The Grounded Equestrian

06/08/2023

The gratitude was flowing through my heart this morning~ to be back in my boots, on a chilly Sunday morning, caring for this peaceful herd 🤍

Check out GroundedEquestrian's video.

22/06/2023

I am really excited to begin this journey 💕

Please message me to view the curriculum for Phase 1 💕

Thanks to everyone who has shown interest so far 💕

Check out GroundedEquestrian's video.

06/06/2023

A farewell to Avalon Riding Centre 🤍🤍🤍

I have been thinking for a long time about what to write here.

I am torn between writing only good words and keeping it positive but also acknowledging the hardships we have faced and the lessons I have learned.

“There are hurdles, there are handicaps, hardships that you face in life, but you hope for a great future.”

Fortunately, adversaries are not defeatists. Usually, one can find constructive appreciation in the lessons learned. That is if you’re into the whole personal growth thing, which I am.

We always have a choice. We can stay angry, or we can grow. We can stay bitter, or we can grow. We can stay hurt, or we can grow.

At the end of last year, we began considering the possibility of closing our doors. Things were not financially functional and salvaging it wasn’t possible with the amount of time I spend abroad, even though we had employed help to keep things functioning.

Our recruited help in the end was futile and discourteous. I will refrain from using some other adjectives that come to mind.

Despite our best efforts to be good employers, service providers and friends, it has always been our biggest downfall. Being too good to people.

Perhaps we don’t have the heart for business.

•

I would say, easily half of our time and energy spent over all these years has been done free of charge, or for much less than our worth.

The problem you are faced with when you are too good to people has nothing to do with loss of income or energy, but rather with the complete anguish felt when it is unappreciated or when you are treated with contempt by those same people.

Then followed by the realisation that the only person you can blame is yourself for allowing it in the first place.

Life is full of paradoxes. No good deed goes unpunished.

It took me way too many years to learn that you can’t always be nice because people will take advantage of you. Boundaries are difficult but necessary.

“It is necessary, and even vital, to set standards for your life and the people you allow in it.”

•

When I went through all the pictures on our page, I was flooded with so many memories and accompanying feelings. So many great memories, and a few I was happy to say goodbye to.

Some nearly 15 years ago we took in a beautiful golden pony named Lumi. Sometime after that we started giving pony rides and beginner lessons.

Our unaccredited but passionate and dedicated yard began to take form.

This was by no means a ‘real’ business venture. How could it be without any start-up capital or equipment. We simply made do and accumulated everything we have slowly and through hard work.

Other jobs like waitressing, bar tending and arduous grooming positions overseas subsidised things for a very long time. It would be many years before we employed a groom.

It certainly hasn’t always been easy, and I am explicitly aware of the mistakes I have made, and all the times we have been misjudged by people who don’t know really know us.

“The greatest glory in living lies in not never falling but rising every time we fall.”

“Don’t feel bad about being misjudged. As long as you don’t lose sight of who you are, you will be fine.”

Or my personal favourite way to look at it:

“What other people say about you is none of your business.”

•

I am proud of what we did with our yard. We have produced some good riders, many of whom have grown up to be our good friends and continue to have a deep passion for horses and for learning, and we have valued every opportunity we have had for our horses to be involved in community service.

“The intelligent way to be selfish is to work for the welfare of others.”

I am especially proud of the students who have grown with me as I have changed and advanced in my mindset, who don’t mind listening to me rambling on about things, and who make an effort to put their egos aside and listen to the horse.

The valuable contribution of supportive and good-hearted people is what has kept us going through every difficulty ever faced. I am so thankful for all of you. You know who you are.

And last but certainly not least, to our faithful partners and teachers- all the horses from past and present, many of whom have been with us for over 10 years and will continue to stay with us for the remainder of their lives. Thank you for everything. We love you.

•

I have cleared this page to use for a project I have been working towards aimed at providing foundational groundwork training for young riders.

“In order to make a transition in our lives we have to release something from the past.”

Here are 13 years of my favourite photo memories compressed into 13 minutes.

Farewell to Avalon Riding Centre 🤍🤍🤍

---Amber

Amber Leigh Baker
Sue Carlson