Holy cow! There is just so much good stuff going on that I have been trouble keeping up with it all. I can assure you that the teamsters in training at UMass are definitely learning how to work with sensitivty, mindfulness and understanding with the horses and each other. Everyone is blowing my mind (in a good way)! Needless to say, I am so intensely proud and over-joyed at the way everyone is handling this semester's work.

Some quick updates:

Oh, maybe 3 weeks ago, we took out April and Ruby determined (but not attached) to separate them and work. We did some single hitching in the parking lot and took them around independently. Then we tried them out in a tandem hitch. Everything went great! One student asked me what the point of the lesson was, and expressed that a tandem hitch does not seem useful at all (unless you going on a fox hunt, right!?!). Along with some other stuff, I told the student that it is sometimes the journey that you and the horse go through together that is most important. That day, we definitely gained a greater understanding of April, Ruby, each other and ourselves. Their Mom and Dad would be proud. I hope they see this!

Paul and Dave Bradham did a rockin' stone boat building workshop. What was the best part of the stone boat workshop? Using tools? Hitching to it afterwards? No. Paul and Dave's terrible jokes. Just kidding guys. Everyone loved you! Good thing they have such a great sense of humor!

Oh, and the Georgie and Alby let Tyler know how much they appeciate the bird feeder hanging from the kitchen window.

And then Cupcake decided it would be a great idea to hop onto the porch, and sneak into Zoe's room.

We were blessed with the opportunity to have David Fisher from Natural Roots do a logging clinic for us. David, thank you for this time! David's quiet, sensitive horsemanship is an inspiration to all.

We finially got some snow. It was agree that we would take out the sled and hitch up a 3 abreast. Nice work Bob, April, Ruby and class. The 3 horses really enjoy working together! We also decided it would be a great idea if we hitched Mark up solo and tool around on the stone boat.

There is so much more that has happened in the past few weeks. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the lessons learned.

Lately, I have been thinking about the words "Draft Horse Husbandry." I like how we use it and how it sounds. It reminds me of stewardship, much like stewardship of the earth. We should be stewards of these beautiful 4-legged partners. They have made an agreement to be with us which I believe we are obligated to honor.  We honor this agreement by meeting their needs, which amongst other things, absolutely includes having some sort of job or work. Plenty of activity for both the body and mind are crucial to an equine's well being.

This is what we are teaching here at UMass, and one of my goals is to create a space for young teamsters to become GREAT horse-people.  I see what I do at UMass as creating a safe space, and perhaps an opportunity. The rest is left to the student, to take advantage of the opportunity, and be open and willing to be mindful, attentive, and to receive. I am not the teacher. Bob, Mark, April, and Ruby are the teachers, and one of my jobs as instructor is to create opportunities for the horses to teach a lesson. As much as I try to manage the students, horses, and match up their personalities to set up these super-powerful learning experiences for the class, I always seem to find myself in situation where I am a student. Really, I am always a student. That is what I love about working with horses – there is so much to learn. A horse-person can learn something new every day for their entire life, and there is still always something new to learn. In class (and in the rest of my life as well), I find myself learning new things every day and being just flat out humbled over and over again by the horses. This is why I cannot see any other way of being for myself. If you are not learning, having fun, and building relationships what is the point?!?

With the equines as teachers, the more I think about it, the more I am convinced that working with horses is a spiritual practice, and that is how I try to conduct myself on the farm, on the street, and in the classroom. If it is a spiritual practice, then it should be practiced with love, and good, positive energy. I absolutely require that the students in my classes treat the horses and each other with love, respect and understanding. The work is much like practicing yoga, meditation, or holding a prayer. What exactly equates driving draft horses to going to church? Driving horses is a practice that forces you to be present, aware, and mindful. Much like in yoga, the way one trains themselves to breathe, that mindfulness of breathe carries over into other areas in life and makes us better human beings. The stillness of body and mind learned through meditation carries over into life, and makes us better. Likewise, the mindfulness and patience learned through horsemanship make us better.

So it has been a while and I haven't really been keeping up in a good way with the class updates. Most recently with the Intro class, we ground drove all 4 horses as singles. This was a very special experience for most, and I know that I am super proud of both 2- and 4-leggers who participated that day. These young teamsters practiced mindfulness, and thoughtfully handled any curve balls thown at them. As I watched the class working in the Hadley Farm parking lot, I was convinced that they were driving as best they could, with love, patience and mindfulness. Here are some photos from Monday's class. Also, be sure to look at the latest featured student, Emma. Emma, your patient, mindful work with April brightens my day!!! I truly love how you are developing as a horse-person. Good luck with your animal powered farm!

Well folks, I never said these entries were going to be completely coherent, but I think this one may make some sense. Enjoy, and I encourage you all to think about your horsemanship as a spiritual practice.

If you are wondering what has been going on in the Intro class, you haven't missed much, it's been kind of boring. Well, until this week, week three. This Monday's class was full of excitement! Not only did we take a quiz on harness parts, we also ground drove each other with our eyes closed. Most importantly, we all gained some better understanding of how to work with Mark, Bob, April and Ruby.

I must say that I really love this semster's Intro class. We had such a wonderful time working together today, and witnessed so many special things happen. Class began with some basic ground work in the parking lot. Everyone had questions, insights, and epiphanies.

So here it all is in a nut shell, and I know I am missing lots:

Class started off with my rambling on about something, as usual. Then we took some time to become more comfortable with the four horses and worked on some basic handling stuff.

Emma had a hell of a time with April at first (which is totally normal, April can be kind of pushy), but then they figured it out and learned to work together. By the end of their session, April was walking really beautifully with Emma. YAY!!!!

Then the class came to realize that Drew and Mark are a perfect pair (they even share a breathing issue – I hope you don't mind my mentioning Drew). DOUBLE YAY!!!!!! Mark really seems to like Drew, and Drew seems to like Mark.

Then we took a quiz on harness parts.

Then we ground drove each other with our eyes closed. This driving exercise is great because it helps to teach a whole load of things (I learned a few good twists to this exercise from a good friend and brother in the rescue world, teamster Dave Bradham, from Connecticut Draft Horse Rescue). This type of exercise is so powerful because one learns first hand what it may feel like to be on either end of those lines. From the driver's perspective you learn sensitivity, and how just a small pressure on the lines can make a big difference in a horse's mouth. After driving each other for a while, we gathered in for "circle time," as some students have labled it, and discussed what happened during the exercise. Nell played a huge role in helping the class learn from this exercise and really helped me come to a great realization. She said that it was interesting being in the horse's position, and it was kind of confusing because you are waiting for the driver to tell you what to do and the whole time you are not sure if you are doing the right thing (well, something like that). This set off a lightbulb in my head! Holy crap! This exercise not only teaches us to handle the lines with sensitivity, but also shows us what it is like to be the horse. This exercise teaches us to have some understanding! Those of us who approach horses with understanding know that this is the cornerstone of good horsemanship. So, next time you work with your horses take a step back, a deep breath, center yourself, and try to have some understanding of where he or she is coming from and what may or may not be going on in their heads.

Does anyone have any good exercises like this? Any driving or horsemanship exercises that help to teach understanding? Hmm... I am thinking that understanding is going to be another theme in this semester's Intro to Draft Horses course.

And that is why I send you off you with this short clip. Nell guided me to a greater understanding, helping me to realize that it was much more than a simple rein handling exercise.  Here is Nell, a future teamster, farmer, teacher, horse-whisperer, planet-saver... And there are a few other pictures too. Enjoy!

Yesterday was another successful training day, and I feel inspired to talk about it. Within this blog, I do have the intention of keeping focused on the UMass Draft Horse Program, and I only wish to add in some other exciting happenings from the Blue Star Farm. There are some things I feel need to be discussed and I promise I'll have plenty of pictures to go with it (That's right. I know that you are all in it for the pictures!).

Recently, I have been deeply inspired through my work with a few Blue Star horses, particularly Mike and Billy. I'm feeling called to share a bit about Mike and our experience today, and maybe we'll talk about Billy some other day. If you were to work with Mike, or to see either Tyler or myself working with him, you would see that he has great training in ground manners. Don't get me wrong, he is still only 5 years old and still needs to find some sense, but he is quite the gentleman. What really strikes me about Mike, is how he loves hanging out with his 2-leggers. Mike is so comfortable and at ease, just as long and he is hanging with his "bros". And that truly is what is going on out in the field. Mike, Tyler, and myself are hanging out and Mike diggs it! The pictures you see below will show that we are out in the back field working with Mike put to some heavier weight for the first time. This is his second time being put to this stone boat and his third time pulling any kind of drag. Normally I would never do this type of work out in an open field (a large round ring or arena would usually be best), but because Mike was so comfortable hanging with his boyz out in the field, I felt that it would be best if we did this work out there. And it was.

Observing how receptive Mike is to this environment, routine, and new 2- and 4-legged friends, only confirms some things for me that I already know. Mike the Shire, has in his genetic code the need for a social life with both humans and other equines, work, a routine, and a number of other basic needs (just like us, they are super simple but also super complex at the same time). Most importantly, I'd like to review the need for work and the desire to be with us 2-leggers. I couldn't think of any other explanation for it. Mike is showing us that he has a deep, innate desire for human connection and partnership. As the "creators" of the modern horse, we have to take responsibility for what we have done to the horse. We have been together for the past 5,000 years, and we are obligated to see that their needs (which we engineered), are met. In fact, we are depriving them if we do not provide them if we do not meet these needs! I believe this is what Mike's previous owner, Jackie, came to realize. Mike was bored, and missing something. Perhaps missing some purpose he was meant to fulfill (just like we all either find our purpose, or not). Jackie realized that Mike may be better off with a family that could work with him in a way that better fit how he is designed physically and biologically. That work is pulling work.

As I explore this idea, I think about the journey that Mike is on, and how it is much like our life journey. One of my spiritual teachers in Philadelphia would remark from time to time that we are spiritual beings having a human experience, and we are not human beings we are human-becomings, because we are on this epic journey trying to figure out how to be human. We are essentially always in the process of becoming human. As he repeated these words again and again, I began to think that it would only make sense that horses are spiritual beings having an equine experience. In the same way we are trying to figure out how to be human, Mike is also trying to figure out where he comes from and where he is going as an equine. 

Perhaps I am just trying to express that we need to have an understanding, and if we don't have an understanding, we have no business working with horses. I understand that Mike is on this same epic, painful, beautiful journey that we are all also on, and I always remember that when we work together.

Please enjoy the photos from our time with Iron Mike. If I figure out how to do the video, I'l get that up too.

I have decided that I need to brush up on my blogging skills. So while I will continue to document Intro to Draft Horses' time together, I will also be posting as much as I can from UMass Draft Horse Program. This semester, we have one intro course and two level 2 courses running. So, I take back what I said! This will not be a blog solely dedicated to Intro to Draft Horses, and should be much more exciting and comprehensive with updates from Level 2.

This week in the Level 2 class, we looked at harness repair. For me, learning to repair harness has been a very empowering skill and I thought it would be a great topic to cover in Level 2. We all had a jolly-good-time stitching and riveting, and riveting and stitching. BSE has an assortment of leather projects that need tending to, and we experimented with a few of them in class. Most importantly, we tidied-up April and Ruby's harness and made it much more comfortable for those very special "Lady Boppers" – as I like to call them.

Understanding how harness works and how to fix it helps the teamster to feel much more confident in what they are doing when they slide that harness over their equine partner and use it for work. Harness making is a practice that teaches you to be patient, aware, act with intention, and to think creatively. And just like learning to be patient with a horse can help you practice patience in your every day life, learning to be meticulous with your harness can open up worlds for you in areas outside of the horse-world. I know that the deep deep patience I have learned through working with Billy manifests in my world outside of horses. These practices with our 4-legged friends help us to become more present, more aware, and better human beings.

Practicing good harness maintenance is the sign of an attentive, great teamster. A great teamster cares about his team, and takes responsibility for the safety and comfort of the equipment his horses use in the "workplace". It is kind of like that old saying, and there are many of them – "you can tell a lot about a person by the way he cares for his tools... hair... car... home... etc.". A teamster who is always aware of what is going on with his team's harness, takes great care, and is meticulous and impeccable, is perhaps doing well? Doing "well" how? Emotionally? Spritually? Physically? Does it mean he is a great farmer? Maybe all of the above?

One thing that I know for sure is that the class and I feel great about what was accomplished this week. We fixed up April and Ruby's harness so that they are much more comfortable working with us. Here are some photos from class and also a few pics from some of my most favorite 2- and 4-legged friends!

As I juggle managing the care of 30+ horses, all the trainings, wagon jobs, trimmings, sooo many kids, different personalities, the UMass Program, and begin to think about growing food this year, I can't help but think of how Pam makes it all look so easy. This year, Pam has committed to a wonderful, daily blog called The Learning Curve. That's right, she did it! The captain of the ship committed to writting 7 days a week. That's 366 entries over this next year! That's a daunting challenge, and Pam is very good at doing this with grace. Me, not so much! I figured I shouldn't have any trouble keeping up with one entry per week over the next semester. Well, easier said than done, but here I am doing the best that I can.

This was an exciting week at Introduction to Draft Horses. I am happy to see that the roster has almost filled up. We now have 7 students in class: Sarah, Meagan, Nell, Emma, Ally, Drew, Jordan, and Jenny is our TA. Over the course of the semester we will all learn a bit more about these future teamsters, and will be following their journey with draft horses. I know that this group is very excited to be working with Blue Star Equiculture's most professional teams. There is no doubt that this group will grow into great horse-people.

Being a great horseman is a great responsibility. This is one practice that I plan on revisiting again and again in class this semster, "Taking Responsibility". Great horse-people take responsibility for their horses... they always show up, it's never too cold, and they're never too sick to make sure their horses needs are met. There are many ways we can take responsibiltiy! Join the herd and take responsibility!

Stay tuned for next weeks entry. We will be harnessing and ground driving in class, which should provide some exciting video!

It is very exciting to be introducing this new UMass Draft Horse Program blog. My intention is to follow the students' journey with the BSE/UMass draft horses over the course of the semster. I do not know what the Spring semester will bring to us, but I do know that last semester's Level 1 course changed lives. Beautiful relationships were formed and great wisdom was shared. Young students from the 5 colleges took responsibility, took up the lines, and proved that every horse can be useful!

With less than a week to go, we will begin to explore Monday's Level 1 course by capturing and posting videos, interviews, articles, and photos. I sincerely hope that you all enjoy this as much as the BSE two- and four-leggers do.

Here are a few pictures from last semester's Level 1 course. Enjoy!