I stepped on a little rock yesterday and bruised my foot. Ouch! It didn’t hurt for very long, but it made me grumpy. Then I got bit on the neck by a big fly. It hurt! I snapped at it and bumped my nose on the fence. I was having a really bad day.

I stood in the corner of my turnout feeling agitated and unhappy. Then I remembered Jane saying that ATTITUDE IS A CHOICE. I could choose to be grumpy, or choose to be happy. But I was so grumpy that I was having a hard time finding even a hint of “happy” in my mind. I was stuck.

Then Indy stopped by to say hello. He looked up at me with that funny, fuzzy face and grinned. One look at his big, smiling mug, and I suddenly found that little tickle of happiness swell in my mind. I thought of all the times we’d played chase and the way he’d laugh with his funny dog laugh as we raced around my turnout. I remembered watching him jump sideways when he spotted the little alligator in the grass and the joyful way he splashed in the pond while chasing a ball.

Continue reading Motivation from Moshi 101, by Jane Savoie →

I don’t remember my Mom. Do you? Some of you talk to your mom all the time and others never do. Few of us horses still have contact with our mothers. In the wild it’s usually just the fillies who stay in the same herd with their moms. The boys usually move out to a bachelor herd until we find (or steal) a band of girls of our own.

Spring brings talk of Mother’s Day around the barn. Indy and I are Jane’s “kids” so we get to acknowledge her on Mother’s Day by being extra well behaved. I’m not sure she noticed last year. Does that mean we’re well behaved all the time?

If you’re lucky enough to still have your mom around, remember to acknowledge her on Mother’s Day! It will mean a lot to her. And it will do your own heart good to reconnect.

Continue reading Motivation from Moshi 103, by Jane Savoie →

Sometimes I get tired and don’t feel inspired to work.

Do you have days like that? I’ll bet you do. And it’s totally okay to take some downtime to recharge.

It’s like that old story about the lumberjack hacking away at a tree stump with a dull axe. Each hack at the trunk made a little dent, but the axe was so dull it didn’t bite into the wood. As dusk approached, the fellow’s wife came out to see what was taking so long. She handed her husband a canteen of cool water and took the axe from him. While he drank, she went into the shed, turned on the grinding wheel, and sharpened the axe to a fine edge. She then took the axe back to her husband, retrieved the canteen, and returned to the house without a word. The lumberjack went back to work with the sharpened axe. In minutes, he chopped through the stump.

Continue reading Motivation from Moshi 100, by Jane Savoie →

I really like my barn. It’s so cool with its screened-in porch and big air fans. The floor is a cushy rubber brick that absorbs the impact of my steps. There’s a beautiful bowl fountain with an eagle sculpture in the center that’s always full of clean, cool water. I appreciate how spotless the barn folks keep the place, too!

I appreciate that I am fed good quality food on a regular basis. I never go hungry. My water is always full and crystal clean. When I have turn out, I have delicious, fresh green grass to eat.

I also appreciate how much the people around me care about me. I care about them too. Jane, Rhett, the barn folks, even Indy, make my life interesting and worthwhile.

So, what do you appreciate today? I know there are things you’d rather were different, but forget about those for a while. What’s GOOD in your life RIGHT NOW? What situations, people, horses, dogs, experiences, and surroundings can you feel appreciation for today?

Continue reading Motivation from Moshi 99, by Jane Savoie →

The other day I was sleeping in the sun when Jane showed up to ride. I didn’t feel like working, so I closed my eyes and pretended I was asleep. I was a bit grumpy when she started brushing me while I was lying there trying to ignore her. But before long I was awake and found myself enjoying the terrific rubdown with her rubber curry brush.

Jane tacked me up and off we went. I wasn’t in the mood to work, and I let Jane know it. We started slowly, but before long I was feeling really energetic and wanted to go faster. We practiced perfecting our canter departs and passage, which made me feel really good about myself.

Sometimes all you need to get motivated is to GET MOVING. Starting is usually the hardest part. It takes a little determination, but you’ve got plenty of that. So get up out of that chair, and make the decision to move your body in an energetic way! Go to the barn and get on your horse, or turn on some dance music and boogie around your house!

Continue reading Motivation from Moshi 98, by Jane Savoie →

At my barn the white dressage arena fence is about twelve inches high. Around that is a taller fence, about five feet high. Around the perimeter of the property is a dog proof mesh fence that’s six feet high! Wow… that’s a lot of boundaries!

There’s a saying that strong fences make good neighbors. This is true figuratively as well as literally. A strong fence can keep danger out, and/or keep someone safely in. A clear fence line makes a strong statement about where my space starts and yours ends.

Personal boundaries are like the low dressage arena fence. They may not keep things in or out, but they clearly mark a line that says, “do not cross.” You just have to be aware of that line and be willing to respect it. That’s not so easy, because personal boundaries are so, well, personal!

Some people want physical space, privacy, and to take care of themselves. Others are touchy/feely folks who want to hug and snuggle, love to nurture and care for others, like lots of feedback, and get lonely when left alone.

Continue reading Motivation from Moshi 97, by Jane Savoie →