Post by Calaminty Jane on Jan 17, 2012 12:41:40 GMT -5
Hello Everyone!
I hope this update finds you all happy, healthy and looking forward to the new year!
Lets see....It's been 10 months since I've left the New England area. As most of you know, I had been offered an unbelievable opportunity in the Midwest. The move has me living 20 miles from my Mom and 35 miles from my Dad. It has been absolutely wonderful to be near my family again after 22 years of living in MA.
Over the summer months here at The Natural Gait (www.thenaturalgait.com ) I've enjoyed living in the valley next to The Yellow River. The bluffs that surround the property here are just gorgeous. The wild life here is just beautiful. Deer out my back door, bald eagles raising their young along the river. I never thought a person could get that close to deer before! They are EVERYWHERE! During the Fall it looked like multicolored yarn balls dotting the bluffs along the Yellow and Mississippi Rivers. The sunrises and sunsets are beautiful. For the first time in my life I caught glimpses of the Northern Lights! It happened one night on the way back home from visiting my cousin. It was magical. I had always heard of the Northern Light show...and I guess it was my turn to see some of it. The winter has been really weird this year with the mild temperatures. Oh sure, we've had some cold snaps. But nothing like last year so I'm told.
Last summer I gave some clinics here at The Natural Gait. I have done bridleless riding to music demonstrations on Journey for the public. Isis is my lesson horse here. She's been a big help in teaching confidence to riders who aren't sure about horses. She has been a big hit with the kids. Journey, I save him for higher level riders, yes...kids too...who are ready to learn about energy and how it affects horses.
During the summer if I wasn't riding, I was on the river, kayaking. What a complete BLAST! There is an ancient indian shelter in the bluff right behind the owner's log home. There we had several cave concerts. That's an experience! Climbing the bluff to the shelter and making it back down after a couple cocktails proved challenging a couple times, but what a blast. Following cave concerts were "timber runs" A bunch of us would pile in the back of a 4x4, load the music machine and the cooler and head for the trails in the timber. Serious fun for sure!
I've been on almost every horse here at TNG. It's been a real treat. This coming summer I plan to start the black percherons here, Nip and Tuck. They are driving horses. They are beautiful and athletic and I can't wait to get the girths that will fit them!
I attended a Buck Branaman clinic. It's always so great to go to these clinics and be reminded of things you hadn't thought of in certain circumstances and confirm the things you knew to be so in horsemanship.
I've had articles published on line and recently in the Apples 'N Oats magazine. Check it out at www.applesnoats.com the December Issue. I still have my www.terrijordan.info website as well as my webpage with Terri's Tips at www.tnghorsehappenings.com Sometimes this website has problems logging on. But the people here at TNG are working on that. I am excited to see that I have had over 1,000 hits on my personal website! The people here at TNG have also published my book "Lessons in Learning According to the Horse" as an EBook. We are researching getting some hard copies made. To order one if you so desire go to www.thenaturalgait.com and click on the "mercantile" link. The book is there.
This summer 2012 I have plans for more events here at TNG and more local promotions. I have some horses lined up for training come April. I have several clinics, workshops, Womens Retreat, Mother Daughter Days, Confidence Building Clinic to name a few. TNG will be part of The Midwest Horse Fair in Madison, WI as they are every year. I'm working on doing demonstrations at The Iowa Horse Fair and the Clayton County Fair this year. Book promotions and the beginnings of a membership type deal are in the works as well. Oh yes, and my recent idea for a column in a magazine called .....I can't tell you yet! But trust me, it's a cool title! ;-) It's nice to have the people here at TNG to back me on these wild ideas I have. Fingers crossed it all works out.
Here at TNG we also host the local saddle club rides, moonlight rides and versatility fun days. We are trying to get on The Best of American By Horseback RFD-TV list as well. There is over 400 acres here at TNG and we are putting together a versatility course. We hope to have that complete somewhere between mid summer, late fall of 2012. As you all remember, that is MY personal favorite thing to do with horses!
I have a project horse I am working with. He is a 12 year old buckskin. He is beautiful but very troubled. His first reaction to anything he can't handle, is bucking. Let me tell you...he can BUCK! Thankfully I have not been on him when he blows up. I've listened to my inner voice and it has paid off immensely when it comes to the "just get on and ride it out" mentality that seems to be big out here. I will be writing another book based on horse psycology with the help of this horse, I am sure.
Next winter I hope to make is south. This winter it wasn't possible. But that's ok. I'll shoot for next year. Wood heat, hot tub and big screen tv have made it easier to be here while the snow falls and the wind blows in the midwest!
As much as I miss my friends in New England, I have to say, I am feeling very grounded finally in my life. Funny thing, I was born in Iowa, but not raised here. So you would think that Wisconsin would be my "home". But oddly enough, it's Iowa. I don't ever see myself leaving here again. Visit? SURE! I'd love to....but move from here...naw, I don't think so.
I hope you are all enjoying your lives as much as I am. I'd love to hear from you all when you get a chance!
Be well
Terri
I hope this update finds you all happy, healthy and looking forward to the new year!
Lets see....It's been 10 months since I've left the New England area. As most of you know, I had been offered an unbelievable opportunity in the Midwest. The move has me living 20 miles from my Mom and 35 miles from my Dad. It has been absolutely wonderful to be near my family again after 22 years of living in MA.
Over the summer months here at The Natural Gait (www.thenaturalgait.com ) I've enjoyed living in the valley next to The Yellow River. The bluffs that surround the property here are just gorgeous. The wild life here is just beautiful. Deer out my back door, bald eagles raising their young along the river. I never thought a person could get that close to deer before! They are EVERYWHERE! During the Fall it looked like multicolored yarn balls dotting the bluffs along the Yellow and Mississippi Rivers. The sunrises and sunsets are beautiful. For the first time in my life I caught glimpses of the Northern Lights! It happened one night on the way back home from visiting my cousin. It was magical. I had always heard of the Northern Light show...and I guess it was my turn to see some of it. The winter has been really weird this year with the mild temperatures. Oh sure, we've had some cold snaps. But nothing like last year so I'm told.
Last summer I gave some clinics here at The Natural Gait. I have done bridleless riding to music demonstrations on Journey for the public. Isis is my lesson horse here. She's been a big help in teaching confidence to riders who aren't sure about horses. She has been a big hit with the kids. Journey, I save him for higher level riders, yes...kids too...who are ready to learn about energy and how it affects horses.
During the summer if I wasn't riding, I was on the river, kayaking. What a complete BLAST! There is an ancient indian shelter in the bluff right behind the owner's log home. There we had several cave concerts. That's an experience! Climbing the bluff to the shelter and making it back down after a couple cocktails proved challenging a couple times, but what a blast. Following cave concerts were "timber runs" A bunch of us would pile in the back of a 4x4, load the music machine and the cooler and head for the trails in the timber. Serious fun for sure!
I've been on almost every horse here at TNG. It's been a real treat. This coming summer I plan to start the black percherons here, Nip and Tuck. They are driving horses. They are beautiful and athletic and I can't wait to get the girths that will fit them!
I attended a Buck Branaman clinic. It's always so great to go to these clinics and be reminded of things you hadn't thought of in certain circumstances and confirm the things you knew to be so in horsemanship.
I've had articles published on line and recently in the Apples 'N Oats magazine. Check it out at www.applesnoats.com the December Issue. I still have my www.terrijordan.info website as well as my webpage with Terri's Tips at www.tnghorsehappenings.com Sometimes this website has problems logging on. But the people here at TNG are working on that. I am excited to see that I have had over 1,000 hits on my personal website! The people here at TNG have also published my book "Lessons in Learning According to the Horse" as an EBook. We are researching getting some hard copies made. To order one if you so desire go to www.thenaturalgait.com and click on the "mercantile" link. The book is there.
This summer 2012 I have plans for more events here at TNG and more local promotions. I have some horses lined up for training come April. I have several clinics, workshops, Womens Retreat, Mother Daughter Days, Confidence Building Clinic to name a few. TNG will be part of The Midwest Horse Fair in Madison, WI as they are every year. I'm working on doing demonstrations at The Iowa Horse Fair and the Clayton County Fair this year. Book promotions and the beginnings of a membership type deal are in the works as well. Oh yes, and my recent idea for a column in a magazine called .....I can't tell you yet! But trust me, it's a cool title! ;-) It's nice to have the people here at TNG to back me on these wild ideas I have. Fingers crossed it all works out.
Here at TNG we also host the local saddle club rides, moonlight rides and versatility fun days. We are trying to get on The Best of American By Horseback RFD-TV list as well. There is over 400 acres here at TNG and we are putting together a versatility course. We hope to have that complete somewhere between mid summer, late fall of 2012. As you all remember, that is MY personal favorite thing to do with horses!
I have a project horse I am working with. He is a 12 year old buckskin. He is beautiful but very troubled. His first reaction to anything he can't handle, is bucking. Let me tell you...he can BUCK! Thankfully I have not been on him when he blows up. I've listened to my inner voice and it has paid off immensely when it comes to the "just get on and ride it out" mentality that seems to be big out here. I will be writing another book based on horse psycology with the help of this horse, I am sure.
Next winter I hope to make is south. This winter it wasn't possible. But that's ok. I'll shoot for next year. Wood heat, hot tub and big screen tv have made it easier to be here while the snow falls and the wind blows in the midwest!
As much as I miss my friends in New England, I have to say, I am feeling very grounded finally in my life. Funny thing, I was born in Iowa, but not raised here. So you would think that Wisconsin would be my "home". But oddly enough, it's Iowa. I don't ever see myself leaving here again. Visit? SURE! I'd love to....but move from here...naw, I don't think so.
I hope you are all enjoying your lives as much as I am. I'd love to hear from you all when you get a chance!
Be well
Terri