Avelene

I want to age like sea glass. Smoothed by tides, but not broken. I want my hard edges to soften. I want to ride the waves... and go with the flow. I want to catch a wave and let it carry me to where I belong. I want to be picked up and held gently by those who delight in my well earned patina and appreciate the changes I went through to achieve that beauty. I want to enjoy the journey and always remember that if you give the ocean something breakable it will turn it into something beautiful. I want to age like sea glass. By: Bernadette Noll

COOLING HOT HORSES - THE STATE OF THE ART *** PLEASE SHARE *** Since Atlanta 1996 we have known that using continuous application of cold water without scraping... is the most effective way to cool down horses that are moderately to severely hyperthermic (rectal temperature in excess of ~40C/104F), especially in hot or hot/humid conditions. The sources for this evidence are: PEER-REVIEWED PUBLISHED PAPERS 1) Williamson, L.S., White, S., Maykuth, P., Andrews, F., Sommerdahl, C. and Green, E. Comparison between two post exercise cooling methods. Equine Vet J., 27(S18), 337-340. https://beva.onlinelibrary.wiley.com//j.2042-3306.1995.tb0 2) Marlin, D. J., Scott, C. M., Roberts, C. A., Casas, I., Holah, G., & Schroter, R. C. (1998). Post exercise changes in compartmental body temperature accompanying intermittent cold water cooling in the hyperthermic horse. Equine veterinary journal, 30(1), 2834. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9458396/ 3) Kohn, C.W., Hinchcliff, K.W. and McKeever, K.H. (1999) Evaluation of washing with cold water to facilitate heat dissipation in horses exercised in hot, humid conditions. American Journal of Veterinary Research, 01 Mar 1999, 60(3):299-305. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10188810/ 4) Takahashi, Y., Ohmura, H., Mukai, K., Shiose, T., & Takahashi, T. (2020). A Comparison of Five Cooling Methods in Hot and Humid Environments in Thoroughbred Horses. Journal of equine veterinary science, 91, 103130. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32684268/ 5) Kang, H., Zsoldos, R.R., Skinner, J.E., Gaughan, J.B. and Guitart, A.S. (2021) Comparison of post-exercise cooling methods in horses. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 100 (2021) 103485 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2021.103485 DATA COLLECTED & ANALYSED AT a) Atlanta 1995 Olympic Test Event b) Atlanta 1996 Olympics c) Athens 2003 Olympic Test Event d) Athens 2004 Olympics e) Beijing 2007 Olympic Test Event f) Beijing 2008 Olympics g) Tryon 2018 World Equestrian Games h) Tokyo 2019 Olympic Test Event Cooling hot horses with cold water DOES NOT 1) cause muscle damage 2) cause laminitis 3) induce shock 4) give horses heart attacks 5) prevent them from cooling by constriction of skin blood flow Water left on horses DOES NOT 1) insulate and prevent heat loss 2) cause them to overheat It is NOT MORE EFFECTIVE TO 1) start at the feet and work up 2) scrape water off whilst cooling (it causes them to warm up) 3) focus on large blood vessels 4) cover the horse with wet towels *** PLEASE SHARE ***

to live in this world you must be able to do three things to love what is mortal; to hold it... against your bones knowing your own life depends on it; and, when the time comes to let it go, to let it go Mary Oliver - In Blackwater Woods from her collection, American Primitive, 1983. Martin Johnson Heade - Blue Morpho Butterfly, 1864-5.

I found this post of Ray and saved it because I fell in love. Here he is riding what to me is the classical seat. Which is just a nonsense way of saying that h...e rode in balance. When you read the USEF equitation rules,- all of them call for alignment of ear, shoulders, hips and heels. The dressage folks claim that it cannot be done in a western saddle, because the stirrups are hung forward.... I say bunk. But I do agree we don't see much of it- in any discipline. See more

trust the process

So many mornings, since my first trail ride at GMHA in 1956, I have gotten up in the pre dawn dark of a distance riding morning, fed my horse, organized my tack..., had a cup of coffee, a doughnut, then tacked up as the first fingers of pale grey lightened the sky. There's mist in the valley, the grass is wet with dew, the horses are eager to go, and for just a moment, as this rider and her horse are doing, there is a brief silent moment before the first crackle of the loud speaker tells us to get lined up for the start. Then it's all action, snorting, blowing horses, clang of hooves, and off we go. Distance riding is its own encapsulated world, and if you can find a way to do this, even a ten to fifteen mile starter ride, you will be doing yourself a favor. https://www.allbreedpedigree.com/aikanes+sunflower

How it is that animals understand things I do not know, but it is certain that they do understand. Perhaps there is a language which is not made of words and e...verything in the world understands it. Perhaps there is a soul hidden in everything and it can always speak, without even making a sound, to another soul. Frances Hodgson Burnett - A Little Princess. Martin Munkacsi - The Lark Lover, c.1930. #ravenousbutterflies #martinmunkacsiphotography #franceshodgsonburnett #u#understandingtheworld

It's very important to handle your person everyday.

Trail etiquette

Just a reminder that you don’t have to do what everyone else is doing. . Many times your family and friends are into something that you kinda go along with. ...You might be ok with it, but it doesn’t set your soul on fire. . I think the fear of being rejected or left out often keeps us going along with the flow. . You’ve got one life. No telling how much time that is, and you’ll never get your time back. . If you find yourself just floating along down river, but you’d rather get out and climb a mountain instead, by all means, DO IT! . If they’re your true friends, you won’t lose them. And who knows, you just might meet your best friend or love of your life on the mountain. . Zig when the world zags. . #skyeclarkimages #dontfollowthecrowd See more