Sand Hill Stable

12/31/2025

Reflection Post 12
We are so laser focused on the pictures being presented to us, that we forget about what is happening between and behind those pictures. We forget about the other people who help make those pictures happen. They may not be the face of an organization, but their presence is there all the same just outside of the camera's view.
They may be some one to bounce ideas off of. They may help run errands or show up to help in a pinch. They may cook meals and help with dishes. They may fix things when they break. These folks are in the background keeping things running for those of us with too much on our plates. They are just as important as those of us posting and being in the spotlight.
I'm super grateful for everyone that keeps showing up and helping me with this crazy dream of mine! ❤️

12/30/2025

Yes...this is how I will make my millions and become a famous horse trainer! Train the ponies to clean their own stalls! Wouldn't that be amazing! 🤩🤑🤣

12/28/2025

Who is watching whom? 🤔

12/27/2025

We had a blast with the kids on Monday for our first Christmas donkey camp! We groomed & handled the donkeys, then painted donkey shaped ornaments, followed by a riveting game of Don't Be A Donkey! Fun was had by all! 😊

12/26/2025

The morning of Christmas Eve, I had a few hours free. So I chose to stretch and then do a short meditation. During my meditation I had a brief vision, of which I'm not quite ready to share as it didn't feel complete with more to arrive at a later point.
That evening as I was wrapping up barn chores I saw this hawk sitting on the fence out front of the barn as the sun was setting. Hawks symbolize vision and clarity, as well as intuition and are often viewed as messengers from spirit. What a beautiful gift to receive a vision and see a hawk on Christmas Eve of all days! Feeling truly blessed! ❤️

12/25/2025

12/24/2025

My Christmas miracle this year is that Clifford's blanket has not been torn to shreds yet! The blanket first went on November 26th and I documented the moment with this picture so I could see how long it lasts him! (It has been pulled a few times with warmer temps).

12/24/2025

Reflection Post 11
Spirals. The non linear paths.
This year has brought many different reconnections with individuals I had lost touch with over the years. Perhaps we have each traversed our own "spirals" becoming different versions of ourselves to journey back into each other's lives. The timing has to be right for both. The spiral path will lead you back again if the timing was off previously, until frequencies sync up again.
Currently I envision spirals drifting apart and then drifting back into another spiral's orbit as individuals come and go throughout one's life. Maybe it's you who needs to journey inwards and back again, or maybe it's the other person.

As we gather with loved ones and friends, or sit in solitude this holiday season, it is worth reflecting upon the journeys we each have been upon, with our interactions waxing and waning as we each have traversed different aspects of our personal spirals inwards or outwards. Contemplate who has been lost, who has been gained, and who has been regained. Who we have been is not now who we are.

12/22/2025

In celebration of earth's longest embrace of darkness for the year, 7 beautiful souls gathered in the barn. Held within the sacred energy of the horse we shared stories, laughter, vulnerabilities, experiences, & gratitude for each other & for this moment in time. Each entered the spiral with intentions of what to release, and each walked out of the spiral with intentions of what to bring into the new light. Internally the energy shifted, one did not feel the same exciting the spiral as one had upon entering. The stillness of the night held space for the quiet personal transformation of the journey in mind and body. I'm still processing the profoundness of what I experienced.
Deep gratitude and admiration for those that joined us tonight, and Gwendolyn's gentle guidance through the evening's activities. May your light shine bright!

12/21/2025

Reflection Post 10
40 horses.
I have personally owned a total of 40 equines over the course of nearly 30 years of horse ownership. Each with it's own unique personality and each with it's own brand of trauma. And I have learned a lot.
*It can take well over a year for a new horse to fully settle in and feel comfortable with you.
*There is a time period of adapting to new language between you & a new horse. How you do things can be very different in tone, pressure, posture, intention, energy, etc. It will take time for a horse to learn your mannerisms and expectations to certain directions and cues. And you may have to adjust how you ask for certain things based on what the horse has been taught and on how reactive the horse is.
*The best thing you can give a troubled horse is TIME. It takes time for the body to heal and it takes time for the mind to heal. It cannot be rushed based on your agenda.
*Horses whose communication attempts have been ignored or punished in the past, will take EVEN LONGER to trust you and feel safe enough to try communicating with a human again.
*Many "conformation faults" can actually be resolved with good bodywork and good training focusing on the horse's balance and relaxation. Good nutrition, freedom of movement, and being in a herd are also game changers. Horses, like humans, have a mind-body connection.
*Be open to the idea that your horse may not like your discipline of choice. Be willing to find what it is that your horse enjoys. It's why I dabble into so many different disciplines and training philosophies. It's not a one size fits all.
*Each horse will bring forward a different lesson for you, and sometimes even a different way of being.
*Behavior is the external movie of the internal dialog. A shift in a horse's behavior can reflect a shift in his health whether it's an improvement or a decline.
*A behavior that is normal for a specific horse, may not be normal behavior for horses in general. When you have been around lots of horses you can begin to differentiate this.
*Horses will respond to your inner state more than you realize. Being in a state of coherence can make your interaction with your horse flow smoothly. And some horses will help you by moving energy in your energetic field to improve your health & mental well being.
*Every horse is going to come with some emotional baggage. Some of this will resolve on its own through management and training, but some of it may go deeper and may need other methods to help transmute.
*Each horse is an individual with its own preferences and talents. Each will develop their own way of communicating with you and asking for things. I enjoy seeing this side of my horses emerge. And I also enjoy their appreciation when they realize I get it!

12/20/2025

Tux's selfie face! 🤣

12/20/2025

You know what AI and robots can't replace? STALL CLEANERS!!!
Want a job that won't get replaced by this new wave of technology anytime soon? Farm work on the smaller farms!
So get out there, get dirty, and move some s**t!
And it gets even better: movement, fresh air, sunlight, being in nature are all healthy things!
*disclaimer: no, our stalls generally don't look this bad. This was catching up from being short staffed and weathering a winter storm that made it nearly impossible to maintain normal stall cleaning routines. And this particular horse apparently likes to create sculptures in his stall....