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Dressage in the Fourth Dimension

Dressage in the Fourth Dimension
By Sherry Ackerman
Foreword by Linda Kohanov

A unique meditation on the spiritual aspects of dressage
and horseback riding, drawing on eclectic sources in the
fields of philosophy, geometry, and spirituality.

“An incredible act of courage and vision.”
— Linda Kohanov, author of The Tao of Equus

Dressage is often seen as the most formal and controlled of the equine sports, following an ancient, standardized training progression. For philosophy professor and dressage instructor Dr. Sherry Ackerman dressage is a transformational art, an avenue for reflection, exploration, and self-knowledge through which a rider can experience liberation from the narrowly individual, egoistic self.

This second, revised edition of Dressage in the Fourth Dimension is a pioneer work in awakening “dressage consciousness.” It requires readers to deconstruct every assumption that they have ever held about riding — to ask “why?” and to become okay with not knowing.

Drawing on such diverse sources as geometry, ancient Western and Eastern philosophies, and spirituality, Dr. Ackerman seeks to heal humanity’s alienation from nature through riding and dressage. She points readers toward the liberation from societal conditioning, from externally legislated morality and normative thinking, and, ultimately, from one’s own ego. For Ackerman, identifying ambiguities between thinking and enculturation opens avenues for growth and transformation. Her concept of the Fourth Dimension requires the reader to leave the analytic, objective mind behind and enter the mystery of inspiration.

A short, unique, and enigmatic work that has enjoyed a word-of-mouth reputation among horse people for years, yet has also been unavailable, Dressage in the Fourth Dimension will challenge riders’ assumptions about their horses and themselves.

Sherry L. Ackerman, Ph.D., is a professor of philosophy at College of the Siskiyous and an internationally acclaimed dressage clinician. Dr. Ackerman is one of the American dressage industry’s leading proponents of dressage as a philosophical/spiritual/artistic practice. She lives at the foot of Mount Shasta, attempting, in the silence of the woods, to practice what her book teaches. Her website is www.sherryackerman.com.

Contact: Monique Muhlenkamp
New World Library
800-972-6657 ext. 15
Monique@newworldlibrary.com

Meet Sherry Ackerman

A Talk With Sherry Ackerman, author of

Dressage in the Fourth Dimension

 

How did you come to write Dressage in the Fourth Dimension? What was going on in your life that sparked the book?

I entered the Fourth Dimension, literally, one blustery afternoon in 1993. Let me explain…..as a small child, I had a mystical consciousness. I experienced Oneness as a matter of course. My parents, though, thought that this awareness was immature and childish and, subsequently, thought that ‘good parenting’ involved guiding me away from these ideas. My parents, mainstream community, schools, colleges and graduate institutes all did their part; well intentioned, albeit mistaken, to condition my thinking toward materialistic, dualistic values and beliefs. By 1993, I was a fully conditioned person. In looking back, I can see that I was ego-identified, exteriorized and enculturated. I, though, was clueless, thinking that everything was right on target. In retrospect, however, I can see that I was sadly derailed! One Wintry late afternoon in 1993, I was riding a particularly difficult young horse in my quiet indoor arena through the figures of the manege, when, out of nowhere, I was struck, as if with a lightening bolt, with Pure Awareness. I felt Love pulsating throughout me and I felt as if I was a whole new being. I fused completely with the horse and we were One. There was nothing left of me, and equally nothing left of him. We just Were. Pure Presence. Consciousness. There was only The Moment. I remember, though, wondering what would happen when I dismounted….but what happened was that I continued to see the whole world this way. The boundaries were gone, duality resolved. There was no right and wrong, no male and female, no night and day. I remember, again, wondering what would happen when I had dinner with my family that night. But, I was visibly transformed. My children asked me why I was “glowing”. Love. Finally, I remember wondering if I would feel like this forever….and, for the past 15 years, I have. Sometimes the Light glows softly and sometimes it bursts into full flame, but it is always there. Nothing about my human existence has ever been the same….and all this, thanks to a difficult horse on a late Winter afternoon. Right Here, Right Now!

 

What is Dressage in the Fourth Dimension about? What point are you trying to make in the book?

 

The book is essentially a primer on mysticism. It’s central point is that riding is a path of transformation and that, further, anyone who learns to ride well can’t help but be transformed. Our contemporary mental-rational worldview has conditioned people to believe an illusion. Things are not as they appear to be. The mystical worldview is a glimpse behind that veil. What I call the fourth dimension is a type of consciousness that is aware of greater complexities and higher unities.

Animals are pure…unconditioned by consensual reality, the Maya. They are Present, in The Moment. They have not been conditioned by the strictly third-dimensional sphere of material existence and, consequently, they operate in a higher dimension of existence, a fourth dimension of spirit. This is the lesson that horses offer anyone who wishes to honestly communicate with them. When horse and rider work intimately in this fourth dimension, a creative-zero-point opens up in which consciousness and unconsciousness become momentarily unified. This provides the rider with an opportunity to merge with unitary reality, wherein there is no permanence, because all is transformation. In the fourth dimension, the rider escapes the prison of time and the limitations of ego-bound consciousness. S/he accepts that s/he is spirit, realizing his or her own immortality and, consequently, freedom.

 

Dressage is an Olympic discipline, which means that it is a highly competitive sport, right? So, where does your concept fit in….the idea of a non-competitive style of dressage as a transformational art? Is this idea catching on within the dressage community?

Dressage is one of the Olympic equestrian sports. However, it was only as recently as 1900 when the “military test”, which later evolved into the separate disciplines of dressage, eventing and stadium jumping, first became an Olympic discipline. Prior to that, horses had performed artistically as entertainment for the Royal families of Europe. In this capacity, they not only displayed all of the movements that we currently admit into dressage riding, but many airs above the ground, as well. Later, horses became used more predominantly as mounts for the military. Military horses had to be obedient and maneuverable, so dressage, as first documented in the writing of the Greek Xenophon, was critical to their development. As horses during the late 1800’s were used primarily by the military, it only stood to reason that a test of the military horse be the standard during the inception of the Olympics. The military test included obedience and maneuverability, which evolved into the dressage test, and the ability to jump obstacles. The riders were all male and predominantly military for several decades. After the US Cavalry was disbanded in 1948, the focus for American dressage shifted from military to civilian competition and began to gain momentum. Women as well as men became passionate about dressage and in 1952 the first women were allowed to compete in the Olympics.

Notwithstanding that competition offers wholesome sport opportunities, it is based on a dualistic worldview. There is necessarily a “winner” and, thus, a “loser”. Since the modern Western mind is not comfortable with “losing”, competitive riders became increasingly concerned with end-gaining. This view is reinforced by year-end awards, high point awards and medals earned for certain levels of accomplishment. When the ends begin to outweigh the means, however, people are tempted to resort to shortcuts or gimmicks that compromise the integrity of the work. And, it is the horses who pay the price…in lameness, sourness, or, this year for example, with three dead horses at the Rolex 3 Day Event. As this trend exacerbated over the years and competitive riding claimed more and more casualties…physically, psychologically and emotionally…in both horses and riders, a current of concern began to be heard from conscious, classically trained riders and teachers around the world. This collective voice called the riding community back to its classical, pre-militaristic artistic origins. Teachers such as, for example, Henri van Schaik and Egon von Neindorff urged riders to practice “art for the sake of art” as opposed to riding for prizes. Through the influence of these, and other, strong advocates of dressage as an art, rather than a sport, the idea of a non-competitive style of dressage as a transformational art began to evolve.

Although the lineage for the idea of dressage as a transformational art was definitely the classical, as opposed to competitive, school, my particular concept of it is even outside of those parameters. I regularly tell my students that they need to stop talking about classical equestrian ideals, as that just makes them dressage fundamentalists. I remind them to Be Here, Now. I tell them that they are not stuck in the boxes created by previous century masters. This is not the Renaissance…it is This Moment. I tell them, borrowing from the Zen parable, that dressage is the Moon that they have to find on their own. I implore them to deconstruct everything that they have ever been taught and reconstruct it as they experience it…to own it.

As I wrote in Dressage in the Fourth Dimension, “we are living in radical times, poised on the edge of a new paradigm. The lure of materialism is losing its potency as people awaken to the limitlessness of consciousness.” Bob Dylan said the same thing another way when he wrote, “the times they are a-changin’”. These changing times…as an emerging new paradigm…are facilitating the acceptance of the idea of dressage as a transformational art within the dressage community. The veil is thick and consciousness comes slowly, but it is assured. I would like to share a story that I heard recently from a Tibetan Monk. The Monk talked about a man who was trapped in the “lowest, darkest rung of hell”, saying that the man was “doing the best he could”. The Monk reminded us that the man “didn’t even know what he didn’t know”…that “we don’t awaken until we awaken”. This, though, while seemingly tragic is actually okay, because every one…every one….is working toward Enlightenment, in their own way and time, whether they know it or not. That being true, higher truths about horses and dressage are guaranteed to catch on….one person at a time, as people…in their own time and in their own way…make their way toward Enlightenment.

 

You have often been cited for mentioning what you call “new paradigm thinking”, what do you mean by this phrase? What is a new paradigm thinker?

 

A paradigm is a worldview. The word “paradigm” was originally one of those obscure academic terms that underwent many changes in meaning over the centuries. It was used by the classical Greeks to refer to an original archetype or ideal. Later it came to refer to a grammatical term. In the early 1960’s Thomas Kuhn wrote a ground breaking book, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, in which he demonstrated that science does not progress in an orderly fashion from lesser to greater truth, but rather remains fixated on a particular dogma or explanation—a paradigm—which is only overthrown with great difficulty and a new paradigm established. The overthrowing of a particular dogma or worldview is called a paradigm shift and occurs when anomalies or inconsistencies arise within a given paradigm and present problems that people are unable to solve within that paradigm. Any paradigm shift…that is, the gradual collapse of an old, dysfunctional paradigm and the resultant emergence of a new paradigm…results in the need for people to change their view of reality, as well as their perceptions, thoughts, and values about the world. New paradigms require people to take on new assumptions and expectations that will transform older theories, traditions, rules and standards of practice. New paradigms arise in order to solve the seemingly unsolvable problems of the older paradigm. The new paradigm that is currently coming into creation, due to the obvious failure of that which has been the dominant paradigm for the past several hundred years, is one based on cooperation, instead of competition; unity, instead of separateness; community, instead of individualism; environmental awareness, instead of consumerism; equality, instead of hierarchy; and love, instead of fear.

Fourth Dimension talks about transcending the ego. This is lofty language. What would it mean, in very practical terms, for a person to move toward transcendence of the ego?

 

The concept of transcending the ego is a notion that has caused an inordinate amount of confusion. Egolessness does not mean the absence of a functional self….as Ken Wilber points out, that would be a psychotic, not a sage! It means, instead, that one is no longer exclusively identified with the self, the individual, separate sense of “me”. Likewise, transcending the ego does not mean “less than personal”. It means, quite to the contrary, “more than personal”….all of the normal personal qualities, plus some transpersonal ones. In practical terms, the ego is transcended when a person is plugged into a radiant Cosmic Source. You can see and feel it in a person when you are in their presence.

As I wrote in Dressage in the Fourth Dimension, the path to liberation requires letting go of self and surrendering totally and unconditionally to the unitive power of love. The ego is the dualist in us. It is the habit we have of seeing ourselves over and against someone else. The ego is highly invested in comparing, categorizing and criticizing. This has some very practical considerations when applied to dressage. If, for example, a person is highly invested in show scores, this would be a manifestation of ego-identified behavior. Another person, interested simply in pursuing excellence in the art of dressage with no concerns about “judgments” tendered by others, would be more indicative of a person who had made some significant progress in transcending the ego.

In order to get a better handle on understanding this, let’s look at the whole process of ego development and, ultimately, ego transcendence. When a baby is born, it can’t tell the difference between self and not-self. The child has no boundaries, and the experience is one of being undifferentiated from the material world. Everything is self. But as the baby interacts with the environment, it makes the distinction between self and not-self.

The next developmental stage, between ages 6 and 12, is one of the adoption of roles, generally those of mythic gods and goddesses, characters in fairy tales or other literature, and even in cartoons. The child discovers and learns to follow the rules associated with the various available roles. As this happens, the focus of what is the self changes. The next stage is the development of a personal and individual identity, generally during the teenage years. No longer defined only by roles and their rules, the person creates an individual identity which is independent of, or at least less dependent upon, conventional ethics, rules, and roles.

In the next stage (and it is important to note that a person may or may not develop through all of these stages–for a variety of reasons development could stop at any stage) the sense of self moves from individualistic awareness (the individual identity) to a more global “all of us”, community awareness.

Successive stages involve the development and integration of what are called transpersonal stages, where awareness of self goes beyond “all of us” to include what most people think of as the “spiritual dimensions” (like, eg, the fourth dimension) that are larger than just humanity. These levels include oneness with all of the material universe, as well as with all of the non-material, spiritual realms, and finally beyond the whole manifest universe to the entirely non-dual.

The entire journey revolves around one entering pure awareness and residing there. Seer and seen merge into a cosmic awareness which excludes nothing, has no center and no separation between observer and observed. The ego evaporates. Unfiltered, unfettered consciousness replaces ego as the organizing structure of the person. When true seeing opens, it is both a magnificent surprise and patently obvious. Problems dissolve, and joy, wonder, and compassion arise naturally.

What is your current relationship to dressage? And, to horses?

I am launching a new clinic and workshop initiative in 2009, based on Dressage in the Fourth Dimension. This initiative will focus on animal spirituality and the transformational aspects of the horse-human relationship. I am interested in raising consciousness about the potential of dressage for human transformation and evolution. This work will be much more holistic than the dressage teaching that I have done for the past several decades. It’s time for me to be much more integrated about my horse-related interests than simply “teaching dressage”. At this point, seeing dressage as “just dressage” is too reductionistic and makes me feel, as Sartre might say, a bit “practico-inert”. It is, quite simply, too third dimensional….Flatland. Seeing the horse-human relationship as a path to transformation and evolution breathes life into riding and is where my head is really at. I’m ready to ride…and live…in the fourth dimension. The primary emphasis will be on the real stuff of riding…the inner work and the horses’ contribution to facilitating our transformation. I don’t want to just teach people how to weight their inside seatbone and keep their shoulders back anymore. I want to show them how horses can teach them to deal with their pain-body and/or shadow. Time is short and horses could save the Planet. They don’t really care if riders keep their heels down and their sternums up. They want them to open their heart chakras.

For more information:

Contact: Monique Muhlenkamp

New World Library

800-972-6657 ext. 15

Monique@newworldlibrary.com

Meet Tami Hoag

As a writer and rider, author Tami Hoag has all the “write stuff.” When she’s not astride one of her grand prix dressage horses, she can most likely be found buried behind a keyboard working on her next mystery. She is world renowned as a New York Times best selling author and the Chicago Tribune called Tami, “One of the most intense suspense writers around.” In her horse life, Tami is a top adult amateur dressage rider competing internationally. Equesse spoke with Tami, to find out more about her intriguing life and her love and involvement with horses.

Equesse: You have written 14 mysteries that have landed on the New York Times bestselling list and two of them revolve around horses. Tell us about those.

Tami: Dark Horse and The Alibi Man take place amidst the horse world in Wellington, Florida, which is part of the Palm Beaches. Every winter I spend a couple of months in Florida competing and it is certainly a world unto itself. In my earlier books I kept my riding separate, but in these novels I let the two converge. My heroine in both books is Elena Estes, a very complex character with a privileged upbringing. She has a falling out with her family and goes to work for the sheriff’s office. People always ask me if I am Elena, and I am not. I did, however, enjoy incorporating the horse world into these books. It was natural for me, as horses have been my life since I was a child.

Equesse: Were you a typical horse-crazy child growing up?

Tami: I grew up in a non-horse family, but that didn’t stop me from dreaming of having a pony of my own. I asked my parents for a pony every chance I got, and my dream became a reality when they bought me a Shetland Pony named Dan. Dan was a wise old soul, and would never do anything he believed was beyond my capability as a rider. For the first year I had him, he would NOT canter. No matter how I tried to coax him, irritate him, beg him, bribe him, he absolutely would not canter — until I became a better rider with better balance and was in no danger of just falling off. He really was my best friend and constant companion.

I didn’t own a saddle for Dan at first, but I did have a cart and I learned to hitch Dan up myself and drove him all over town. I drove him in parades and hung advertising for local businesses on my cart, which earned me money to save up for a new saddle. When I had saved up almost a hundred dollars — a fortune to a nine-year-old — I became obsessed with the idea of the new saddle. My oldest brother was getting married around that time, and one weekend my mother was going to go shopping with his fiancé to look for a dress. When I overheard them planning to go to a bridal shop, I got all excited and asked, ‘Do you think they might have saddles, too?’ Typical horse-crazy little girl, that was all I could think about.

Equesse: Now you are a top adult amateur dressage rider, how did that come about?

Tami: For 30 years I tried a variety of equestrian disciplines, before settling on dressage. I love the precision, accuracy, beauty and elegance of dressage and for me it really is a fabulous sport. My first partner, D’Artagnon and I made our debut as a team in the show ring in June of 1999 and I haven’t looked back since. I started training with Betsy Steiner then, and I still train with her today.

Equesse: Tell us about your horses.

Tami: I have an 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding named Rush Hour 4 and a 10-year-old Westfalen gelding named Fhilosopher. Rush Hour and I are competing at the grand prix level. By nature Rush Hour is a very high-strung horse, and in the past he has been very tense in the ring. This is his first season at grand prix, and he has limited show experience to begin with. So we are working at his coping with the stress, and I am really pleased with his progress. It is a process with him and I am finding it very rewarding. Fhilosopher has grand prix potential and is a very elegant horse with a tremendous amount of charisma and talent.

Equesse: You obviously have to do a lot of research for your books, how do you accomplish that?

Tami: There’s nothing like hands-on research. I always learn something, and often pick up some unexpected detail that will later prove important in a book. Over the years, I have done a lot of hands-on research with various law enforcement agencies — from homicide detectives to sex crimes detectives to the FBI. I recently went to a fundraising auction and bid on and won the chance to ride with the Palm Beach Sheriff for a day. It’s great research for future books.

Equesse: What would you say to women who want to ride but because of family, time or financial obligations can’t fit it into their schedules.

Tami: It isn’t always easy to squeeze in time for our needs, but as women we truly need to. For me, horses are my passion away from my work; they are my joy, refuge, therapy, salvation and comfort. Several years ago I was thrown from a sale horse and broke my back in five places. While I was recuperating, I didn’t know if I would ever be able to ride again, and certainly didn’t know if I would be able to ride at the Grand Prix level. I discovered that it wasn’t the excitement of competition, or the thrill of winning a big class, that I would have missed if the accident had kept me from getting back in the saddle. What I would have missed the most would have been the partnership with my horses. The day-in-day-out work with a horse that builds an understanding and trust between you. As women, we need that.

Equesse: Your horse life has had a few upsets, including losing your wonderful mare Coco Channel.

Tami: Sadly, Coco Channel was humanely eunthanized from a devastating spinal cord injury that occurred in a freak accident during the summer of 2007. Betsy Steiner helped me find Coco Channel in Germany, and even though I still mourn her loss I have beautiful memories of the mare that I call a “lady” and a “special one.” Every day with Coco was a joy. She could be very exuberant, and expressed herself with a sudden squeal and by springing with all four feet straight up off the ground — usually when I had her on the buckle!  When she landed, I would gather the reins, scold her a little, and she would walk on with the sweetest look on her face, as if she hadn’t done a thing wrong. Coco had never done a freestyle when I got her and at first she had reservations about it. When the music was added, Coco seemed to “get it” and I count riding freestyles on her as a highlight of our career together. My favorite memory will always be of our Pas De Deux with Betsy and Feliki (my other grand prix mare) at the Challenge of the Americas. Coco loved nothing more than the spotlight and a big audience — and Feliki is the same. It was such a blast to go out on that field and really let her shine. She was in her glory with a standing ovation.

Equesse: Your fans are eagerly awaiting your next thrilling and heart-stopping book, Deeper Than The Dead. Tell us about this next novel that is sure to keep us all on the edge of our seats.

Tami: Deeper Than The Dead, will arrive in bookstores on December 28, 2009. Set in 1985 in an idyllic California college town, Deeper Than The Dead opens with four children running through the woods and literally falling upon the body of a murder victim. The investigation is headed by hotshot young detective Tony Mendez, and joined by one of the FBI’s pioneers of criminal profiling, still a fledgling science at the time. Also drawn into the investigation is the children’s fifth grade teacher, Anne Navarre, who must protect her students and at the same time try to delve through family secrets that run Deeper Than The Dead.

For more information on Tami Hoag, or to see a list of her novels, visit her website at www.tamihoag.com.

Manhattan to the Mountains - Lisa Dee

How the heck did I get from there to here?

 

That seems to be the most burning question for people when they hear I moved from the fast paced metropolis of New York City where the world was at my fingertips to a remote piece of property in the southwest corner of Colorado where the nearest supermarket is an hour away.

 

Why did I move from there to here and what do I do now are the next questions that  seem to follow close on the heels of the first one.

 

In looking back I guess the simplest way to answer question number one is-I followed my heart.

 

Once I found it again.

 

Which was an entire journey in itself.

 

You see there I was, having the life that many dream of:

Single and living in one of the world’ most exciting cities. Recently divorced, this was my chance to start again. The world was my oyster. So why did I feel so sick?  If the truth be known I don’t like oysters. From an outsiders’s perspective I had it all. Great job, good health, some sassy outfits, freedom AND a good haircut to boot. 

The outside of me did not look half bad.

The inside of me was en entirely different story.

 

I was dead inside, crying out. No one was listening. Especially me.

I was lost, alone and my life was flying by in front of me with no way to touch it.

 

From the outside I was a successful, active entrepreneur. On the inside I was a lost girl scared out of my mind. None of my plans had work out. All of them best laid. To no avail. Wasn’t I just supposed to get a job, get married and live happily ever after? What happens now, since that plan didn’t work?

As I wandered the streets of New York, looking for meaning in shopping, dining, dating and working, my quiet desperation grew louder.

 

There had to be more to life. There had to be. But where was it?  I was smart. And successful. Right? Everyone kept telling me that. So why was this alluding me? I didn’t feel connected to people. Everyone was either incredibly happy which was painful to be around or looking for company to be miserable with. Which held no interest for me. I was miserable enough all by myself.

 

So now what?

 

Something deep inside me must have had a voice louder than the pain. A drive stronger than the deep sorrow of loss. Something deep inside me said-go find some horses.

 

WHAT?

 Here I was in the middle of New York City with a newly awakened, not to be shushed by logic, burning passion to ride horses. Where the heck did that come from? I mean, I had done my stint around horses as all little girls do, right? But that was a thing of the past. I had the photos and that was that, right? Apparently very wrong.

 

(THIS is what I mean about following my heart.)

 

So after I talked myself out of it several times, after examining all the millions of reasons why it was a bad idea to start a very expensive hobby requiring a force of nature to show up in the middle of this concrete jungle, once I woke up with a huge smile on my face for the first time in years because I KNEW this was the right thing to do for all the wrong reasons and had no idea why, once I realized it made me wildly happy because it WASN’T logical, it just felt right. Once all these steps had been acknowledged, I went to find my horse.

 

The rest, as they say, is history.

 

I found my horse, fell in love and started living again. Or actually started living for the first time in my life.  The difference? This time I was living from my heart. I decided to very gingerly touch my heart again and hear what it had to say. And the magical ride began. And has not stopped.

 

I followed my heart right in the hands, or shall I say hooves, of a beautiful and extremely smart Quarterhorse named Hakomi Banks. She had my number from the word go.

One day I woke up with my life perfectly figured out, then next it had caved in. Just  in time I was rescued by a four legged steed. I always thought they came with knights in shining armor. She seemed to know I wasn’t ready for that yet. She was about all I could handle.

 

I knew nothing about horses. The next thing I knew I was on my way to Colorado to learn everything about them. I was ready to quit my job and become a cowgirl right there on the spot. I had never felt more alive than I did when I was mucking and tending to a horse in the pouring rain who could have not cared less bout me. (Or so I thought. After all she was standing there in the rain right next to me.)

It was so good to feel. I had never been so happy. And I was never going back.

 

And with that realization, I began the transition. Oh, I would love to say I woke up, sold everything and moved my horse to Colorado. Truth is, I woke up and took one step, and then another, and then another. And at every step, I checked in with my heart. It was a new relationship-this one I had with myself, so I checked in a lot. And very slowly, step by step, I began to trust myself again. And it seemed just at the very right moment, Hakomi was right there, waiting with that inner knowing, of where we were going next.

 

The story of how we found our property in Colorado, accompanied by a young gelding by the name of Mikey, is for another time. But I do indeed live in Colorado, on a beautiful piece of property with my two horses, my dogs, my geese, my cats and yes, my knight in shining armor who showed up not to help me fill me heart (Hakomi had done that and then showed me how to do it for myself ) but to win it and  then cherish it.

 

I took my learnings and findings and created a equine experiential facility so others may also enjoy the ride of reconnection. I maintain my offices n New York and am living proof that you can indeed have it all. If you just follow your heart.  For it will never steer you wrong. Promise.

Oh, and if you misplaced your heart and need some help finding it again, come to the horses. The know exactly where to look.

 

 

Lisa Dee is a successful, vibrant entrepreneur and an avid natural horsewoman.

 

Her most recent creation, Vista Caballo, is an exclusive equine experiential center based in Dove Creek, Colorado. The center is dedicated to self- awareness, the development of human potential and personal growth.

Passionate and dedicated in her study of natural horsemanship, Lisa still studies with the best ‘whisperers’ in the country et, as always, she is a dedicated student of her best teachers - her horses.

 

An approved Epona instructor, Lisa is also a guest speaker at the Columbia School for Entrepreneurs and is the author of “You Can make An Ordinary Horse Beautiful: How To Make Every Relationship in Your Life A Happy One” and co-creator of the “The Way of the Horse” journal.

Ride of your Life

Throughout history, humans have used horsepower in many ways to improve their lives. However, on May 10, 2008, several people across North America used their horsepower to actually save lives.  The 2008 Equesse Ride of Your Life raised over $8,000 for the American Cancer Society and proved what can be accomplished when horsepeople come together and celebrate their love of horses.

The Equesse Ride of Your Life was a fundraising initiative for the American Cancer Society where horse enthusiasts dedicated their “horse-time” to fighting cancer.  Because it was an internet-based program, participants were able to choose their favorite horse-related activity or event to do on the day of the ride as their fundraiser.  Each person could be as creative as they wished in organizing their day or event, and they could dedicate their ride to loved ones who have faced cancer.

Last year, 17 year old Hillary King truly captured the spirit of the Ride of Your Life by organizing a group trail ride and fun day filled with horse-related activities for everyone in her small town, Texas community.  “We tried to come up with an event that would bring a lot of people from around our town,” explains Hillary.  “We have a lot of calf ropers, rodeo people and show people, and we thought a trail ride would be a good way to combine and include everyone.”

And it was.  With the support of The Bar-None Cowboy Church, the host-site of the event, Hillary and her parents, Tony and Missy King, put on a Texas-sized event filled with horsepower.  Activities such as a chuck wagon cookout, wagon rides, a live band, games and pony rides provided something for everyone to do and enjoy the day.  “You’re always surprised at how a community responds to something that is genuinely worthwhile,” Tony King describes about the success of Hillary’s event.  “Every family is touched by cancer in some way.  People turn up for the right things.  We were very pleased.”

“Each person that came out and registered, whether they themselves rode or not, filled out a badge in honor of a loved one who had been touched by cancer,” Missy King explains about a very special part of the day. “Then, each rider wore those badges on the trail ride.  Some riders had three or four badges.”

Many of those badges carried the name of one special man, the local equine veterinarian to whom Hillary dedicated her event, Dr. Lloyd Legg.  Dr. Legg has been battling a rare form of cancer for several years, but is definitely winning his fight.  “The American Cancer Society, through their support and funding has really made programs available to keep people like him in treatment,” explains Tony.  Dr. Legg and his family attended the event and shared a great day surrounded by fun, love and of course, horses.

In other parts of the country, participants chose to spend the day more quietly.  “That was the most wonderful thing about the day,” explains Ride of Your Life founder, Leah Juarez. “Because it was web-based, people could do whatever horse-related activity they enjoy the most, no matter how big or how small, from virtually anywhere in the world. They could personalize their web page, set their own fundraising goal and describe why they were participating in the ride.”  Leah continues, “We had so many people participate this year, and we were able to read so many beautiful stories.  Some raised as little as $10, while others like the Kings raised much more.  The most important thing this is that everyone was using their horsepower on that day to fight cancer.”  For example, Equesse Director and Designer, Debby Mudler, simply went for a quiet ride on her beloved Morgan gelding, Lucky.  She dedicated this “horse-time” to her friend and mentor, Morgan breeder, Joan Bowers, who lost her battle with cancer a few years ago.  Debby raised close to $500 from friends and family who supported her in doing something she truly loves.

Whatever the reason, and whatever the amount, participants in The 2008 Equesse Ride of Your Life celebrated their love of horses and showed how to use their passion to make a difference.  With a total of over $8,000 raised for the American Cancer Society, The Equesse Ride of Your Life is truly a testament to what horsepeople - and horsepower - can do.   The Kings aren’t done yet, however.  “We plan to do an all night event next year,” says Hillary, “with many more activities in addition to the trail ride.”  Tony adds, “We discussed setting up a course around the perimeter of the property at The Cowboy Church, and having a pony express-like set up, trading out horses and riders, so that someone is riding continuously for 24 hours.  That will provide a powerful visual - just seeing that horse and rider constantly at work.”   And, when it comes to fighting cancer, as many people and families know, there is still much work to be done.  Ride on, Hillary!

You can plan your own event for this year’s 2009 Equesse Ride of Your Life on Saturday, May 9, 2009!  Simply JOIN OUR TEAM by clicking the link below, and thank you for using your horsepower to fight cancer.

Equesse Ride of Your Life
Select JOIN OUR TEAM and get ready for The Ride of Your Life!