My mom had asked me if I wanted to take some horseback riding lessons. Being a seven year old kid, and not knowing too much about anything, I said sure! She signed me up, and there we were that next weekend. I didn't know anything about horses, besides the fact that I liked them of course.

Tears were trickling down my cheeks as my mom spoke to me that day about eight years ago. They were not tears of pain, of misfortune, but tears of joy. She had touched the idea of coming back next week, and I had said through sobbing tears, "NO! ... TOMORROW!"

"You are every reason, every hope, and every dream I've ever had. And no matter what happens to us in the future, everyday we were together was the greatest day of my life."

After I had been taking these lessons every weekend, for what seemed like forever... my mom and I entered an English schooling show. We had one class together, where I won taking the blue ribbon, and my mother with the second place red. I happened to be a very accomplished young rider.

We first got into Parelli when I was about ten. My mom found out that this guy with the orange sticks was holding a tour stop at the Cow Palace, not too far from where we lived in California. Before we knew it, we were both totally impressed on all the magnificent things he could do with these horses. My mom bought level 1, and we began Parelli with our arabian gelding Niki. Ever since then, my mother and I have been working and learning with our horses through Parelli.

Now that we have moved to Texas, I finally got a horse of my own. His name is Baron, and he is a lovely, huge, percheron cross. I think he is about 17 years old, only due to the brands on his left side. He is one of those "good-ol'-been-there-done-that" kinda horses. And he is amazing! He hadn't really ever done Parelli before we bought him, and I'm still only working in level 1 with him. [Although, we also do things from level 2 and 3 as well.]

It has been difficult to start over, and teach from the beginning with Baron. My mother's horse, Cinco, is much more playful and outgoing than Baron, and therefore he likes to learn and play these types of natural games. With Cinco, I get to do more than the simple first layers of ground work, and use more level 2 and 3 techniques.

"Love can beautiful, it just depends what color you paint it."

I think that Baron is starting to understand the idea of Parelli, now that we have been working on the friendly game all the time. That is definitely the most important game for us, since he is right brain introvert. Right brain introverts need you to be gentle and calm, so that's how I try to always be when I work with him.

When Baron and I aren't doing Parelli, we just simply hang out. Sure that seems like such a teenager way to put it, but it fits so perfectly! Whenever I can't sleep at night, I will put my barn shoes on and go see Baron. Sometimes I'll just sit there and sing him songs, or talk to him like as if he can say things back. If its a nice night, I'll get the tack box out and brush him up a bit, then I'll find a way to get up on his back [mostly using the fence since I can't just hop up on him.] Instead of actually riding him though, I just sit there, for those moments I am his passenger, and we go where ever he wants, I am just along for the ride.

 

 

 

xoxo
Shelby Rae


"Treasure what you have... time is too slow for those who wait
Too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grief
Too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love...
Time is Eternity."