Recuup at Bluebunch Farm

Recuup at Bluebunch Farm Commited to the care and rehabilitation of equines.

“Sage” now named Luna has found her forever person and has made the trip to Lake Country to be with her new person Emily...
06/14/2023

“Sage” now named Luna has found her forever person and has made the trip to Lake Country to be with her new person Emily safe & sound. It is always hard to see them go, even though this lil mare was only with us for a few weeks. It has been a pleasure to work with this horse and we are grateful to have been of help to .

10/26/2022

“Exuberance” - the quality of being full of energy, excitement and cheerfulness. This quality is one of my favourite discoveries about Anne, she loves to play and be very exuberant. Her and I share this trait. As a child my parents never discouraged this quality in me, however growing up a woman in our current society, this quality was not always well received. I learned this quality can be intimidating and make others uncomfortable. I am truly grateful for all the people in my life who do appreciate this quality in me, who encouraged me to be as big a personality as I am. Therefore I nurture Anne’s exuberance, I celebrate it with every step ❤️

10/25/2022

“True belonging doesn’t require us to change who we are; it requires us to be who we are” - Brene Brown. I loved this session with Invicto, Kaz volunteered himself to belong to this session, choosing to be there in his own time, in his own space. One of the most magical moments in working with my herd is when they seek out my company, they want to be close. We take care of each other, we look after each other’s needs, at times they co-regulate me and other times I co-regulate them. There is a lot of comfort in holding each other’s space knowing the safety of belonging to a herd ❤️

10/21/2022

“There is a difference between going fast and hurrying” - Mosche Feldenkrais, Awareness of Movement, lesson 12. I’ve been impatient, I’ve been hurrying Invicto & my progress yet, again. His back is still pinching, hence the rear going into the trot. The flexibility in his shoulders, the muscles in his back and his head carriage have improved immensely, we’re on the right track. It will just take time. All my life I’ve been hurrying from one thing to the next, I am just learning now how to go slow, take my time and wait for things to happen. Invicto being a huge inspiration.

10/20/2022

“Changing patterns of behaviour” is difficult. Since I’ve become aware of the fact that I’ve been stuck in a freeze pattern I’ve been allowing myself to feel into my body to change the pattern of behaviour. Plugging into my parasympathetic nervous system via novel movement, letting the energy through and out. This work is not without discomfort, there is plenty of resistance to go back to a known pattern, even if this pattern was destructive. The first big wave of emotion I felt was anxiety, sheer terror. Just the thought of scary things that have happened or could happen create a physiological response in the body, hence being stuck in the past or future is not helpful. Anne is doing an amazing job helping me get unstuck, even though she can feel the hypertension in my body, she is allowing me to move us forward, letting the energy through…

10/14/2022

“Just bring the body…” is what my yoga teacher said to me in my last sadhana. On the note of getting out of the freezer it was overdue time, no more excuses. Steven Pressfield writes in the War of Art “the more important a call or action is to our soul evolution the more resistance we will feel towards pursuing it”. Get on your horse even if it’s just for five minutes, just start showing up. To celebrate the new revelation I hauled out with my dear friend Shawnee for a mountain ride. The golden light, happy dogs and horses able to graze on wild bunch grass.. a heavenly day ❤️

10/10/2022

“Co-regulation” Loona is a very sensitive horse, she can easily get worried, overwhelmed and explode. At times I have lost the courage to work with her, expose her to new things because I was unsure of how to help her through these intense emotions. This winter I’ve spent a good deal of time learning about my own nervous system and how the brain organizes itself with the work of Jane Pike. When Loona and I are mentally connected, she feels safe, can listen and trusts me. Once she is disconnected and in the survival part of her brain she can not take in outside input. I am now learning to bring my own nervous system to a centred calm level and therefore learning to help co-regulate her way out of survival mode, back into a calm safe place. ❤️

10/04/2022

“Limitation is the best tutor” invicto and I have been working within limitations for quite some time. He has taught me to listen, pay attention and respect boundaries. He has shown me acceptance, love and respect in return. This week I got the green light from him to place the saddle, the girth and myself on his back, again. He is walking out relaxed his head carriage lowered. I chose to take the bridle off his face to allow his head freedom to move where he needs it to be, to have his experience of being ridden one of trust and freedom. He still has his quirky head toss, so he is not completely without discomfort but I’ll continue to go slow and listen carefully. I am truly grateful for all this horse is teaching me ❤️

09/27/2022

“Placing weight on the horses shoulder requires a tightening of the muscles in the loins“ Schöneich (Correct Movement in Horses) - Vigo and I have been taking it slow, we have been out in the hills, doing belly scratches to lift his top line, going over poles to lift his front end and doing groundwork to mobilize his shoulders. I had no idea if any of the work we’ve been doing had any affect until it was time to trim his feet. A wear pattern change! Vigo previously landed flat which left me trimming the entire hoof wall. This time I trimmed mostly wall on the quarters which means he has been landing heel first and rolling over the toe. Feeling encouraged! Onwards… ❤️

09/23/2022

“The importance of basics” I am not a professional horse trainer, as a student of the horse I fiddle with things and work through them as I go. I’m trying to train Pony Blue to pull a cart at some point in his life. For now I realize the basic voice commands are not working as of yet. He is not getting what I’m trying to do… hope this video gives you all as good a laugh as it did me… onwards…

09/13/2022

“Perfectionism Paralysis” I often talk myself out of riding my horses, too many should dos, have to dos, not good enoughs… and the story goes on… when focusing too far ahead on where you want to go with your horse it seems like climbing the Himalayas, you feel you’re never going to get there. I’ve awakened to the idea of being content working exactly from where my horse is at, to enjoy all the little moments of me trying and them trying. Learning together and celebrating each brilliant moment of unity. Loona has made it through her laminitic spell, she is now out of boots and ready to get back in shape. Waiting at the gate for our daily play of feeling for each other ❤️ ****ck

09/12/2022

“You must learn to fight less and flow more” Sally Swift. Through my exploration of all methods of horsemanship I’ve had a big aversion to lunging or round penning horses. Dominating an animal through instilling fear, to “get the energy out” or to “show them who’s boss” has not been my approach working with my own horses. The horses body is way more powerful than mine, connecting to their mind and earning their trust has been keeping me safely aboard for the past few years. Lunging, however has found it’s way back into my horsemanship. This time it’s about correcting straightness. Invicto is leaning to the outside of the circle going to the right. His head is tilted, his weight is on his left front and his hindquarters are veering out. My goal is to keep him out of fight/flight mode so he can feel safe to relax his body and stretch through his back in a way he is not used to.

09/07/2022

“Biomechanics” recently I’ve been very inspired to jump down the rabbit hole of biomechanics. To focus on correct posture for myself and my horses. What I’ve learned that right and left handedness in us and horses often leads to holding patterns that create crookedness. This crookedness creates tension which prevents freedom and looseness of the back muscles. My goal is to be able to ride my horses shifting their weight to their hindquarters, swinging their back upwards. In order to achieve this the horse or myself have to be relaxed and not in a flight pattern, free of tension to use our body’s in harmony & synchronicity. Anne here already has naturally good posture and balance, whereas I’m trying to help some of my other horses such as Invicto and Spirit to adjust their movements to free up their longitudinal muscles of the top line.

08/31/2022

“Physical vs. Emotional Pain” physical and emotional pain activate the same neurotransmitters in the brain. My dialogue with Invicto so far has brought us to tolerate the saddle and accept me on his back for very short increments. At this point I can’t tell if his aversion is still physical pain or an unclosed trauma loop of associating the memory of being ridden with pain. I’ve been taking him out on hikes with his tack on to get him used to the discomfort of sweat under the saddle and the girth area (he likes wearing a girth about as much as I like wearing a bra 😂).

08/22/2022

“The greatest form of learning is unlearning” Moshe Feldenkrais. After Invictos hoof fully recovered I decided to have his back assessed by . Brit Mills is a holistic vet, acupuncturist & chiropractor, I have worked with her on many of my horses with incredible results. X-rays on Invictos back showed two vertebrae on his back contracted, aka a precursor to “kissing spine”. This would explain this horses aversion to being mounted and having a rider on his back. Given some rehab exercises in combination of somatic work (which I am a practitioner of myself). The obvious lumps on his back are disappearing, his top line relaxing and his head carriage changing. I now am negotiating a different way to introduce tack, to exercise and am patiently waiting for the day his pain has subsided enough to let me back on board.

“The importance of Limp mode” many of my friends say “I can’t relax” or “I’m never calm”. The animals in my care have mu...
08/16/2022

“The importance of Limp mode” many of my friends say “I can’t relax” or “I’m never calm”. The animals in my care have much to teach me. I also come from many years of not being able to sit still. In our current society operating in a survival pattern is most often encouraged. Flight (my go to), pattern has served me well for many years, it paid the bills, gained me independence, even respect from my community by running a successful business. Running I did, myself right into the ground.. I’m an expert I pushing myself hard. I was always worried that if I actually allowed myself to find this state of calm that everything would fall apart… and so it did. Aside from feeling completely disoriented and a mess I finally found what I have been looking for all these years. It was not success, my house, approval of my friends or a relationship. It was a feeling of safety ❤️

08/11/2022

“Regenerative Agriculture” I am an Idealist by heart. This has been a challenging spring and summer managing my herd of seven equines. This year most of my herd came out of the winter overweight and laminitic. Thankfully most of my herd has returned to soundness, weight management to be continued. On the positive note this has given my small sections of pasture grass some time to rest. Recently I attended a regenerative farm even hosted by which really inspired my pasture management practices … which were to be humbly said quite terrible. I let my horses overgraze the grasses and let weeds go unmanaged for too long. Feeling inspired, now knowing better and doing better I section off areas grown to a sustainable length and let the horses out for short periods to manage “mowing and fertilizing”.

08/08/2022

“Progressing vs. Processing” it has been weeks since I have really had time for my horses. These interludes of seeming lack of progress can get me really down at times. We are programmed since childhood to consistently progress, we are not taught the value of processing our emotions, traumas and experiences. I have had a lot of catching up to do in the processing department. Work I did do on myself, breaking old patterns of behaviour and creating new ones. This is Kaz, he is not my usual trail horse. This horse has bucked me off, trampled me and run away with me many times on the trails, I had given up our trail experience and deemed him an “arena only” horse. Until today when I went to the fence and asked who wants to come out? I am now able to be in the present moment riding him, not holding onto the anxieties of what has happened in the past. Making a new pattern of experience.

Address

Savona, BC
V0K2J0

Telephone

2508262811

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Recuup at Bluebunch Farm posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Videos

“New Beginnings” often start with endings. I’m so proud this lil horse, she has come along so far. Thrusting a human to lead, load and giving their feet are the fundamentals of domesticating our equines. Without these basics the human horse relationship is non existent. Promise is now good at those very important basics and just about off to her new home. In the meantime we’ve had a new gang arrive at the farm to learn to connect, trust and flourish. #relationalhorsemanship #trust #horsehumanconnection #liberty #wildhorse #getgoodatthebasics

“Connecting with Annie…” took a long time. This precious mare was so guarded, anxious and tight, she wouldn’t let me in. Recently something clicked, between us. Working on myself, listening to her, meeting her at her terms and finding a language where we communicate on equal grounds. We are just starting to play with free movement, learning together step by step. Thank you @michelasorrentinoart for trusting me with your dream horse, she truly is one of a kind❤️ #liberty #clickertraining #somaticwork #listentoyourhorse #relationalhorsemanship #dreamhorse #trust

“Stress Signals…” can be so subtle on a horse (or human). Hardening of the eyes, tight lips, a slight shift backward.. as I’m getting Promise ready for her new person, I can’t think but be grateful for all that she taught me. The trust she gave, the willingness of her to allow me to take her to the thresholds of fear. So much to learn, I have yet in reading the signals on when things are too much, too close, too soon. One day at a time, learning is not a linear thing. Thinking of how long it took to take these few trusted steps together and how worth it was to wait until she was ready to take them. #adoptahorse #workinprogress #bcspca #promise #trust #relationalhorsemanship

Shortcuts

Share