Work Hard to Get What You Want



Shade searches for the grass
beneath the frost

The seasons have finally really changed here at Hold Your Horses Farm. The grass is beginning to turn brown, with only an occasional patch of green. We horses stretch our necks through the fence to get the last of the green grass, almost leaning the fence posts over in our desire to savor the last remnants of sweet grass.
We graze all around the fields and search for the grass. We have to put out more effort than we do at other times of year. Even the winter doesn't require as much work because our humans bring us hay and leave it in front of the run-in shed where we can get at it easily.

While it isn't always true, a lot of the time you have to work hard to get what you want. I'm not sure that humans understand this. When I work with humans I often hear them say that they want to do something, but I know they don't mean it. Their body language tells me they aren't sure. They have mixed feelings about it. When someone means what they say, horses know it. We can tell that what you say is congruent with what you will do. But sometimes humans seem to fool themselves into thinking they want something and are willing to work for it, when they really are NOT. (That is why our feedback can be so helpful).

It is OK not to want it. But if it is really something you want, you need to be willing to work hard to get it. You need to be as unstoppable as a thousand pound horse. You need to put your head down and work for it. Sometimes we horses have to stick our noses into the frost and warm up the grass enough to grab it. Sometimes we have lean on the fence posts to bend the fence over enough to reach it. Sometimes we have to search and search until we find what we are looking for. We are willing to do that because we know if we want it, we have to put in the hard work it takes to get it, especially in the fall when the resources are getting scarce.

I want humans to know how important it is for them to work hard for their goals and the things they want. After all, if they don't, they are wasting their time, energy and something they call money going after a goal they aren't willing to work toward and invest their effort in. That just seems like a big waste to me.

I think that when you decide what you want, go after it with hard work and effort. Be determined and don't let anything stand in your way. You won't always succeed, but you have a better chance of it than if you just sit back hoping the grass comes to you. Ask us. We know.

Neighs and Whinnies,

P.S. If you need help figuring out WHAT you want and HOW to go after it, talk to my human, Linda Pucci. She helps people figure out goals and go after them. She helps you do something she calls "strategic planning" which she tells me means figuring out a step-by-step strategy. Call her at 865-983-7544 or toll free at 866-665-6103 or email her at Linda@InnerResourceCenter.com If you want to have horses help you change your approach, talk to her about that. She can arrange a session with us. Believe me we can give you lots of helpful feedback!

© 2010 Linda S. Pucci, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

Do What You Need to Do to Get Better



Preacher puts up with his grazing muzzle



The last few months have been pretty challenging for me. The grass was pretty lush this summer at Hold Your Horse's Farm and I guess it was too rich for me. I admit it. I ate a lot of clover and as a result gained quite a bit of weight and ended up with laminitis (a condition that affects the bones in horse's feet) twice.

I ended up having to spend a month in a stall, and I really didn't like it. I wasn't allowed to eat grass, had to wear funny boots on my feet and worst of all, wasn't able to roam around the pasture with my friends. Apparently eating too much grass is now an issue for me, and the humans say I still need to drop some weight.

Fortunately, I've been able to get out of the stall and spend time grazing. There's just one catch. Since I have to slow down on how much grass I eat, I have to wear a grazing muzzle. It is like a basket I wear on my nose. I can still graze, eat and drink; but it keeps me from eating big amounts. The humans are also limiting the amount of time we spend in the lush pasture. Part of the time they are keeping us on top of the hill where the grass has been grazed pretty thoroughly. The grass there is short and there's not a lot left now that the temperatures have gotten cooler.

They take the grazing muzzle off at night and keep me confined where there's not much to graze on. I guess they figure that will keep me from overeating. I stick my head through the fence and get any extra grass I can, but I've definitely slowed down. Every morning we wait at the gate for the humans to open up the pasture.

They put on my halter and put me in the muzzle. I don't really protest or make them chase me to put it on. Even though I don't want to wear it, I know I have to. And wearing it is much better than being confined to a stall.

It is a tough lesson for horses to learn, and I think the same is true for humans. We sometimes have to do things we don't want to do, and it is for our own good. Even though I didn't like being in the stall and even though I don't like having to wear a muzzle to keep me from overeating, I need to do it. Humans have things they need to do as well.

Horses are apparently not the only ones who overeat. I know some humans who could probably use a grazing muzzle as well. Sometimes humans need to rest and recover when they are sick. They need to spend time in their stalls sleeping, even if they don't want to. There are probably lots of things humans don't want to do, but need to, and recognizing when that happens and going along with it is really the best thing. I do it every morning when Linda puts on my grazing muzzle. Humans need to go along with the things they don't really want to do but need to do in order to get better. That's just the way it is.

Humans have an advantage over us horses, though. You can at least understand the reasoning behind having to do something. I have to admit that staying in a stall didn't really make a lot of sense to me.

The point is that when you need to take care of yourself in order to get better, you need to do it, whether it is convenient or something you want to do or not. In the long run you'll be glad you did. I'm really happy that I can run and play with my horse buddies again. I guess it is worth some inconvenience!

Neighs and Whinnies,

Preacher
P.S. If you need help figuring out what you need to do to feel better, maybe my human, Linda Pucci can help. She can help you design a program for better self care, which is the key to staying healthier. She says self care is important for both physical AND mental health. I don't know what that means, but I know people come to visit her and go home smiling. You can call her at 865-983-7544 or email her at Linda@InnerResourceCenter.com. I'll bet she can help you figure out what you need to do.


P.P.S. Note from Linda: Preacher is SO right about doing what you need to do to take care of yourself. In addition to the struggles he had, I struggled with bronchitis and some complications, so "doing what you need to do to get better" was a lesson I needed to pay attention to as well!

Tackle Challenges By Getting Support

Ginger keeps Preacher company in the stall

This month has been much different for the horses here at Hold Your Horses Farm than they have been in the past. We've had big changes in our routine. Preacher has been "laid up," and has had to stay in a stall our human Bernie built for him. Since he worries about me when I'm out of his sight (and pounds his foot on the gate), Bernie built a stall for me as well. We even have our very own water tank--installed after Goomba kept tipping over the smaller pails of water.

I miss being able to graze in the grass, and sometimes sneak out while they are cleaning my stall. I've lost some weight, which Linda says was needed. She says that both Preacher and I need to lose in order to be healthy. I must admit I wouldn't want to be the only one, and it is nice to have company. (You can tackle all kinds of challenges when you are not doing it alone).

The boys, Goomba and Shade, don't have to hang around us, but they end up spending a lot of time standing next to our stalls, keeping us company. They leave for a little while to graze in the lower pasture or just outside the shed, but they seem to know that we need companionship and support.

Horses depend on their herd for company and protection. It helps us feel less stressed when we have someone nearby. I feel important to be a source of support for Preacher, and secretly, I like having him nearby as a source of support for me.

I have noticed that humans often seem to want to tackle things all by themselves. They don't ask for help. I don't think they realize how much help is out there from others in their herd. I think they end up stressed and wasting lots of energy trying to do things by themselves that they might not really know how to do.

For example, a couple of weeks ago we had a lot of visitors to Hold Your Horses Farm, as Linda and her business partner, Melina, showed people how we horses can help humans with their businesses. I got to participate in one of the activities, and helped the humans figure out how they could learn to connect with the right customers by practicing with horses. It was fun for me (and the other horses), and the humans seemed to learn something from it.

One of the biggest things we noticed was that the humans often forgot to ask for help from their community or members of their herd. They were trying to do things by themselves, even when there was plenty of help nearby. When they did ask for help from the herd or worked together, things went much more smoothly, and much faster. When they didn't, their energy was often unfocused and neither we nor they knew where they were going. They got pretty frustrated and had trouble being successful.

My message for you humans this month is that you can ask for help. You don't have to do everything yourself. Your herd is nearby, and can provide you with knowledge, support and companionship when you are facing things that are difficult. Just as the herd supports Preacher when he's laid up, your herd can support you when you are facing your challenges. Give them chance. If you want, we'll show you how.

Neighs and Whinnies,

Ginger


P.S. If you want someone to help you tackle the challenges in your life, my human, Linda Pucci can help. She's very good at helping you figure out what you need, teaching you ways to do things more effectively, and supporting you while you take the steps you need to meet your challenges in life or in business. You can call her at 865-983-7544 or email her at Linda@InnerResourceCenter.com . She's good at coaching you through all sorts of stresses!

It Is Important to Be Curious

We've had some changes at Hold Your Horses Farm this month. Our humans brought in some green things. Initially they were in block pots filled with dirt. They said they were "trees," but they didn't look much like the trees that are in other parts of our pasture or down by the creek.

We went to check them out immediately, because we were curious about what they were (and if you could eat them). Our humans dropped them off in several places around the pasture. I went bravely over to one of the black pots and smelled it. I pawed at it with my hoof to make sure it wasn't going to bite me. I tried to dig a hole to put it in, but the ground was too hard for my digging to do much good. I knocked the pot over and my human started yelling at me. I don't get why. I was just doing what horses do.

The man human dug a hole and put one in the hole. We immediately galloped down the hill to see what it was. This one was pretty big--as tall as me. It wasn't very satisfying to rub against because it moved around a lot. My man human came back and straightened it up again and chased me away.

He dug holes and "planted" 4 of them. There were still 3 left in their black pots when night came. At night we graze for most of the night in the lower pasture. It is cool and the grass is wet from the dew. I made it my business to help with those trees.

I knocked over the black pots so that I could more easily get a hold on the branch that the green part grew out of. I wasn't able to get all of them out of their pots, but I was able to get one of them and carried it away. My human wasn't happy in the morning (although I think I saw her secretly smile). I was just doing what horses do.

Horses are curious creatures. We notice when things are different, and we check them out to make sure they don't represent a danger to us. We interact with them when we get the chance. (That's why I sometimes run off with my man human's fence-fixing tools). We explore and want to understand what part these things play in our world. After all, we are sharing our space.

I think it is important to be curious. When you interact and play with things and others around you, you can understand them better. I think that humans sometimes must forget this. I think they need to be more spontaneous and play with the world. They need to be curious about how other humans (and horses) think and what is important to them. I think when they remember to be curious and focus on understanding, they will have more joy, and feel more connected with everything and everyone around them. That's what horses do. Try it. I think you'll like it!

Neighs and Whinnies,

Goomba
Goomba "interacts"
with his halter.

P.S. If you are curious about what we horses can offer you or your company, call my human, Linda Pucci at (865) 983-7544 or email her at Linda@InnerResourceCenter.com. She can explain how we horses can help you learn about what is holding you back or how you can be better at what you do. We are a great team! You can also check out her other website (where horses are the stars) at http://www.resourceswithhorses.com/.





© 2010 Linda S. Pucci, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

Take Care of Yourself

It is definitely spring here at Hold Your Horses Farm, and we four horses are thoroughly enjoying it. We continue to shed most of our winter hair, and it feels good when we roll to get it off. At least once a week, our human brushes us, and then comments "There's enough hair here to build another horse." I don't understand what that means, and I sure don't want any more horses with whom to share my pasture. Four is plenty.

Shedding our winter hair is only one of the things we do to take care of ourselves. We graze around the pasture most nights; then sleep in the run-in shed during the hottest, sunniest times. The flies like the sun, so we like to stay in the shade to keep them off us. This time of year the flies don't bite us, but they annoy us by landing on our faces. We scratch each other's withers as we snooze in the shed, almost massaging each other. Ah, relaxing is great!

We drink plenty of water and lick the mineral block our humans put out for us. We move around a lot across this 7 acre farm because we know that movement is important. It helps us stay healthy and helps us digest the grass. We graze, and at least once a day we break into a gallop and race from the bottom pasture back up to the top of the hill. We sometimes chase each other. It's fun.

We avoid the plants that we know aren't good tasting or good for us. Although those yellow flowers look pretty, they aren't nice at all, and I'm glad our other human sprays stuff on them. Pretty soon the yellow flowers wilt and leave more room for the grass to grow in.

About every six weeks, a man comes that Linda calls "the farrier" and gives us a pedicure on all four of our feet. I have shoes on my front feet, so he comes and takes them off, files down my hooves and refits them. The boys just have to have their hooves filed down properly. Doing this regularly helps us move correctly and protects us from ending up lame from hooves that have grown too long. We look forward to it, and even let Linda catch us easily, instead of playing hard to get.

It is important to take care of yourself. Horses know that our survival depends on being smart, and horses recognize (although we don't talk about it a lot) the importance of self care. I think humans need to pay attention to taking care of themselves too. Eating well, drinking plenty of water, moving around, taking care of grooming, and taking time to relax are all part of a self care routine that will keep you healthy. I think if humans did what horses do, they would be lots less stressed and could enjoy themselves more. Watch us. We'll show you what to do.

Neighs and Whinnies,


Ginger

P.S. If you have trouble taking care of yourself, my human, Linda Pucci, may be able to help you get over whatever is blocking you. She says that usually the obstacle is some belief that limits you from taking the action you know you should take. She calls it "self sabotage." You humans must be pretty complicated. Anyway, she knows ways to help you break those bad habits that interfere with doing what you need to do to be successful and happy. You can email her at Linda@InnerResourceCenter.com or call her at 865-983-7544.

P.P.S. I know you might wonder why I've provided the Wisdom from the Horse's Mouth two months in a row. Linda says since I'm the princess, I know all about self-care and had to be the one to talk about it. I'm sure she must be right about this. I'm the only mare in our herd and I am very special.

© 2010 Linda S. Pucci, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

Keep Searching for Your Dreams

Spring has finally arrived at Hold Your Horses Farm. We horses are spending more and more time grazing in the pasture, looking for the young, sweet grass. With four horses covering every inch of our 6 ½ acre pasture, you would think we'd find plenty of it. But the grass is still short, and we've grazed it down pretty thoroughly.

Although we are still eating a little bit of hay, we like the sweet grass best. I'm all about food, and I dream about that grass. We graze through the night, pausing occasionally to doze. The places where the rains have down come heaviest seem to have the most abundant supply. I often lead the herd down to the place where the water comes out into the field after a rain. We horses learn pretty quickly where to go to find what we are looking for.

Because we have grazed the grass so short, I sometimes find that the longest grass is on the other side of the fence. I stretch my neck through the wire fence to get it. I've even seen Preacher go down on his knees to get under another place in the fence where you can't put your neck through. He's able to find some tasty morsels just under the fence.

We have to work to find what we are looking for. In the summer, the grass is usually more abundant, but in the early spring, it is tougher to find, probably because it is the young grass which is the sweetest. I appreciate the taste of it, and anticipate it every time each year.

Horses are willing to search for the grass. Even though our humans put out plenty of hay, we cherish the taste of grass whenever we can find it. We're willing to put in the effort to find it because it is worth it. We'll often abandon the hay in looking for that grass we dream about.

I think that humans should keep searching for the things they want too. To us the grass is like a treasure, well worth looking for. We're willing to stretch to reach it, and we savor each morsel, no matter how small. I suspect that humans have trouble finding their dreams sometimes. They too need to search and stretch and savor each step they make toward reaching their dreams. After all, if the dream is something you want, isn't it worth putting in some effort?

I think that when you search for it, you will appreciate it as much as we appreciate those morsels of sweet grass. I think sometimes the taste is even sweeter because we've had to work to find it. I'll bet if you keep thinking about how to find it, and looking carefully, and putting in the effort, you too can find your "sweet grass." When you do, I think you too will find that it is totally worth the effort!

Neighs and Whinnies,

Ginger
P.S. If you need help finding YOUR happiness, I would bet that my human, Linda Pucci, can help. She helps people get rid of the OBSTACLES to their happiness--whether it is stuff from the past, or things in your life right now. You can call her at 865-983-7544 and talk to her. Or email her at Linda@InnerResourceCenter.com. Tell her Ginger sent you.








© 2010 Linda Pucci, Ph.D.

Stand Up for Yourself

I think I've changed. I used to be pretty laid back in our herd of four horses here at Hold Your Horses Farm. It never bothered me to have someone else push me away from my food dish, or nudge me away from the hay. I was never one to push the other horses—or humans--around.

But as cold as it has been here lately, I've needed my hay to help me keep warm. Don't get me wrong. I have not become a bully. I haven't become the "alpha horse" either. I don't push the other horses around. But I do stand my ground. When Goomba comes over to try to finish up my grain, I stand my ground. I don't move away like I used to. I flick an ear at him to tell him to back off, and he stands there patiently until I'm done. Then he checks my food bowl for a stray morsel or two.

When one of the other horses tries to muscle me away from some hay I’m eating, I stand my ground by picking up my back hoof and flattening my ears a bit. I may shake my head to let him know to back off. I don't pin my ears and bare my teeth—that is too intense a reaction, and not necessary.

I don't get violent. I don't start a fight. I hold my ground and stand up for myself. This is a lesson I've learned. The others used to be able to move me around and bully me. (Not Ginger, she's the lowest in our pecking order—she still allows all the boys to push her around).

I communicate my intention to stand up for myself and notice that Goomba and Preacher don't even try to bully me as often. My human, Linda Pucci says I'm "enforcing my boundaries"—whatever that means. All I know is that I am standing up for myself and I like the results.

I think if humans stood up for themselves when things are important to them, they might be a whole lot happier too. It isn't that hard. It doesn't require you to become a bully. You just assert yourself, and make it clear with your body language that you won't tolerate being pushed around. I know, it sounds difficult, but it really isn't. It just takes a decision to do it, and you get better the more you practice it. I know. I've done it.

Neighs and Whinnies,

Shade

P.S. If you need help standing up for yourself without getting angry or overdoing it, my human, Linda Pucci can probably help. She's been teaching people to stand up for themselves for over 30 years. Call her at 865-983-7544 and talk to her about your situation. You can also check out the other things she does at http://www.InnerResourceCenter.com or at http://www.ResourcesWithHorses.com .

Look Harder When Resources Seem Scarce

BRRRR. It is cold here at Hold Your Horses Farm. We horses can tell it is winter. Our coats have grown in, and we look furry (and, on a wet day, shaggy). Ice sometimes forms in our water trough, but my herd mate Shade usually breaks it before the humans have a chance to do it for us.

The pasture has mostly dried up and we now eat hay most of the time. The hay is our main food, but eating it also keeps us warm. We depend upon our humans to give us plenty because we have not yet figured out how to get into the barn to get it ourselves. (Believe me, we are working on it).

When resources seem scarce, like they are in winter, we have to make the most of them. We eat hay whenever it is available, and when we've eaten it all, we forage for leftover grass anywhere in the pasture. We check out the resources carefully.

Even though we eat hay in one place, we continue to graze and roam around our 7 acres, looking for anything we might be able to eat. I've discovered that if I put my head through the fence and lean forward, I can just reach morsels of green grass that are on the other side. Shade, who is a bit taller than the others, goes after leaves on the neighbor's bush. We've discovered that the grass in the ditch where the rain water comes out still is moist and tasty.

All the horses know that when grass is scarce, we need to make the most of it. We have to take care of our resources and use them wisely. Horses know this instinctually, I think, but humans don't seem to know this. When we have eaten all the hay, we go looking for morsels of grass. I've noticed that not all humans go looking when their resources seem scarce.

Sometimes humans talk about "not having enough." I know (being a mare of mature age) that when you focus on things being scarce, it can make you scared. The horses at Hold Your Horses Farm know that we can find the resources (usually food) we need as long as we are willing to look for them. Although things may seem scarce, they usually aren't as bad as you might think. But you have to be willing to look-and sometimes look pretty hard. Yes, it IS sometimes a challenge.

Looking for the resources is something horses do pretty well. I think humans would be a lot happier if they stopped worrying about resources being scarce and began looking for exactly what they need. When you do that, I think you will discover that there are plenty of resources out there. But you have to willing to be as determined and clever as horses are to find them. You have to keep grazing around, and sometimes stretch outside your territory until you find them. If you do that, I'll bet you will find the resources you need.

Good luck!

Neighs and Whinnies,

Ginger

P.S. If you need help finding the resources you need in your life, you can call my human, Linda Pucci. Her business is called the Inner Resource Center because she knows how to help people find the resources they need. Even when your resources seem scarce, she knows how to help you change your life to be happier and more successful. You can reach her at 865-983-7544 or by email at Linda@InnerResourceCenter.com or check out something called her "website" at http://www.InnerResourceCenter.com. (She is not so good at helping you find grass, though-that's MY specialty).

(c) 2010 Linda Pucci, Ph.D.