Join Kesia Nagata and I for an evening of storytelling. When Juno pops open the fence and hops out onto the driveway – yet no one else follows him – the horses are sending a clear message to Kesia. One that involves llamas, a raging river through a canyon, and an encounter with a mama black bear and her two cubs…
SCROLL DOWN TO THE BOTOM FOR THE PODCAST…
Here are some photos to illustrate our discussion:
p.s. I am also thrilled to announce that our new LTYH Supplement Shoppe is up and running! These are all the natural supplements I use with the Singing Horse herd – all tried-and-tested – to produce vibrant, whole-body health. Click the JINI SAYS tab on each product to find out exactly how I use each supplement with the herd, or why I chose it for the Shoppe 🙂
Jini Patel Thompson is a natural health writer and Lazer Tapping instructor. She began riding at age 2 in Kenya, and got her first horse at age 8 in Alberta, and so continues a life-long journey and love affair with these amazing creatures.
Holy crap you guys just put me in a mind blow overload!
So much I want to say and as you know I already tend to be long-winded and I don’t even know how to keep this short but I guess the podcast wasn’t short so I am sure you’ll understand!
This was kind of like a true authentic reality show so many twists and turns and cool aspects and fascinating interactions …can’t even tell you how appreciative I am that you ladies shared it in verbal out loud dialogue! Gave it so much clearness so we could slurp up & absorb every juicy bit!
I’m just going to start with all the things as I remember not necessarily in order! Machako helping Amalia…really struck me… saying you can do this …I know your her mom but you got this! I think one of the things about horses that touches me the deepest is how supportive they can be of each other, it really is a lesson for humans! watching our herd of horses conquer the new adjacent neighbor pig with each other’s support was so endearing & fascinating to see and witness!
Of course the Bears wow I mean really if you’re thinking worst-case scenario that’s probably one of the things you would worry about the most …a bear!….yet not only a bear a mama bear does it get any more intense than that ? Yet as usual the mighty Montaro does not fail …you all seem to just handle it …figure it out and get through it which is what a herd does! All in all I think sometimes we make everything so terrifying and then it makes us act in ways that are incongruent ..just because of fear ! You ladies touched on it in so many different levels and I just kept shaking my head and agreeing and feeling what you ladies were talking about …a lot of very cool shit!
When we moved here ( can you believe it’s been six years now ) the people directly across from us …where my good friend lives now…had an alpaca ranch and believe me the horses were not excited about the alpacas! They are definitely not as big as llamas …so a little bit more manageable but definitely a process to get them comfortable realizing the alpacas were also just grazing animals and little by little they could see they were not a threat! I do feel for your poor horse Spero having to have a bully llama to contend with! I’ve seen many videos and they are definitely ominous!
Your husband’s participation in this just took it to a whole other level and I wonder if he got as big of a adrenaline high off of it as you did? because that’s how it affects me when I have our adventures with our horses… sometimes they can take me so high with adrenaline and joy I know nothing else in life will ever match it! Probably why I am such a horse Junkie!
I had a ride on dreamer a few days ago I call them Dreamey rides where I basically just have no agenda whatsoever and he kind of just gets to do & go wherever he wants …within reason …not to much trespassing and keeping the calories somewhat down! We were so connected and he just continues to deepen me and fill me with emotions I have never felt! I appreciate him beyond language! I also have never understood the whole poop and walk and never let your horse eat mantra? It just makes absolutely no sense to me how can a human not see that eating/grazing is a complete calming mechanism for a horse and how helpful it can be for them to process through scary adrenaline moments!
I feel like you guys did an extreme trails challenge but a purely authentic one! It just flowed as it happened! I think it’s just so cool about letting the horses go and then letting them run/process through the extreme adrenaline moments and then coming back together as a herd! It really just speaks to the deeper level that is possible and when I have felt that with the horses it truly is kismet and everything else just kind of pales in comparison!
I have always been grateful I didn’t have a traditional clouded tainted view of horses when they came into my life in my early 40s! It is always definitely felt like a plus on the side of being able to stay mostly true to how I had always envisioned it! Yet, along the way, trying to learn and look at resources I have emulated things…. that were completely incongruent with how I felt and with the horses help they have brought me back time and time again to a path of staying true to what I always thought a relationship with a horse could be! I still make mistakes all the time but it’s what molds us and it’s what helps us do better the next time!
I look forward to hearing about the continued conversation Jax is having with you about riding..and where it will lead? I am hoping you do get to take your exploration up into the mountains and maybe even get a little bit a video in the less intense downtimes? So we can get a glimpse of the amazing surroundings and mountain that he shares name with!
I am also 51 now and I don’t like coming off a horse! But I completely understand them not being able to make that kind of a pact.. Jini…because there’s just too many variables! I do find though when you ride bareback you come off a lot cleaner and it can be a better experience than being hung up in a saddle! When you ride bareback (or in a saddle) it’s a very real quick possibility all the time! I actually came off Dreamers back a couple weeks ago when he very uncharacteristically spooked at a filled black plastic bag blowing behind a tree! Which I’m sure in his mind was definitely a bear ..the only reason I got hurt though (small blip on my finger) is because I tried to hold onto the reins as I fell and right when, I did it …I could hear him say Let Go! I’m not gonna leave you! So I let go he ran about 50 feet and just started to graze! I walked up to him I ended up getting back on because he said I could… he apologized to me and I told him it was of course my fault because if you make that decision to get on a horses back you take on that responsibility! It’s always the humans fault!
Well I will end this although I am sure as soon as I hit send..I will think of 1000 things I forgot and wanted to say! You ladies, as always, rock so hard ….you just enlighten, help evolve, entertain and excite the senses thanks for being you! ✌🏼💚🐴
Kesia…Ok see I told you…Forgot a thing I just had to add…your images that help narrate the story are utterly fabulous! ✌🏼💚🐴
You’re right Michelle, there’s just no way to be succinct about theses things sometimes! I loved reading all that was sparked in you while Jini and I talked. I was truly quite high on it all so very funny to see your comments and go “oh wait, I said that? We talked about that? She was still recording?!) 😂
But also so cool to hear your stories in response to this one and feel that same delicious connective energy bubbling through your words. That eternal child feeling combined with the patience and wisdom of time – ugh it’s so perfect and I completely adore the fact that you’re living this life with Dreamer and the herd. We are all so profoundly privileged to be blessed with these horse people, constantly carrying us into adventure whether we’re on their backs or not. Gotta go but thanks for joining us on this latest journey and adding your light!!
Hey Michelle – love reading your commentary – thanks! And yes, I always ride bareback, unless I’m forced to use a saddle, so no worries there. But I wonder if you can answer my question about alpacas… so in light of mixed-species grazing goals (eat different forage, not affected by each other’s parasites) where do alpacas come in? So if cows, horses, sheep are an ideal mix, could alpaca sub for cow or sheep? I met an alpaca the other day and he was just fascinating!
Kesia and Jini, Thanks so much for this adventure. Loved listening to this! It felt like I was right there!
Much appreciation for this podcast.
Much love,
You’re so welcome – now you know why we did a podcast rather than try to write about it! xo
Wow! what an adventure! Thankyou for sharing it.
I found it so encouraging when you were talking about horsey peeps vs non horsey peeps. I often felt so inadequate being the latter, coming into a partnership so late in life at 59yrs old, but i realize it is an advantage not having all the agendas etc. to unlearn.
Also what you said re riding and the risk of coming off due to unforseen scary stuff they react to. I can so relate to that reactionary state too lol.
I dont know whether I have shared before about my fall almost 2yrs ago in august, where I broke many bits and it took me at least 18mos to recover. So I have decided no riding as I’m unable to risk being out of action, being the sole person running the farm. It feels like the wise choice for me. Jarrah and I can just enjoy hanging out and learning from each other and the lyth community.
I am so grateful to have connected to you guys.
Btw-Kesia, you asked me months ago about how I was going out here alone on the farm and I apologise for not getting back to you. I have had a big break from tech and had quite alot of inner stuff to process to say the least. I have wanted to fill you in, I guess it’s all down to timing. I feel like a big shift has happened and I’m seeing it play out bit by bit. Yay!
My biggest lesson at present is staying in the moment and going step by step. It’s my survival, otherwise
I go into overwhelm and freeze.
Even though it appears ‘crazy’ that I’m going it alone with such a big commitment here, somehow it feels right. If I think of exiting and moving somewhere else smaller, like some peeps suggest, my body just squinshes up on the inside, so i guess I’m here to stay till I’m shown otherwise.
Here’s to crazziness!
The pics are just beautiful btw.
Bless you great gals. Love ya heaps.
Namaste and big hugs.
Erin 🌳🐎
Neat image…even if you didn’t mean for it to be there! Don’t know any of your details Erin…but sounds like you are a strong women and your power is getting stronger and deeper! Strength and support to you in life! ✌🏼💚🐴
Thanks for your encouragement Michelle much appreciated. I really feel like this community is like a family to me and I can come out from hiding and be myself. I am very grateful for this safe place.
Big hugs to you.
Namaste
Erin🌳🐎💚🤗
Woops! I didnt mean that pic to be there, it was meant to be my avatar lol. No good with IT stuff ha ha.
Yes, but it’s a great photo so I left it there and didn’t delete it for you 😉
xox