Spring Blog 2008 -  The one that changed completely, overnight.

So….I had a “spring blog” all written and then this morning it snowed.  Lots.  I was late getting in to work

But not particularly stressed about since I’d been working from home earlier in the morning.  As I got to

The elevator bay, there was one open and waiting to go up.  Now, if you are familiar with tall office buildings,

You know this is usually a trick that elevators play with you.  Just as you approach it, it closes it’s doors

And skitters away….kind of like a frightened deer.  I decided to let it close and go on, but from inside came

An arm, blocking the doors and making them open again.  I hustled in and profusely thanked my benefactor!

He assured me it was no big deal, but since I *know* these elevator doors close quickly, powerfully and

Rarely reopen, I told him I was well aware of the risk he took!  We laughed and he said there wasn’t enough

Kindness in the world, so he was just trying to do his part.  Now maybe the guys you know are all capable

Of discussing kindness, but not too many of the ones I run into do, so he got my attention.  He went on to say

That he didn’t think it was intentional, but that we get so focused on “getting something done” that we stop

Seeing the world around us.  Wow – a philosophy discussion before 9am.  I was floored!  I’d just been taking

Pictures of the snow-covered shrubs at the bus stop for that VERY reason – noticing life around me – and

Here was this guy in an elevator talking about it with me.  I repeat, wow.  Sadly, it’s an express elevator and

The 21 floors go quickly, so by then we were at my floor and as the doors were opening he was saying “…and

That’s not why we’re here.”  I agreed, we wished one another a great day and I walked to my cube with a big

Smile on my face, feeling like I’d had a rare encounter indeed.  Seriously, I wondered if he was an angel.

I’ve read about people meeting angels, but didn’t think I’d ever REALLY met one, but this guy got me wondering….

What if we meet angels all the time, but don’t even know it?  Strangers that you cross paths with for a few

Minutes, but leave you with a good feeling, or help you see something in a different way, or somehow impact

Your life for the better.  It got me thinking about how blessed I’ve been to have angels in my life, known and

Unknown, and how people that feel the same way seem to find one another, even in a crowd.  It’s pretty cool.

Today, and every day, may you meet someone who reminds you that hustling from one task to the next really

Is not why we’re here.  Not that things don’t need to get done, but in the grand scheme of things, correcting the

Typos in that report just don’t seem worth stressing when I look at things other people have on their plates.

Many of my friends have ailing parents, a mom at our barn has her youngest child in Florida trying to survive

A multi-organ transplant (www.cotaforsidneym.com), a guy on his way to work one morning two weeks ago

Got killed by a tire that came off a garbage truck. 

To bring this around to horses, I think this is a lesson my mare is constantly trying to teach me.  Enjoy each

Moment, don’t just ENDURE it.  Revel in the feel of the mud in your coat, soothing that deep itching that comes

With the change from winter hair to summer hair.  Maybe even share your hay once in a while!  We haven’t been

Riding too much lately because it hasn’t been fun.  There are a number of reasons – and we’re working getting

Them cleared up – but if she’s unhappy, then I’m unhappy and vice versa.  What should be a partnership can

Become combat, and then we both lose.  So until I get her squared away, we’re working on mud removal, itching

And finding ways to enjoy each other’s company.  Losing that focus on getting something done, because in the

End, that really isn’t why we’re here.

Riding a Horse Is  A Privilege

September 2007 On the Muscle Blog

June 2007

The one where I shake my head in wonder and laugh at myself.

(This installment is a bit more like a journal entry than something particularly worthwhile, but perhaps since I feel compelled to write about it, it will have meaning for someone!)

I got a call from a woman inquiring about what I do and wondering if I migh t be able to help her horse, who was recovering from a broken bone.  I told her I would definitely need her vets permission (something I always ask for) and then I didn’t hear from her again.  Time passed and she got in touch again to tell me she’d had a bit of a hard time reaching her vet, but she had permission to get her horse massaged now.  I was pleased

And surprised that she’d gone to the trouble.  Most people just say that their vet would be fine with it, and I take them at their word.  So we got into discussing the break and what she felt he needed.  With that information, we set a date for the appointment and I started researching the situation and rehab options.

I always want to do well by the client, but I especially felt the weight of rehabbing a horse recovering from a fracture.  It was also in my mind that if this went well and the vet was pleased, it could mean referrals.  I Google’d, bought and read several books on rehab

And injuries and learned a lot.  The timing was perfect too, because my mare was nearly ready to start reconditioning after a fall on the ice in January.  She has been having a run of bad luck this year and, to make a long story short,  I sought the advice of a friend of mine who is an animal communicator and Shaman, Mary Stoffel.  Mary journeyed on my dilemma and said that I had picked up a negative spirit someplace while working on a horse and it had attached to my mare.   (I know, I know….but don’t stop yet, it gets weirder!) She cleared it and cleared me and told me I needed to do a journey to find a power animal to protect me while I massage horses. 

I tend to procrastinate and on the morning I was to see my new client, I realized I’d never done my journey.  As I was wondering if I had time, “elk” popped into my head.  That seemed too easy, so I did do the journey and still it was “elk”.  I figured I had Elk on the brain by then and I’d need to journey again later.  All the way to the client’s barn, I worried about what I’d find with her horse, whether I’d do what she expected, whether I’d make a good impression….I worried so much I drove right past the driveway!!

The next 2-3 drives looked too narrow to turn around in, so I went down one more and

As I pull in to turn around, there was a big sign  that said “Elk Farm” and I noticed elk in the front pasture. 

Sometimes the Universe DOES have to hit me up side the head for me to notice I guess!!

This is the part where I laughed, shook my head and said “OK, I get it!! Elk.”  I relaxed,

Had a great session with the new horse and owner and even felt competent when drilled with questions by the trainer.  The horse was actually in good shape, a little over-muscled in the area it had been using to compensate, but mostly soft and supple.  The trainer asked for brochures before I left, in case his other clients might be interested.  The Universe got my attention and all my rehab research will be put to good use bringing my mare back and hopefully on other horses too in the future!

After coming in like the proverbial lion, March is finally mellowing and letting us believe that spring might arrive after all.  Of course, as anyone with horses knows, spring pretty much means “mud”, accompanied by hair!   While a good roll in the mud might help you horse shed its winter woolies, that mud can create a frustrating injury too.  One misstep and your horse could be on the injured reserve list for a while!

Keep an eye on your horse(s) and if they seem stiff, take it a bit easy, and try to loosen them up.  Tight, tired muscles are more easily injured than relaxed ones.  When you groom your horse, run your hands over their body and pay attention to what they feel like, and where.  Get to know what’s “normal” for each one.  Do they feel like they have soft muscles in their chest or is there a hole, or something that feels like a cord?  Muscle in good shape is smooth and pliable.  It’s able to stretch and contract completely.   When a muscle sustains an injury, it “splints” it with more fibers.  Over time, this can create what feels like strands of rope, and reduces the muscle’s ability to do it’s job correctly.

This can result in a horse that tires more easily, doesn’t perform the way it used to, or even becomes lame.

All exercise done with the goal of building muscle creates some damage – but the goal is that the damage it microscopic, and there is enough rest time allowed that the muscle can repair the damage the way it’s supposed to.  Ask a personal trainer – you should train to the point that you feel a little tired the day after, not sore, and you should rotate your areas of focus so each area has time to recover. 

If you notice that your horse’s muscles are tight, loosen them up with some moderate rubbing or call an equine massage therapist.  If you suspect worse, you’ll want to check with your vet before doing any kind of bodywork.  A good, reputable person will make

Sure that you understand that massage is not a treatment, nor is it used to diagnose issues.  It can help identify potential problem areas though, and then they can work with you and your vet to keep your horse ready for the busy summer!