27/06/2024
While Ugo is the catalyst bringing the "My Magical Horse" Fan Club to life and reminding me that It's TIME to write my children's books, Xena has always been my original inspiration!
I bought Xena exactly 20 1/2 years ago TODAY! It was the day after Christmas 2003 that she become mine. I had not yet met her in person prior to her arrival in Washington State on New Year's Day 2004 after a long 4-day journey, delayed by snow storms, from Fort Collins, Colorado! She had been weaned on her way to me...just shy of 5 months old...and she was a spit fire!
Xena picked up a shipping fever on that cross-country trip and my veterinarian, who worked at the racetrack and has seen A LOT of horses, told me that she was one of the strongest willed horses he'd ever met! That was DAY ONE of our lifelong journey together!
My life is so rich because of everything I've experienced and learned from this incredible mare through our adventures together! I can't even imagine who I'd be without her! We are one in the same and thus the hashtag I created for her on social media:
Xena turns 21-years-old this year in August. Her birthday is the day before mine. I like to say that she was born in time to be my birthday present, it just took me until Christmas to find her and make her mine and then on New Year's Day our journey together began! All significant dates!
Originally I wanted to buy a foal so that I would know everything that had ever happened to my horse in their life...in other words, I was looking for "no surprises" in regards to their training down the road. Yet this journey with Xena still held many surprises and become the learning experience of my lifetime! I will share more about these lessons learned as our My Magical Horse journey continues to unfold.
I started Xena under saddle myself as a 4-year-old and soon after, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to bring Lusitano breeder Andre' Ganc from Brazil for a clinic. I knew Lusitano's were not exactly like other breeds of horses and I wanted to make sure I did everything I could do for Xena in the best ways possible! Who better to help me than a Dressage trainer and judge who knows the breed intimately as one of the top breeders of Lusitano horses in Brazil!
It was an incredible time of discovery in our lives. Andre' no doubt left a lasting impression on us; I still quote him while teaching my own students to this day! And that first "clinic" we did grew over the next 9-years into multiple clinics at numerous facilities 2-3 times per year.
I credit Andre' for truly training my eye, both as a Trainer and as a Riding Instructor, and for developing my awareness and understanding of the rider's biomechanics and how it affects the horse.
And it was Andre' and Xena together who ultimately shaped me into the rider I am today.
I remember when I first started riding Xena, she used to toss my upper body everywhere! She was so quick and cat-like in her movements! Andre' had his work cut out for him!
But with Andre's expert instruction, I mastered the ability to control my body and all of its parts, enabling me to stick with any kind of move Xena threw my way! Not exactly an easy task on my hot fire-breathing dragon! If you ever saw me ride Xena at a Working Equitation competition, speed event or otherwise, you understand what I mean!
What I learned from Andre' with Xena later served me well with Ugo, my "Airs Above the Ground" horse! No he was not that literally, but figuratively that's what he was indeed! Had I not learned to ride Xena the way that I did, I don't know that I would have been able to ride Ugo at all!
It's a gift I will be forever grateful for and now I teach these skills to my own students as well.
Xena and I have experienced so many grand adventures together! We started with Dressage but later branched out into other disciplines.
We have met barrel racing legend Charmayne James, who even rode Xena once at the clinic! How cool is that?!
We were introduced to Working Equitation by Julie Alonzo and Nuno Matos of the Pedro Torres School of Working Equitation and even traveled to Las Vegas to compete at the Andalusian World Cup!
Cattle sorting clinics with Bobbie Hall were some of Xena's favorite experiences! She is a natural on the cows!
We've also trail ridden together and over the years Xena grew to be my most steadfast and trustworthy mount!
We've ridden at the beach on the Pacific Ocean and at the racetrack at Emerald Downs!
You name it! Xena and I have always been up for a new adventure together!
Eventually we circled back to Dressage and were fortunate to clinic with modern-day classical masters Sofia Valença, Goncalo Linhas, Carlos Carneiro, Tiago Ernesto and of course, Andre' Ganc.
When Ugo sustained an injury, Xena stepped up and even got to take his weekly lesson slot with FEI 5 Star Dressage Judge Mike Osinski for a time. Look for Mike next month in Paris where he will be judging the Dressage at the 2024 Olympics! (Also, how cool is that?!)
During the Covid pandemic we slowed down to heal an injury and subsequently went through a lot of life changes that ultimately shifted our trajectory and goals somewhat.
We came back by attending our first Liberty Clinic with Sylvia Zerbini, a true living legend of Cavalia and Ringling Circus Fame!
When I attended Cavalia's Odysseo production 10-years-ago, I never imagined in my wildest dreams that Xena and I would be learning from the exquisite performer I was watching that night with such awe and admiration! We have been fortunate to continue to work with Sylvia a few times since and hope for more opportunities in the future!
As of late, we have been laying low, quietly in a stage of metamorphosis...slowly getting ready to re-emerge.
Our recent attention has been focused on practicing the Celeste Lazaris Balance Through Movement Method Pillars and delving into self-healing shadow work. Learning about trauma, the nervous system and how to regulate it has been incredibly impactful knowledge to gain over this past year.
Plus a deep dive into animal communication and energy healing has greatly aided our healing journey. I am so excited to share and teach more about the importance of this work in the weeks and months ahead!
And our stories...our real-life stories will eventually make their way into our children's books! I simply cannot wait to share it all!
For years I have had plans to write children's books about my adventures with Xena...but I wanted to be sure there was a deeper message within the books, I just didn't know what that message was suppose to be yet. The healing work we've been doing this past year has led me to those answers! And now our stories and so many new ones are ready to come to life!!
Stay tuned! So much MAGIC is coming your way! We hope it will also help you and your horse heal as well! Perhaps in ways you didn't even know you needed...
Namaste friends! We are so thrilled and honored to be on this journey with you!
If you are not already following us on Patreon, please consider signing up as a free member to be sure you don't miss out on any of the Magic to come!
~Jordan, Ugo AND Xena, My Magical Horses
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