At Hat Creek Ranch, Fire and I, and Daisy took a ride up the hill to clear our minds and enjoy the view. Photo by Carol Dymond. tiny, subtle signals and minute shifts in my weight rather than through pressure and release gave us both a new, exciting and refreshed sense of partnership. I remember very clearly, while on day 4 or 5 of the 6 days I spent learning with Bruce Sandifer at Hat Creek Ranch in 2014, looking over at Bruce and saying, “It’s a very strange feeling to have more than 25 years of experience in the saddle and not having a clue how to do a thing!” That clinic and those words changed my life. Being able to completely let go of what I knew and open myself to learning, experiencing and trying something utterly different created
an opportunity to inspire new experiences, connections and outcomes with my horse while, at the same time, dissolving all of the expectations, both real and perceived that I’ve had for us both. That one clinic and that one moment of letting go opened up a world of possibilities, stronger connections and breathed new life into a passion that I’ve had for as long as I’ve been alive. It reminded me how important it is to challenge myself, step outside my comfort zones and be vulnerable and most importantly it reminded me how necessary it is to work on my own relationship with my horses rather than always focusing on the relationships between my clients and their horses. Because I spend my days providing horsemanship support, instruction and guidance as well as facilitating practical lesson series’ that provide purpose for the skills the humans and the horses are learning, finding time to put my relationships with my own horses first and making sure that I continue to feed the passion can be a challenge. It requires daily
attention, commitment and sometimes it means interrupting the daily routines, packing up the trailer and heading off on an exciting new adventure, just for us! There’s nothing quite as scary or exciting as doing something that you have no idea how to do (and might possibly look ridiculous while doing it) but the more times you step off the edge of the cliff and into the unknown the easier that first step becomes! Christa Miremadi has been working with horses since 1984, and is a partner and facility manager in her family business in Langley, Silver Star Stables, where she also provides riding instruction and conducts horsemanship clinics. Christa is dedicated to creating harmony and building relationships between horses and humans through compassionate communication, and to strengthening partnerships by sharing the horse’s point of view. (See her listing in our Business Services section under TRAINERS)
250-286-3554
Best Selection on the Island for BOOTS BELTS & BUCKLES MOCCASINS & MUKLUKS Variety of colours available
16”
6”
13”
Available rin 48 colou s
November 2018
SADDLEUP.CA • 7
