Meet Linda and Allen Anderson

Why do you say that horses are awe-inspiring spiritual beings and that they have missions?

As we gathered stories and did the research for this book, it became clearer to us that horses are sentient beings who make choices, display creativity, and show compassion and gratitude. They give service and fulfill their callings in ways that offer lessons to everyone who has ever wondered what their mission in life might be or how to follow their dreams. We found that horses are displaying spiritual qualities through their high levels of intelligence combined with free will. It surprised us to observe how well horses hide who they really are when they don’t want to be discovered. One of the reasons why the stories in this anthology are so valuable is that they give readers a glimpse into the secrets of horses. The contributors to this book discovered horse world and write about it compellingly so that the rest of us can experience hidden treasures.

The subjects of a story in your book about a special Hurricane Katrina survivor went viral on the Internet, landed in the New York Times, and were featured on CBS Evening News. Tell us about Molly, the three-legged pony giving hope to New Orleans. (“Molly, the Three-Legged Pony Who Gave Hope to New Orleans” by Kaye T. Harris, New Orleans www.mollythepony.com)

Kaye T. Harris worked tirelessly to rescue animals with MuttShack Animal Triage Center in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. She rescued a pony named Molly who had survived the storms and having a tree fall into her stall. After Kaye brought Molly to her ranch where she raises ponies, in a freak accident, a rescued dog chewed off Molly’s leg. With her loss of a leg, surgery, and prosthetic device, Molly inspired the people of New Orleans and admirers around the world. Now Molly and Kaye visit children’s hospitals, nursing homes, and other places that invite them to spread their message of hope.

A New Jersey social studies teacher made an incredible journey from New York to California on his dedicated horse to bring attention to the contributions of African Americans in history. Millions of school children and people followed them on the Internet. What did Miles J. Dean and horse Sankofa (san-KOH-fah) accomplish? (“Sankofa, the Horse Who Rewrote History” by Miles J. Dean, Piscataway, New Jersey, www.milesdean.com)

Sankofa, a wise-beyond-his-years stallion, made it possible for social studies teacher Miles J. Dean to complete a cross-country journey in tribute to African American ancestors. Miles had become frustrated with how little he found in his middle school history texts about African American contributions to the settling of America, especially during the era when horses were the main means of transportation. He had a dream of remedying this situation by riding a horse with stops along the way in thirteen states to be chronicled on a website that followed their progress. Millions of adults and schoolchildren followed their odyssey as Miles and Sankofa made history come alive.

An important part of our heritage is being lost as wild horses vanish from places where they have lived for centuries. What did Karen Sussman do to keep horses and history alive with the lead mare Diana and her rare Gila herd? (“Diana, the Saga of a Wild Horse” by Karen Sussman, Lantry, South Dakota, www.ispmb.org)

Karen Sussman, president of International Society for the Protection of Mustangs and Burros, tells the story of Diana and her rare Gila, Arizona herd of wild horses. Karen’s organization rescued the Gila herd and brought them to safety on a ranch near the Badlands on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation. Diana, the herd’s proud and resourceful lead mare protected her herd and taught great lessons of love and forgiveness. This story contains fascinating information about the reasons for preserving these magnificent wild horses that are part of America’s heritage and the historical and current factors that are driving them to extinction.

How did a horse’s belief in a severely disabled girl cause the child to speak for the first time and give hope to her mother? (“Butch, the Horse Who Believed in My Daughter” by Jodi Buchan, Bemidji, Minnesota)

Butch, a retired gelding worked with the Snow Mountain Ranch Therapeutic Riding program in Colorado. An intuitive and patient horse, he gave the gift of hope to Jodi Buchanan who had succumbed to experts’ opinions. They had caused her to stop believing her daughter Katie could rise above profound mental retardation. Ten-year-old Katie, with the help of Butch, said her first words ever while riding Butch for the first time and restored Jodi’s hopes for her child’s future.

What are some of the most unusual missions horses have?

In the introduction to Horses with a Mission we offer vignettes of horses who have found and fulfilled callings that most wouldn’t think a horse could do.

Cholla is a horse who paints with a brush, paint, and canvas in his pasture and has his artwork exhibited in fine galleries and wins art competitions.

Jeannie and Tim Clifford’s charity, Back in the Saddle Bit by Bit in Broomfield, Colorado, pairs injured military personnel with trained therapy horses, volunteers, and doctors to aid the soldiers’s recovery.

Stable Influence Charity Programs in Glendale, Arizona brought horses to an elementary school to help seventh graders improve their math by measuring the animals’ height and weight.

Guide Horse Foundation in Kittrell, North Carolina trains miniature horses to guide the blind and assist people who have physical disabilities.

The American Holistic Nurses Association in Dove Creek, Colorado pairs nurses with equine partners for exercises that help the nurses become more authentic and aware in their personal and professional lives.

Thumbelina, the world’s smallest horse makes more than 200 appearances annually at pediatric cancer units, burn centers, museums, and other public and private events and is driven in the Thumbymobile around the country.

Horses with a Mission: Extraordinary True Stories of Equine Service
By Allen and Linda Anderson
September 22, 2009 • Animals • Trade Paper
$14.95 • 288 pages • B&W Photos Throughout • ISBN: 978-1-57731-648-0

Meet Lynn Reardon

What I Learned from Saving Racehorses

Lynn Reardon is the founder and executive director of LOPE (LoneStar Outreach to Place Ex-Racers), a nonprofit racehorse adoption organization. Prior to her position at LOPE, she worked in nonprofit finance and administrative management in the Washington, D.C. area. She and her husband live outside of Austin, TX and her website is www.lopetx.org.

Why do ex-racehorses need help finding new homes? What would happen to them without places like your adoption ranch?

Most racehorses have been trained to run, but not to do anything else (like trail ride, jump or play polo). Plus racehorses have (usually unfair) reputations for being crazy, high-strung and impossible to retrain. People tend to shy away from choosing an ex-racehorse (especially one fresh from the track) as their next riding horse.

Another complication is that so many Thoroughbreds wash out of racing due to age, lack of speed, or injury every year. Stall space is limited at the racetracks and most trainers don’t own farms. There is no room to give an injured horse time to rest and heal. Most race trainers do their best to find homes for their horses — but the options can be limited. And the threat of auction (and “used horse” dealers) is never far away

Sometimes when a race trainer needs to move a horse quickly, horse dealers will move in, offering to buy the horse cheaply. The dealers usually then flip the horse at an auction for a fast profit. Auctions are the roulette of horse sale venues. Nice people attend these sales looking for reasonably priced horses — and so do less-pleasant individuals like rougher cowboys and meat dealers. Most racehorses, full of nervous energy and high spirits, rarely show well in crowded auction arenas, often scaring off the kinder, less-hardened bidders. They can be at risk for being bought by the meat dealers and sent to slaughterhouses in Mexico or Canada.

What are the top myths about ex-racehorses?

They never learn how to stop. At the track, the racing saddles are incredibly light (a few pounds) with tiny, short stirrups. Jockeys perch on their toes only; their seat and legs don’t make contact with the horse. Their main form of communication (and control) with their mount is through the reins. Racing reins are thick and heavy, nearly three times the size of regular reins. The jockey will often pull back on the reins, in a challenging manner, to urge the horse to run harder. So, to a racehorse, pulling back on the reins often means “go.” But to non -racing riders pulling back on the reins means “whoa.” You can see where the ex-racehorse and average rider might soon have a very uncomfortable misunderstanding on this point.

They are high-strung. The Thoroughbred has been bred selectively for its speed and ability to be trained. Without the inherent intelligence required to accept training at a young age and perform at high levels, no horse (no matter how fast) could be competitive at racing. This innate sensitivity, so important for successful racehorses, is often misinterpreted as a sign of hyperactive temperament. Thoroughbred champions are also like any other winning athlete – they tend to be proud, confident and somewhat prone to diva behavior. They don’t respond well to heavy handed treatment or force. A rider accustomed to less sensitive and more docile mounts may soon find his usual technique doesn’t go over well with an ex- racehorse. Also, horses still actively racing are on high energy feed, supplements and sometimes even legal steroids. If you take a horse straight off the track and expect him to suddenly be ready to trail ride at the walk – without giving him time to change his diet and adjust to his new lifestyle – you are setting the horse up for failure (and yourself for a very uncomfortable ride).

They are crazy and dangerous. What people usually mean by this is “I don’t understand my ex-racehorse, he’s so unpredictable.” Track horses are trained differently than regular riding horses. In some ways, they can seem very sophisticated – for example, they are often comfortable with the bustle of a track environment that includes large equipment, bright lights and crowd noises. Most racehorses are handled daily for hoof cleaning, grooming, bathing, mane clipping and so on. They are trailered frequently and can be quite relaxed for “road trips.” But on the flip side, there are many experiences that racehorses aren’t accustomed to, such as being near dogs (they aren’t allowed at any racetrack), standing still for mounting (jockeys are hoisted up into the tiny racing saddle as the horse walks off) or steering easily (racehorses run in a fairly straight line, other than rounding the large curves of the track oval). Most people expect a well trained riding horse to be consistent in its reactions – if they don’t understand the context of a racehorse’s training, they will be disturbed by a Thoroughbred that barely glances at a scary bulldozer, but bolts at the sight of a beagle. Or an ex-racehorse that standing quietly for the farrier and vet, but leaps sideways when someone mounts him.

Why don’t all racehorses with famous ancestors run fast?

This is a question that has tormented race breeders and handicappers for centuries. Horses are individuals and tend to be greater (or smaller) than the sum of their bloodlines. Some of the best racehorses came from average pedigrees. The most expensive (and well bred) racehorse ever, The Green Monkey, had a price tag of $16M as an unraced youngster. He turned out to be a true coach potato on the track.

As Seabiscuit and Seattle Slew both demonstrated, a champion revels in not just winning the race but also in beating his opponents. Competitive fire still comes down to each horse’s individual personality and drive. This is what truly makes racing great – the unpredictable nature of each horse and how it will respond when the starting gate clangs open.

Do you get attached to the horses (is it hard to see them leave)?

I do get attached – but it’s kind of like being a kindergarten teacher. You love all the kids in your class and miss them when they leave. But it would be wrong to hold them back – the time comes when they must graduate to their next level of accomplishment (or in the horses’s cases, their next vocation under saddle). You also are aware that there is a new group of kids heading your way – it’s their turn to be in your kindergarten class now. However, even with this sensible attitude, I still managed to adopt three of the horses myself. I’ve found that it’s emotionally dangerous to ride any of the horses too often – a bond develops after that 10th or 12th ride that can be hard to undo.

Lightening Ball, Tulsa Mambo and Kissin Sally Falls all were able to convince me that they needed to stay here at the LOPE Ranch. Lightening Ball is a moody, opinionated horse – he kept scaring off adopters until I finally figured out that he liked being my pleasure riding horse. Tulsa Mambo has the best sense of humor I’ve ever encountered in a horse, he charmed me into long term employment here. Sally and I had many memorable rides together. When it was time to list her for adoption, I just couldn’t do it – we had bonded into a team. All three of these horses help me with LOPE’s work in some way: ponying other horses, providing herd boss services or appearing at local clinics as an example of a quiet ex-racehorse.

Is it really possible for adult beginners to learn how to ride well (especially ex-racehorses)?

I think so, though I would recommend a less spastic route than the one I took. The key difference between adult and juvenile beginners is that adults know the potentially painful consequences of failure. They are more likely to tense up, to feel self conscious, and to project a negative “what if” scenario in the their minds. Horses immediately pick up on these reactions and mirror them back to the rider, often in unpleasant ways.

For an adult beginner, it’s important to build your confidence with lots of horse handling on the ground (so you can understand their reactions better), regular riding sessions, a good instructor and maybe a fitness plan. My riding improved quickly once I was doing more cardio work and mild weight lifting. Horses are physical creatures – they are very attuned to the physical presence and confidence of their rider.

The biggest principle to keep in mind is that horses, like people, are individuals. Many ex-racehorses (especially the ones that were too slow) make very suitable mounts for adult novices – once they’ve had some post-track let down time and retraining. We’ve seen especially mellow souls become therapeutic riding horses, children’s lesson horses and novice rider trail mounts – it all depends on each horse’s personality.

Who was your most memorable adoptee?

Tawakoni, the stallion and son of Grindstone (a Kentucky Derby winner), is definitely one of the most memorable adoptees. I had never handled a stallion before; several people advised me to geld him immediately. They warned me that a stallion would attack the other horses as well as me. When I took care of Tawakoni, I noticed how intelligent and kind he was – and how beautifully he was conformed. It just seemed wrong to geld him, even though it went against traditional rescue ethos to leave a horse as a stallion.

As I pondered this dilemma, the perfect adopter appeared, the owner of a family breeding operation for show horses. Her stallion had just died – and Tawakoni soon took his place. He now resides at one of the most beautiful ranches I’ve ever seen in the Texas Hill Country – and has bloomed into a confident, sweet sire of elegant show horse babies. Tawakoni was a living contradiction to all the negative perceptions I’d had of stallions – he and his new owner have taught me a great deal about not jumping to equine conclusions too quickly.

What did you have to give up in order to do this work?

I make a lot less money that I used to when I had a more traditional career. However, my income reduction has been balanced by a change in my personal spending habits. When I worked at a job that I didn’t like, I spent lots of money on expensive recreational activities on weekends. I wasn’t happy in general and because of that I was much more careless with finances at home. Now much of my work involves my favorite activities – so there’s no longer any need to go on that extravagant vacation or buy lots of shoes I never wear. This simplification of my lifestyle has helped make up for the income gap. I’ve also given up the idea of a big house, fancy car and lots of furniture as being symbols of success – in fact, my idea of a successful day or career or life has changed considerably since I opened the ranch. But this feels like a gain, rather than a loss.

I guess I’ve also given up the idea of being able to drop everything and travel the world at an instant’s notice (a longstanding fantasy of mine). A ranch full of ex-racehorses in need of rehab, retraining or emotional therapy does tend to tie you down a bit. I try to keep myself refreshed by taking some short trips every year, for a few days here and there. It’s not the same as spending a year teaching in China – but, on the other hand, my wanderlust has faded since I’ve found such meaningful work here with the horses.

How do you raise funds for the adoption program? Who supports you?

Even though I’m not a very experienced fundraiser, LOPE has been fortunate to be supported by many groups and individuals in the racing industry and horse world. Our largest support comes from the LOPE Founders Circle, a group of special funders who give LOPE $8,000 annually toward our annual budget. Our Founders include foundations, racetracks, an online horse community and individual race owners and horse lovers.

— continued —
We receive numerous donations from the general public, from people who hear about our work and want to help sponsor a horse, hold a fundraising drive or donate some hay. LOPE holds some annual fundraisers such as a benefit horse show each spring and an online silent auction each December. We filming a DVD in fall 2009 on how to retrain racehorses – our plan is to sell the DVD to help raise funds for the horses. My main form of fundraising outreach is to simply tell the ex-racehorses’s stories, their racing history, their personality quirks, their quest to find a new career after the homestretch.

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

Beyond the Homestretch: What I Learned from Saving Racehorses
By Lynn Reardon
November 23, 2009 • Animals • Cloth
$23.95 • 320 pages • ISBN-13: 978-1-57731-580-3

Meet Pamela Gossiaux

Speaker and author of the book Why Is There a Lemon In My Fruit Salad? – How To Stay Sweet When Life Turns Sour, Pam Gossiaux gives us insight into how fulfilling a life with horses can be.

What was your childhood experience with horses?  Were you a horse-crazy kid?  What about your parents – did they recognize this interest?

                One of my earliest memories includes a horse.  My parents used to read to me a lot, cuddling me in the rocking chair and reading for hours, but the book that stands out in my mind the most is “The Horse Who Couldn’t Neigh”  It was just a short book, appropriate for preschool age, but I remember it above all the others.  There was also my rocking horse, which I spent hours and hours riding across the kitchen floor.

                I must have been born with a natural love for horses.  We lived in the city, a suburb of Detroit, and my parents weren’t horse people. Other than the occasional trips to K-Mart to ride the ponies that the carnies would bring into the parking lot once or twice a year, I didn’t have any early exposure to real horses, but I loved them deeply.

                When I was five, the family started taking Sunday drives out into the country.  My grandpa promised me that some day he would buy a farm and get me a pony.  It took four more years, but I clung to that dream and at the age of nine, he brought home Trixie to live at his farm.  I spent countless hours with that old pony, drinking in her scent, brushing her until she shown, laying on her back and reading books during lazy summer afternoons. 

 

                I had read every horse book available and was crazy about the story of Misty of Chincoteague.  My parents took me to that small island on vacation that summer, where the story of Misty and Pony Penning Day became real before my eyes.  I was head over heels in love with horses and that just propelled me over the edge.  My parents respected my passion  - or maybe they just knew that I had no choice, that horses had chosen me - and enrolled me in riding lessons.  When Trixie got sick and we lost her, they let me put my allowance savings towards a Palomino Pinto horse. Billy was a 4-H show horse, and I enrolled in 4-H and began my showing career.      

               Eventually, my parents bought 10 acres and built a barn so Billy could come home to live with us.  Meanwhile, I had read every Black Stallion book in the series and my new dream was to own a black Arabian.  Down the street from us was an Arabian horse farm and I went down there one day and asked if I could have a job cleaning stalls.  They not only hired me, but let me play with the foals!  I was in horse heaven!  I walked in a dream those days, surrounded by my own horse, about 60 of their horses, the tons of models I collected, the posters in my room, my books…. I guess you could say I was almost obsessed.  I played with Barbie dolls as a girl but only so I’d have someone to run the farm of model horses.  I gave up Homecoming at school one year to attend a horse show.  Instead of spending my day getting ready for my prom, I went to a model horse show, then came home, dressed quickly and went out. I followed horse racing, horse showing - anything that involved horses. Over the years the owners of the Arabian horse farm taught me to ride professionally, and let me begin to show their horses.  I learned Western, Hunt, Saddle Seat and dressage.

 

As an adult, how did horses fit into your life as you were deciding on your writing career and throughout your education?  

My life decisions have evolved around my horses.  I guess you could say instead of trying to fit horses into my life, I have tried to fit my life around horses. When I went to college I chose to live at home and commute so I could be near my mare.  By then Billy was gone, but during college I sold off my other horse, Shazahn, who I had raised from a baby, and only kept Fanci Free.  I just didn’t have the time to take care of both horses then.  I started up a business where I traveled to farms and trained horses for others and gave riding lessons.  That’s how I paid my way through college.  I also had a brief stint as a horse show judge, but I decided I’d rather be ON the horse in the show ring, than judging the class!

What was your family structure like at the time when you were bringing the horses into your adult life?  Married?  Kids?

I have always had horses.  There’s a standing joke in my family that when I got married my dad told me he would keep my mare for one year, and then I had to move her. I guess my parents still support my horse passion because I’ve been married 19 years and my parents still have my mare!  I only live five minutes away so I get over to see her often, but due to many circumstances we haven’t been able to move to a farm of our own yet.  My dad also planted a tree in front of the barn door so I couldn’t bring in any more horses.  But there have been a few that have come and gone.  My husband just accepted a horse-crazy woman as part of the marriage contract!  As far as kids, I heard it said that a new mother disappears for about two years, and I’ve found that to be true.  When my sons were very small, there wasn’t much time for horses.  I’d go over and pet my mare, brush her, and that would be about it.  But as they’ve grown older they love to spend time with her and ride her.  I dug out my old horse models and stable (which I had kept!) and we play with those at home.  I read horse books to them.  Now, my oldest son, age 9, is dreaming of a pony of his own some day.

You mentioned one special horse that is still in your life.  Can you tell us about her?

Fanci Free is a soul mate.  There’s an incredible bond that mothers have with children, and there’s my wonderful bond with my husband, but through all of that I’ve found that my heart is big enough to still fit in horses.  I bought Fanci she was just a baby.   I was 12 at the time and working at the Arabian horse farm, and she was one of their fillies.  She cost me $1500 and it took me over a year to pay for her, but I paid for every penny myself.  She wasn’t a black Arabian as I had dreamed of, but she was and still is my beautiful, white Arabian mare.  I trained her myself, showed her, tried unsuccessfully to breed her, and have had her by my side for 29 years. She was with me through middle school and turbulent teenage years. She has been there through my college career, marriage, birth of my sons, and through my own serious illnesses.  She’s a constant in my life.  She’s gentle and sweet and we know each other.  I can sit on her and just think “canter’ and she prepares to go into that gait.  Sometimes, when she lies down, I curl up with her in her stall and she sleeps with her head on my lap.  I know where all of her itchy spots are, and she knows my voice and my touch.  We trust each other unconditionally.  When I put my arms around her and breathe in her scent, it’s like coming home.  No matter how bad of a day I’ve had, or how I am feeling, when my face is buried in her neck it transports me to a safe place, and for that moment, everything is okay.

 

 

What do you think it is about horses in general that captures your heart?

 It’s definitely beyond the physical.  It’s more of a spiritual connection.  When I am around horses I can “feel” them, and somehow, in a way that even I don’t even understand, they make me feel complete. It’s this deep inner peace and joy. They are beautiful, they are powerful and yet they invite us into their lives so honestly and completely.  It sounds crazy but I think if I didn’t have horses in my life a part of me would die.

What have been some of your biggest challenges in your life, and how have horses helped you through them?

My adult life has seen some tough challenges, so much that I wrote an entire book about coping! I have had some pretty serious health problems, but when you are forced to go outside and muck stalls or empty water buckets, you’ve just gotta do it.  I think the responsibility of horses doesn’t allow you to wallow in self-pity.  There was a time, though, when I was physically unable to care for my horse, and my parents stepped in and did all the work.  Sometimes I would just take a chair down to the pasture and sit with my mare. Just her presence helped me through. My husband still lifts hay bales when I can’t.  I have had a lot of support from family, and without that I wouldn’t have been able to keep my horse. 

But also, I think having such a strong passion for something gives me a focus and something joyful to think about during the rough times. Horses truly get my heart pumping and give me that “butterflies in my stomach” feeling, like being in love.  They make me happy.

My other biggest challenge is that my husband and youngest son are both very allergic to horses.  My husband didn’t develop his horse allergies until a few years after we were married.  He is so bad that I have to change clothes and wash up after petting my horse or I can’t even be around him.  It has been tough and taken the spontaneity out of my horse life.  I always have to go prepared with a change of clothes and a way to wash my hands!  But still, he supports my love of horses and my need to be close to them. A gal can’t ask for more than that!

 

What have been some of your biggest joys?

Raising a few foals to adulthood.  Connecting with and training horses others couldn’t.  Just to see the horse succeed and trust a human again is a big joy.  Riding with wild abandon on my mare around the pasture at a gallop with neither saddle nor bridle…just steering with my touch.  My kids.  Always my kids.  I love everything about them - their smell, their touch, their laughter.  One of my greatest joys has been introducing them to horses. I learned to ride - I mean really ride well - on my mare Fanci and now my oldest son is learning to ride on her.  I’m sharing a trusted friend with my son and I finally have someone who is just as crazy about her as I am!

 

What is your goal/mission with your writing career?

My book, Why Is There a Lemon In My Fruit Salad, is about facing the tough times in life and getting through them.  Because I’ve been through a lot, I’ve put my story down on paper.  I learned to find joy when my circumstances in life weren’t happy.  I learned to find inner peace when my life was in chaos.  I learned that love is often a choice, not just a feeling.  I started out with a degree in creative writing, wanting to pen fiction, but circumstances in my life have taken me in other directions.  I have been a journalist for 15 years sharing people’s lives through feature stories, and more recently an author, with a primary purpose of reaching out to people.  My writing career has also turned me into a motivational/inspirational speaker.   Horses feature prominently in my writing, but my books are also Christian spirituality in content.

 

I have been on book tours, at speaking engagements, on the radio - and it seems that whereever I go or whatever audience I am talking to, there are people who can relate to the horse stories I share in my book.  Animals, it seems, and horses in particular, touch a special part deep inside a person.  They are something that we can all connect to and immediately relate with.  How many times, when you first meet a person and realize they love horses, do you suddenly feel a connection?

What is some advice for women who love horses?

Do whatever you have to do to feed that dream.  You can be a working woman, or mother, or wife or caretaker and still make room for horses in your life.  Even if you can’t own a horse there are so many ways to come into contact with them through volunteer work or riding lessons or more.  Surround yourself with the essence of everything horsy.  For me, even just walking into a tack store or leafing through a horse magazine gives me a horsy high.  If horses are part of what feeds your spirit, grab onto them with both hands and don’t let go.

To learn more about Pam and her books, visit:  www.pamelagossiaux.com

Meet Debra Gehrke

Meet Debra Gehrke of In Horse Harmony.  In this interview, Debra describes being a horse-crazy little girl who always dreamed of having horses, and how that dream continues to unfold in her life today.

What was your childhood experience with horses?  Were you a horse-crazy kid?  What about your parents - did they recognize this interest?

My childhood experience with horses was very unique.  My entire experience with them lived in my imagination.  Other than having a couple of toy horse models (and I mean a couple, not every make, model and size as many other girls had!) and my “Wonder Horse” - a rocking horse that I galloped off into the sunset with every chance I got; my childhood horse experience dwelled solely in my imagination.  I really can’t remember if I ever even attempted to share my horse dreams with anyone.  I think even at my young age I had a clear sense that the timing wasn’t right for me to have “real life” experiences and so I would just be patient to wait.
The interesting thing that I remember is that when ever I would feel lonely or challenged by something, my imaginary horse life would appear and suddenly every thing was OK.  I remember feeling so calm, reassured, protected and nurtured in these spaces.

When I was 10 my Dad passed away after a challenging battle with cancer.  He was only 32 years old.  My Mom was 30 at the time, alone with 3 lovely girls, me being the eldest.  This was a trying time for all of us.  I was very close to my Daddy; he was often willing to be my horsey!  :0)  I remember riding around on his back…such sweet memories.  When he passed I remember often going into my dream space (awake or sleeping, it didn’t matter).  There I would connect with nature, with the birds, the trees, the flowers, streams…meadows…and always horses.  This picture soothed me and helped me to feel complete.  I’m so grateful for those times.  Many people work their whole lives to be able to reach a state of peace and calm through meditation.  I learned early on how to go there…it was just natural; no one taught me…it was just there.  Now I cherish that as one of the best gifts I ever received.  The natural world is so much a part of my being.  It’s who I am on the inside.  It’s why I connect and relate with horses the way I do.  They’re a part of me and I of them.  I think that’s why it didn’t matter so much that they weren’t a part of my physical experience at that time.  I never really thought about it that way…that I was missing something…I wasn’t.  The horses and all of nature were with me all the time.

I did have the opportunity for the occasional trail ride experience between the ages of 10 and 12.  One particular experience was pretty incredible.  I’ve written an article about it and have shared it with my close horsey friends…and now I can share it with you! Here’s a link to the article, it’s called “Life Lessons with a Horse Named Booger”  (that will tell you something right there!): http://www.inhorseharmony.com/life-lessons-with-a-horse-named-booger/

You mentioned that you didn’t pursue your love of horses until you were an adult.  Explain how they came into your life - or, better yet, how you came into theirs!
What was your family structure like at this time?  Married?  Kids?
How did/does your husband, Mark, feel about horses?

Other than constantly dreaming about horses, gazing longingly at them in pastures as we drove along country sides and a few pretty spectacular trail rides, horses didn¡¯t fully come into my daily experience until we moved our family (husband-Mark, daughter Alea 18 and son Destin 13) to Kauai in 2003.  I was then 37!  I waited a LONG time!

We’re a home schooling family and my son and I found an apprentice program that a local ranch was offering; we could go and learn about the horses while helping to care for them, get them ready for rides, take care of the paddocks (that’s right, lots of scooping horse apples!), etc.  In exchange for helping with all the chores and for being good students caring for the horses we were given lessons, both ground and riding.  I was IN HEAVEN!!  Our son, Destin liked it too…for a time and then he decided raising chickens was more to his liking than being with horses…but that¡¯s another story entirely!  :0)  I was like an eager sponge…takin g in everything I could from a learning perspective.  It was interesting because intuitively, inside me, I already felt as though I’d been doing this forever.  I¡¯m deeply sensitive, highly aware and oh so tuned in with the horses…and they sensed this in me as well.  My challenge was in connecting that with the practical fact that when it came to technique I had nothing!  I knew that was a challenge I could overcome.  I could learn the techniques and they would gel beautifully with what I already “knew” intuitively.  And that’s exactly the way it went.  I’m forever grateful to Dale, my first mentor and teacher.  Dale was a gift t o me.  She allowed the world of horses to open up to me in a way that was so very perfect for my being.

The horses at the ranch, all 14 of them, plus 4 ponies were wonderful teachers.  Each bringing me a different, very valuable lesson to learn.  I soon became the leader of the apprentice program.  This was amazing as I had been delivered two of my very favorite ¡°things¡± in one package…I could work with kids AND horses at the same time.  Life is good!

My husband Mark is deeply nature connected.  He grew up in the country, had critters…even a persnickety pony, I’m told.  He worked on a farm for some neighbors while growing into his teens and had some not so great experiences with horses there.  So, while he wasn’t exactly sure what to make of my desire to be with horses he’s an incredibly loving and supportive being and he encouraged me every step of the way.  The wonderful thing there is that through my experience he could gently approach horses in as casual a way as fit his comfort and little by little he’s come to know their wisdom, grace, gentleness and love as I have.  His experie ntial preference will probably always be more on the vicarious side…but always supportive, that’s for sure.  One never knows…we’ll leave that door open as the dreams continue to flow into our path!

When did you realize that you were going to pursue/include your passion for horses as a career?  Was there a conscious decision making point?

While working at the ranch I decided I wanted to explore this horse/human connection further.  I researched much on the internet and prayed that another teacher would appear for me…someone just for me, someone who appreciated the true nature and spirit of the horse as I did…someone that would be aligned with my philosophy and gentle nature.  I found Franklin Levinson.  His work resonated so very deeply.  I read his articles of his experiences and I felt as though I was reading my own words on the page.  I knew I had to travel to Colorado to experience his “Way of the Horse” course.  I spent an entire week with Franklin; just he and I and a vast variety of horses at several different ranches.  Now I was hooked!  It was at that time that I knew that this connection that had been breathing in me for forever had found its place to connect and become realized in my waking life.

During my time with Franklin I realized that a part of my life’s work would be in sharing the wisdom and love of horses, the connection and bond that is there between us, and the unique field of trust and respect built on true, unconditional love that grows infinitely deep ever more.  I didn’t know exactly what shape or form this would take…but I knew that I wanted to breathe that essence into my own life and also to serve by sharing it with others.  It was this feeling that prompted the creation of In Horse Harmony (www.inhorseharmony.com Dancing in Partnership with Horse and Human).

Another passion of mine is media.  I’ve always relished the idea of being the “Good News Girl”.  In college I studied broadcasting for awhile as I thought I could change the face of media and tell the good news for a change.  We owned our own award winning salon, spa, cafe and eco-store for 14 years before moving to Kauai.  During the latter seven years I had my own live makeover show on Fox 11 every Monday morning.  I had manifested a way to deliver good news!  Now, I continue that trend with our website/blogs.  I can filter my passion for good news, ma king a difference in the world we live in AND bring the horse/human connection to everyone on the planet through podcasting.

I started with interviewing Franklin and some other wonderful people…and then Franklin mentioned I would do well to connect with Anna Twinney.  (Enter my next incredible teacher/mentor and friend!)  I interviewed Anna many times, LOVED her energy and work immediately…audited and captured her clinic on video with Mark on Maui…and now, since moving to Colorado almost a year ago, Anna and I have teamed up co-hosting a show together called, “Reach Out on In Horse Harmony”.  (A great combination of her “Reach Out to Horses” and our “In Horse Harmony”)  We’ve interviewed some amazing people…one of the best being you, Leah…Equesse’s very own! :0)

What is your goal/mission with In Horse Harmony?  Earth Harmony Home?

In addition to In Horse Harmony we also have Earth Harmony Home, (www.earthharmonyhome.com ~ It’s Your World, Dream It…BE it!) a collective project for my husband and I.  We host podcasts on the site as well as some of Mark’s original poetry and nature mandala artwork.  Mark is an avid blogger and also posts other shared material that he finds particularly inspiring.

I do this because it’s my passion; I enjoy it!  My desire is that others are touched by what we bring to them and that if only in some small way their lives are better for it.  Our intention is to assist others in sharing their brilliance with the world.  The world wide web allows us to connect with our brothers and sisters across the planet in a way we may not be afforded with out it.  Through the web we connect, creating a bridge of understanding, hope and love.  That’s my mission with these projects as with any thing I do in my life.  I see myself as a bridge of connection.  I want to come from my passion, utilizing my gifts and talents to serve all of humanity and all sentient beings in our natural world…with JOY in FUN!
At this point these projects are hobbies, labors of love.  We’ve been talking about creating a business model for them.  Our shows are very well received.  I love interviewing, connecting in deep conversation.  People generally recognize something powerful and different during an interview experience with me and I appreciate the gift of communication that I’ve been given.  I’m open to seeing the work we’re doing evolve into a more full time experience that generates income and continues to feed my creative nature.

What have been some of your biggest challenges in your life with horses?

My greatest challenge is with myself being patient in waiting for “my someday” when I can wake up and the first thing I see if I look out the window is a happy herd and nature rolling green and awake as far as the eye can see.

What have been some of your biggest joys?

Joys…ahhhh!  Sharing breath, lying beside Hanalei for an afternoon nap, seeing the joy in children’s eyes when they connect with horses, bathing and grooming, smelling like horse poop and sweat–the fruit of a good day, “dancing” in the glow of the late afternoon sun, feeling their majestic presence, laughing with their goofiness, dreaming about the next time we’re together…each and every moment with horses!

What is some advice for women who love horses?

Remember that you never know how things will show up in your life…just when you least expect it wonders can flow in.  Be open to all possibilities, be limitless in your thinking and vast in your creativity.  Allow the world to open to your dreams.  Know that time is just an illusion…create the time and space you need.

Our path has always been blessed with support and goodness.  Even in the face of challenges we’re grateful as there are lessons we’re learning.  We’re strong believers that as long as we follow our dreams and we’re willing to “show up” authentically with integrity that all we ever desire is ours.  We shape and create our destinies daily in each and every moment.  It’s this experience I offer as advice to others only because I know it’s working for me.  Follow your bliss, listen to nature, allow the flow to embrace you…and just BE with the horses…allow their presence to fill your heart, listen to their voice of truth and wisdom…br eathe their breath of ONE-ness and LOVE.  Allow for as many moments of this magic as you can to spill into your life in as many expressions as your creativity can bring.  Treasure every moment and be in deep gratitude for each and every blessing.

Meet Candace Craw-Goldman

Equesse is very honored to feature the photography of Candace Craw-Goldman in our Ride of Your Life fundraising event for The American Cancer Society.  We had the opportunity to ask Candace some questions about her life with horses, and learn a little more about how she draws her inspiration from these beautiful animals.

Describe your childhood experience with horses…

What a great question.

I believe I must have had an equine gene programmed in me before my birth!

My very first memory in life is that of a horse. I was 18 months old and was being pushed in a stroller along a road in a Japanese village on the island of Okinawa. My father was stationed at the Air Force Base there in 1962. I saw an old wooden cart being pulled by a small grey horse. Oh my! What was that incredible creature? I was absolutely mesmerized by the sight of that magnificent animal and wanted nothing more the rest of my life rather than to be near horses.

At the age of 8, after what seemed like a lifetime of drawing horses, talking horses, dreaming horses, waiting and hoping and praying and begging my parents for a horse and running outside to the driveway on every likely gift giving occasion looking for one, I finally finally got my wish. My dad bought me a 100 dollar welsh cross pony named Hershey and my life instantly turned to bliss.

I rode that pony for hours and hours and for miles and miles (alone!) and brushed her shiny and braided flowers in her mane and fed her sugar cubes and slept on her back backwards with my face on her rump as she grazed on the clover in our backyard. I played cowboys and Indians with the boys in the neighborhood or just took off for whole afternoons by myself on the Kansas prairie. Having to move and sell this pony when I was 11 can still bring a tear to my eye, and that was 35 years ago.

I rode whenever I could thereafter, on the beach in Florida, in the woods in Germany, but not until I was 15 did I have another horse to call my own. I got an after school job and as soon as I had 375 dollars in my pocket I went horse shopping!!. The very first quarter horse mare I sat on I rode home, and she was one of the best horses I have ever ridden before or since. I fondly remember a family friend laughing at me that my interest in my mare “Money” would wane once I started to date boys. I thought to myself how utterly wrong she was, that I would ALWAYS love horses and need them in my life and I was right.

Do you recall making a conscience decision as an adult to pursue your passion for horses?

OH yes. As a young married couple with young children, we had no budget for horses and I was miserable without them. Things got better though, and when my youngest was about to enter first grade and a full day of school I started looking for a horse. Within a couple of weeks I was foxhunting in beautiful Chester County Pennsylvania!

What is the biggest impact horses have had on your life?

I have trail rode, cut buffalo, foxhunted, jumped, barrel raced, done amateur rodeo, roped, tried cowboy mounted shooting, rode in parades and learned mounted search and rescue on my horses. I am currently cart-training a miniature donkey and training an unbroken mare and her filly. The adventures with horses never end and I love having them in my life, there is always so much to learn and so much gratification and just plain pure FUN because I love to go fast on a horse!

Communicating with a horse, and having him work with you is almost indescribable. How amazing is it that you can climb on the back of a 1200lb animal and have him run or leap or jump or swim with his powerful body and be able to experience that power with him as a partner?

Looking at a tree in the path 20 yards out while cantering down a trail and deciding together, silently with your horse which direction to go around it before ever reaching the tree. That is magic. Walking in a pasture and having the horse through its back tell you there is dog nearby is magic too. Having the horse tell you the next day the same pasture has a rutting deer in it, is even more magical. Having a horse trust you when you say with the muscles in your legs that its OK to ride by something that his nature tells him to run away from as fast as possible is rather a wonderful feeling. Feeling a horse trip and having them do their best not to lose you off of their back is another amazing thing as well. These things and more, keep horses in my life.

What is the involvement/feelings of other key people in your horse-life?

With horses, you can never know everything, and that is where networking with other horse people comes into play. Everyone has bits of information to share with others that is valuable, whether or not they are equine professionals. For instance I was able to share some knowledge with my own vet about a mold that a certain type of landscape grass common in our area that makes horses sick. It is also fun to participate in horse activities with others who love these animals as much as I do.

Of course being a painter and photographer, horses play a huge role in my life as an image maker. I try hard to capture the essence of the spirit of the horse in my photographs and art work.

Do you have any suggestions/words of wisdom for women with a horse-passion?

If you cannot afford a horse of your own there are ways to have them in your life for little or no money. Most of my horse-friends would dearly love to have some occasional help around the barn or pasture in exchange for some riding or a lesson or two. I know I would!