“There’s something about the outside of a horse that’s good for the inside of a person.” When I learn from a client that he or she loves horses and either is or used to be an owner or rider, I say, “ONCE A COWBOY ALWAYS A COWBOY” (which applies to women also) and I use that belief in therapy to help them recall the sights, sounds, feel and yes, even the smell of a horse. Why? Because the equine experience is, indeed, therapeutic.
Hard to believe, but some people have never actually had the privilege and pleasure of getting up close and personal with a horse. I mean a real horse, of course, not a poor rental animal whose spirit has been long lost or stolen. My Brandi is a sweet but spirited Quarter Horse… a mare (which means moody), but rideable by even a novice — when supervised.
At Evergreen your “Horse Sense” Options are: No. 1: “The Ranch Experience” — a pleasant drive with me through wine country to MarVal Stables ( www.marvalstables.com ) to meet Brandi, feed her carrots, pet and pat her, and observe how horses establish their pecking order in the pasture. See yearlings racing and rearing, colts frolicking about, perhaps even a foal nursing, napping, or discovering his legs. Cost? $20 (which pays for the gas and the carrots).
No. 2: “Get ‘Er Done” includes the above plus taking the time and making the effort to groom Brandi with me– curry and brush her coat, comb her mane and tail, clean her hooves (or, for the more timid, watch me clean them). In a herd, horses groom each other. Once domesticated, they depend on the human touch for this important part of their maintenance and well being. With repetition, a unique bond is formed between horse and human. Cost? $40
No. 3: “Saddle Up and Personal” includes both of the above plus an easy, safe and supervised ride in the outdoor arena. Anyone under eighteen must wear a helmet, and every rider must sign a waiver releasing both me and the ranch from responsibility in case of a mishap. Cost? $80 If you’re interested in option number two or three, plan to get dusty and maybe even downright dirty. It washes off. What lasts is the memory that supports the saying,
“There’s something about the outside of a horse that’s good for the inside of a person.”
209-472-0722
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