Posts Tagged ‘Linda Kohanov’
What Led?
The weeks that have followed the unexpected death of Legacy, our Arabian gray who was the herd leader of three chestnuts, have been made even more difficult by some extreme winter weather, the death of a colleague and friend whom Cyndie worked with during her years as Principal of Eden Prairie High School, and now signs of some laminitis lameness in Hunter.
Among the many contributing factors listed for laminitis, we found that hormonal imbalance caused by stress of moving a horse or the loss of a field companion spoke directly to the situation effecting our remaining three. Sadly, this recent heavy snow accumulation, followed by the dramatic thaw, has added another risk by making the uneven frozen footing in the paddocks hazardous for bruising or mechanical damage to the cellular bond between sensitive laminae and the hoof wall.
On top of these issues, this weekend Cyndie and I were smacked with the reality that her car is in need of cost prohibitive repairs. Logic indicates it is time to shop for a different vehicle for her.
Roll all these issues together and our grieving minds both came to a similar thought: has our dream of making Wintervale Ranch into a functioning business met with defeat?
Life was a heck of a lot less complicated for me when I lived in the suburbs and only had to deal with maintaining the house and our tiny lot. I hate to admit there are aspects of that which look desirable in comparison to our current situation.
Our unpredictable and decidedly inadequate combined incomes do not make shopping for a replacement vehicle as simple as it once was for us. Right now, shopping for a different car seems to be a tipping point for our analysis of this whole crazy move to the country to build a self-sustaining retreat and learning center.
What led us here in the first place?
We found ourselves revisiting the series of inspirational events that sequentially fueled our passion and groomed our decisions. From the magical trip to spend two weeks with Ian Rowcliffe in Portugal, to Cyndie’s apprenticeship in Linda Kohanov’s Eponaquest workshops, to our discovery of this gorgeous property and log home in west-central Wisconsin, the mid-life transition we embarked on seemed supernaturally ordained.
Where is that inspiration now?
Instead of the surprisingly achievable answers and solutions that have blessed us in response to all the incredible challenges that arose throughout the early years of this adventure, we are increasingly noticing a lack of income-generating response to our offerings and an increase in stressful difficulties with our animal partners.
Obviously, the most dramatic stressor being Legacy’s sudden death.
Just like all that has come before, we know there is a lesson for us in this. Even though he is gone, Legacy still has something to teach us.
At the center of it all is, love.
We grieve because we love and experienced a loss, but loving is how we got where we are today.
We believe it is possible to rediscover the love and inspiration that guided us here and we are seeking to re-attune ourselves to more of the surprisingly achievable answers and solutions that have graced our journey thus far.
What led us here is exactly the same as what will lead us to what happens next.
Please keep your seat belts fastened and your arms and hands inside at all times for the remainder of this wild ride.
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Significant Milestone
I walked into the sunroom yesterday afternoon, where it is supposed to be sunny and warm in the springtime, and the scene brought out a chuckle. I have removed my winter jacket from the coat tree inside the front door, but something has kept me from finally putting away the boots, hat and mittens, that remain there.
Maybe I am waiting for that 2-weeks in a row without snow to fully play out.
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Hidden in the background of all the projects currently underway at Wintervale, is the work Cyndie has been doing to complete an apprenticeship program with author, Linda Kohanov, to become a practitioner in Eponaquest’s educational model, Equine Facilitated Experiential Learning.
Cyndie has been attending workshops, and engaged in lessons and other projects, off and on for over 2 years. On Wednesday, she traveled to Amado, AZ, for the last session, after which she will have completed her apprenticeship. I will be flying down to join her on the second weekend of her 10-days there, to be a member of the first group of students to be trained by this session’s graduating apprentices.
It is a very significant milestone on this journey that we launched back when we decided to sell our suburban home and find property suitable for horses. Property that had potential for her to create a place where she hopes to train others. Quite simply, it is why we are here.
It feels like a sacred moment. I am looking forward to seeing her in action, in the role she has been envisioning for herself, pretty much since she read Linda’s first book, and then spent time with Ian Rowcliffe and their horses in Portugal.
With all the fence work on our property being delayed as much as has happened, some of the most significant progress could end up happening while Cyndie is in Arizona. It is setting up to be a close finish of her training and our readiness to finally bring horses onto our property.
It adds poignancy to an already special time for us. Let’s hope the weather allows things to work out that way.
Relative Something 