indications to the group as to how to define a horse in a state of processing and also the different ways in which a horse may accept and utilise the work for their benefit.

Having a group of horses free moving in one space accentuated the potential to observe the responses to the intentions held.

We returned to the house for a debriefing session but it basically developed into enthusiastic discussion and encouragement for the group’s newest member to come and demonstrate his equestrianism with his horse in August.

Thank you to Peter and Penny for sharing your stories and skills, your knowledge and humour, thereby creating a marvellous day for us all.

See below some responses.

“Dearest Sally

This is just to say a huge huge thank you for another wonderful Resources for Horses Day. It was lovely to meet new people as well as to be with people from the past resources days too. ”

Caroline Tremlett, Edinburgh

“Dear Sally

Thank you so much for organising and hosting the resource day on Saturday. I feel that very special things are happening within the group. It is a great support and inspiration to me. I am learning so much. I am very grateful and excited to be part of it all.”

Caroline Steven, Brampton

AUGUST 1^ST RESOURCE DAY

Sue Edge has kindly written the following account of our August Resource Day

ALLOWANCE & RELATIONSHIP WITH OMAR & KETCHUP

This was such an exciting day, and I felt like an open book, ready to write on the page, ready to accept information, just wide open to the wonder of relationships between a horse and rider. I have always been quietly interested in Dressage, and have always wondered at what makes one horse and rider ‘softer’ than another, or when the ‘trying’ and ‘wanting’ becomes more than the moment itself.

I am not yet experienced enough to know how they ‘get there’. However if you are looking for it, you can tell when you see a softness of connection and when you don’t, and also glimpses of how horses learn or essentially ‘want’ to learn. The differences between ‘encouragement’ and ‘well done’, against an often seen ‘enduring a point’.

Omar delivered his story; his experience about his earlier years of learning and how fortunate he was to grow up with like-minded people. He detailed so well the stepping stones to the inner personalities of horses and what it meant in ‘getting through’ to the mind of a horse and the love of their learning.

He also gave us insight into the whys and wherefores of ‘Clicker Training’. This was very interesting and certainly was a useful way to make clear to the horse what was required with regards the ‘try’ and efforts made.

What I understood most was the reason behind the development of the lateral movements, exercises themselves, of direct benefit to the holistic partnership of horse and rider. Omar and Ketchup demonstrated many basic exercises in warm up, in-hand and ridden, which flowed from simple leg yielding adept shoulder-ins, renver and traver, into a beautifully executed half -pass. The pinnacle of the demonstration was the Ketchup Piaffe.

During his talk Omar spoke about his time as a dressage judge and his sadness or disfavour that the ‘Art of dressage’ has become sacrificed to the often unfavourable elements of competitive sport and subsequently how exercise and movement now is judged in favour of specific horse size, characteristics and resultant ability, thereby specific parameters that practically exclude all others that cannot comply.

However, this has not deterred Omar and Ketchup whom are living proof that the Art of Dressage is very much alive in and around Carlisle!

Here was Ketchup, a Gypsy Vanner mare performing a Piaffe to be absolutely proud of! She showed how well she understood the components of the movement. Amidst all Omar’s requests to fulfil a comprehensive demonstration for us all, Ketchup seemed very keen to remind Omar to show everyone her favourite Spanish Walk.

This Ketchup did in feather-flipping style, sight to behold and one I will not forget.

Omar inspired and encouraged me to develop my relationships with my horses, to encourage their ability to learn and inspire them with the desire to understand. It was amazing to see a true partnership of softness, allowance and relationship. Thank you Ketchup and Omar!!

Such was the impact of Omar and Ketchup ! Here are more comments below!

Dear Sally

Thank you once again for another brilliant resource day. What a great partnership Omar and Ketchup had!

Caroline Steven

Sally

thanks so much for Saturday. it was a really great day. What an inspiration Omar and Ketchup are. It’s easy to see why Omar is such a successful school teacher. He is a brilliant communicator. His demonstration of different seats and gaits on the peanut ball was clearer than any book, demonstration, lesson or anything else I’ve seen in the past 40 years. Really enjoyed meeting everyone else, what a lovely crowd of friendly, interesting people. Vyv Woodgee

. It was lovely to see Omar & Ketchup working together after having heard so much about them. What an unassuming chap he is like all really knowledgeable people! Sue Burns

Thanks for setting up a great day on Sat. I really enjoyed it - Omar is an inspiration Mette Trante

Thank you so much for the fab day yesterday, Omar was an inspiration, I’m looking up the local dressage competitions! Julie Connolly

“Hi Sally,

Thanks for hosting such a wonderful day on sat. what a privilage to be in the company of such a like minded group. I enjoyed it all so much.”

Sandra Davies, Carlisle

SEPTEMBER 19TH

Another wonderful Resources4horses day at Saughs Farm by Caroline and Michael Tremlett

This was another great Resources4horses day which began with a welcome back home for Sally from her trip to the States where she had relished her work with Pat Hook in Oklahoma. Living and working with him and his family and their horses has provided Sally with wonderful ‘ah ha’ moments; bringing about new connections for her in her work, which we were lucky to learn about on this day. Even an encounter with a not very friendly rattlesnake was an adventure for her to savour, even if it was not for the rattlesnake!

The day began with the meeting up of familiar faces and welcoming Pauline, Sam and Trisha for the first time. It is always a treat to feel the group is expanding with new people bringing different knowledge and experiences from which we can all learn and benefit, so thank you for coming and we hope to see you at more Resources4horses days.

There was not much sitting around; Janette got us all going with a Salsa class where we learnt and practiced ‘movement isolation’ a technique that Janette so cleverly uses to breakdown the salsa movements for each section of the body. As a former rider and AI instructor the link she bought with her ‘movement isolation’ exercises and riding was fantastic. This created lots of discussion as well as laughter and a great workout without the pain of fighting with our muscles. What a great way to keep ourselves supple and moving with a huge benefit to our horses. We would like to thank her young, Becky and Jordan, for allowing us to enjoy their mum’s teaching on their Saturday.

After refreshments, Sally shared with us about her life and love of horses beginning with where she was born in London and her subsequent move to Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 1959, Sally’s awe of horses was furthered with films such as the wonderful Disney film of Nautical – The Horse with the Flying Tail about a horse who jumped higher, the higher he carried his tail and the story of Black Beauty. These had her dreaming about horses throughout childhood before she even rode or owned a horse.

Her free spirit and mischievous determination was nurtured by a number of career moves her parents made by moving to Canada and finally to Edinburgh, Scotland. It was in Canada for several years, from the age of ten, for one month a year at summer camp, Sally was able to ride and make her first real connections with horses, Morgan horses in particular. It was also at these camps that her intuition around horses came alive with many an hour of solace derived from standing next to a warm whiskered nose or perched on a gate singing heartfelt songs to the equine youngsters left out to pasture to grow and play.

On her family move to Scotland in 1967, any resistance from Sally was overcome by the realisation that maps of Edinburgh and district contained a lot of lovely green areas on them. Sally figured that she would have a greater chance to have a pony of her own in a place so green! During her first year of school in Edinburgh her gym teacher took Sally and other pupils to ride at Edinburgh & Lasswade Riding Centre and to Peter Cowan’s stables at Balerno.

Sally remembers with great fondness all the horses she has owned or worked with. They have taught her and still teach her so much today. She told us about the lessons she learnt from her beloved first horse, Butterfly, her Morgan Horse Stallion , Andante, now over 30 years, Tuffy, a Quarter Horse mare she purchased from Monty Roberts when she toured the UK with him and Miss Sophie a 16:2hh Irish draft x TB mare she purchased some four years ago.

When Sally’s parents bought her Butterfly as a 21^st birthday present and Sally’s learning took off. Armed with only a library book by Alois Podhajsky called, The Complete Training of Horse and Rider, she set about teaching herself and Butterfly. Although she found much of the book difficult to understand, it gave her confidence when she realised that there is a nice succession of training steps to help horses and riders learn. The other big message she gleaned which is one of her mantras at that time was ‘riding light’ and his words “if your horse is becoming more beautiful you are on the right track”, and Butterfly certainly did become more beautiful.

In her relationship with Butterfly, they came to cross roads and found solutions. A delightful example was Butterfly would not allow the farrier to work her feet. A solution was found, Butterfly would allow the farrier to work on her feet if Sally was sitting on her. However, solutions were not always so easy to find and when rearing became a problem, Sally sought out the help of other professionals. However, her frustration was compounded because it seemed advice and help with a problem seemed to involve other people hitting and punishing your horse, a very painful and harrowing sight to have witnessed. This made Sally even more determined to continue to develop a better understanding of the relationship between horse and person and do things differently. Her desire to do things differently has continued to bring her into contact with other people who also do things differently. Most importantly, the ‘difference’ Sally is referring to, is people’s ability to help your learning because of the way they share and teach their knowledge and experience by making it simple and without diminishing your own.

She says it is often what people do not tell you that is the nugget you need, not what they are teaching you. Finding teachers who give you the nuggets is the challenge.

Sally’s dream of owning a Morgan Horse came true in 1979 when she purchased Monnington Andante. He was the first Morgan stallion in Scotland and today has children and grandchildren all around the world.

Andante has been Sally’s Mentor for almost 30 years. They found a way to get a long by establishing a respectful relationship and one more akin to release than constant direct pressure. In the case of bringing on a stallion Sally understood the benefits for both horse and rider if you as the human have the skills of ‘leadership’, ‘direction’, ‘softness’ and ‘preparation’ when you are around your horse. She feels that you have to accept that whenever you are around a horse there is pressure, it is inevitable, you are in their space and they are in your space, so there is a natural pressure that clarifies boundaries, intention and requests. Pressure does not necessarily need to be applied in a point blank or abusive way. Pressure can be experienced as supportive, educational and respectful

However, once again the importance of Sally’s current beliefs was soon to be challenged when very sadly Sally became incapacitated with what later became diagnosed as Chronic fatigue. Even while she was recovering her emotional, mental and physical health was totally weakened and depleted. Her energy was inconsistent and her boundaries fluctuated. Andante a stallion at work with a job to do, who had been quiet and collaborative, took advantage of this. He became more challenging to handle during breeding situations, and Sally was finding that she was becoming more physical with him. Sally also noticed that when a friend and professional breeder came to work with him, he became respectful and collaborative; it was only around her the other behaviours showed.

Looking back it was this period that Sally began to become aware of how a person’s personal persona is read and reflected clearly by the horse. Also that the horse, if not receiving direction (leadership) will have to make a plan of their own. A horse, especially in its natural environment cannot afford to risk its life on confusion or indecision.

The full impact of the truth and understanding of this realization was to surface some years later.

He was teaching her, the importance for us as humans to take care of ourselves. Horses can’t think about being ill or not at their best, because if they did they’d be admiting they were prey. So if we are ill, inconsistent and weak, our boundaries are diminished and we give our horse no option but to take care of themselves and to make their own plans for survival. Horses prefer to be fit and there is nothing worse for them than the stop start, stop start way of life we sometimes lead and expect them to lead with us.

When Tuffy came into Sally’s life another bunch of lessons were about to unfold. She came as an ex Monte Robert’s demonstration horse and she broke down with terrible lameness. Sally sought the help and advice of professional vets and the prognosis was not good – navicular and bone spavin. Sally was shaken by the finding, but with this shock she felt that she had to give up some of her olds ways of reacting of disappointment and to start something new beginning by taking control herself and to “stop blaming, making a stand, enough is enough, to get real and deal with it”. And this is what Sally did and she has been working with Tuffy ever since. Just a few weeks ago Tuffy was x-rayed again and there is no sign of navicular and the bone spavin is no worse.

Sally posed the following question for us to ponder – “when we are rescuing horses, are we really rescuing them or are we smothering them with our own stuff?”. She feels that horses are much better able to adapt and change when their circumstances change than we are. We can help then through change by taking care of ourselves and demonstrating to them ‘leadership’, ‘feel’, ‘softness’ and ‘preparation’, rather than pondering on their traumas and fears. Recognising our own stuff as not their stuff is vital. Working with what you have and focusing on where you are going with your horse is far more rewarding to you and to your horse.

Today Sally and Tommy have moved to live at their amazing Saughs Farm where she continues to develop her work, and where we come to meet for these wonderful days. Miss Sophie has come into her life, a dominant mare by nature, who is continuing to inform Sally’s understanding and relationship with horses. Sally enjoys riding her western.

So in conclusion and in Sally own words ‘our horses reflect where we are, therefore we are the ones that have to make the choice to change who we are, if we want to change where we are in our lives’. When we recognise that we have lost our confidence or our way, rather than resorting to old ways that may no longer work for us or the horse in our lives today, we have to bring up our own energy to make the changes in ourselves to get back our confidence but this time with a new thinking.’

Her interest in understanding ‘what happens to people so they lose confidence, and how they can they get their confidence back’ was helped immensely with her trip to Oklahoma. Pat Hook helped to put some of the missing pieces in the jigsaw for her. She told us that one of the greatest bits of advice (he has many great sayings) that Pat Hook gave her was his explanation of how a horse learns and for Sally this connected to how we learn too.

A horses learning involves connecting The eye sight, the brain and the feet and having knowledge of and assessing:-

- *The physical system

- *The mental system

- The emotional system

- The mechanical system

If we can be conscious of the fact that all these have to come together, we will be helping the horse to learn what we want to teach them.

The stages of learning are:

Stage 1 – Learning goes really well

Stage 2 – The learning lull.

- There is a little lull, which creates the potential for a change of attitude.

- In horses they become unsure about what to do, there is confusion.

- They are being asked to create a new habit or movement, which needs more time.

- In humans this stage causes people to experience a sense of failure.

- So we must ask the question “are we giving them and ourselves time to allow this lull.

- We need the lull to allow all the above points marked with * to make a connection.

Stage 3 – The learning bottoms out.

- We meet resistance, ‘the can’t do it’ or ‘won’t do it’.

- In humans this is also the lowest point emotionally.

- This stage requires enormous patience in both horse and human.

Stage 4 – A connection of Reasoning and Learning comes up and an ultimate choice can be made

After an amazing lunch of delicious food and discussion, we watched a DVD called ‘Fix it up for the Horse’ which is Pat Hook teaching and demonstrating his work.

It was wonderful and the best part for Michael and I is that no matter what style of riding and horsemanship is being taught, the best teachings for rider and horse are all based on simple classical principles. These principles provide the foundations from which you and your horse can move into whatever riding interest you have whether it is working cattle in Oklahoma or doing high school dressage in Europe, whether it is hacking for pleasure, or 3 day Eventing in the Olympics. There is no place for force and gadgets; there is only a place for leadership, softness, preparation and time. Where we allow the learning to evolve because we allow the time for a new habit of movement to become connected between the brain, the eye sight, the feet, the physical system and the nervous system of the horse, we then have a rewarding relationship of understanding and trust.

Pat Hook’s mantra and most strongly emphasised tip is remembering that “one bit that works on all horses is a little bit of knowledge”.

Saughs Farm