Carolyn’s career and studies span 40 years as a trainer, breeder, clinician and student of wild horse behavior. The purpose of her approach is to help create a consistent connection with your horse based on love, trust and leadership.

Carolyn’s blog is alive and full of up to the minute stories and experiences, give it a visit~you’ll be glad you did!

To reach Carolyn, please visit her website: www.dancewithhorses.com

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Episode Highlights:

• Dale shares her 1st memory being enthralled with horses
• Dale’s 1st sense of deeper connection between horse and human
• Horses’ ability to help us grieve and release through difficult times in our life
• When the student is ready, the teacher appears–the blessing of support and training for connection
• Mentors and Teachers who positively influenced Dale’s path
• Dale’s perspective on the common theme in all horses
• The greatest life lesson horses teach us
• A breathing affirmation to support ourselves and our horses

To contact Dale for more information on her trainings and offerings with horses, email: dale@kauaihorses.com

Be sure to subscribe to our site so we can let you know when something fresh is ready to listen to! It’s easy, just add your email on our home page and you’ll always be aware of any news from the Herd here at In Horse Harmony. Happy Listening and Happy Trails!

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Yee-Haaaaa!!!!! Here’s me and my first horse. *smile* Wind in our hair, connected in spirit, riding as one. We did lots of ground work/play before this…spending lots of time slow dancing together, getting to know each other, building trust and mutual respect…all the things necessary for a deep and lasting partnership. When the time came to ride we were flying free; two souls aligned, dancing united.

May all your partnerships be deep. May you feel the desire to slow down, breathe and say YES to the moments that make your heart sing and your feet dance.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

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It’s 2007. Happy New Year to all of our Harmonious Horsey Friends!! It’s our wish that this new year brings us ever closer in our deepening partnerships with our equine friends…as we continue to commit to growing in our evolving awareness of the wisdom that horses so willingly bring to the dance. May we all be blessed with Love, Light, Joy and the celebration of taking time to enjoy the “sweet spots” in life!

Happy New Year blessings from the Herd at In Horse Harmony.

Originally uploaded by Kalalea.

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I began my search on the internet, of course. I found all sorts of interesting things. Great support for what I was intuitively feeling about horses and their unique ability to touch humans in a way that could potentially shift their consciousness and alter the be-ing-ness of their lives forever was readily available. I knew that I wanted to be a part of this rolling wave of enthusiasm around the horse/human connection. I also knew that as I read the countless pages of material that while inspiring and stimulating on some level, for me it was not quite ‘right’…not quite what I was looking for.

What I found as I researched was that the containers or boxes that have been shaped so far for the work that is being done didn’t quite fit the vision I was holding. While the work being done definitely integrates the horse and human and the profound effect that working with a horse can have I felt that what I was looking for was more about the ‘exchange’ between the horse and human as equal partners and even more importantly that the human would come to the horse, honor the horse, get to know the horse, earn the horse’s respect and trust while quietly, slowly entering into an appropriate, balanced relationship with the horse. I wanted to learn what it’s like to be a horse…not from human eyes…but with horse’s eyes. I felt strongly that the truest expression of this work would be discovered from the horse’s perspective, not ours and that in that space the ‘magic’ or the ‘keys to the universe’ would be ours, so to speak. I wanted to discover what it is to be a part of the herd. What did it really mean to be in a herd? How did the members of the herd inter-relate with one another? How is the hierarchy established…what qualities does the leader possess that make him or her capable and respected as a leader? What do we notice about each of the other horses in the herd? Are there any recognizable behaviors that seem to be speaking the language of the horse? And so on. I wanted to delve into the world of the horse in order to understand them, from their perspective, so that I could share their wisdom with others.

I continued searching and suddenly something ‘clicked’–no pun intended as I was still ‘googling’ to find what I was looking for! I found Franklin Levinson, known for almost 30 years as “The Maui Horse Whisperer”, whose web address reflected immediately what I felt I was looking for…www.wayofthehorse.org. The Way of the Horse! Of course…that was it. Someone was focusing on the HORSE…for the horse. I began reading the many articles and essays available on Franklin’s site and I knew that without a doubt he was the teacher for me. It was so interesting for me to read Franklin’s words…they seemed to be my words. The thoughts and feelings I had been having, the intuitive truths that had been pulsing through me about the deeper connection between horse and human as partners in right relationship with each other resounded in every article I read. The biggest difference I could find between Franklin and me was that he was living and breathing it in his every day physical world and my experience was still largely in the intuitive world with a strong impulsion moving forward into my daily experience. I had been working for half a year at an incredible ranch here on Kauai where I could experience, ‘feel into’, and put into practice some of what I’d been feeling. I had learned (and continue to learn) so much about horses and their care…and I knew that if I wanted to delve in and completely immerse myself I needed to find a space where I could BE in the experience fully engaged with out the duties of day to day business. I had a sense that an experience with Franklin and the horses would be just the thing. I emailed him immediately and discovered that he was living in the Aspen/Snowmass area of Colorado…nestled in the Rocky Mountains. He offered what he calls “A Rocky Mountain Horse Vacation“…an immersion program designed especially to suit each individuals needs/desires.

We began connecting and planning through emails for what would soon become one of the greatest experiences of my life. I have so much gratitude for Franklin, for his willingness to be present, for his passion, enthusiasm and compassion in the work that he does. It’s obvious that the horses have taught Franklin well. He’s an incredible example of living the way of the horse every day.

In September we traveled as a family to meet Franklin. I was so excited I don’t think I slept for an entire week before the trip. If I was sleeping I was dreaming horses, non-stop. (That’s not that unusual for me!) Meeting Franklin the first day felt like being reunited with a close friend after a long time apart. There was an immediate bond which confirmed for me again that I was exactly where I needed to be. My week was filled with horses…a girl’s dream come true. We visited a healthy handful of ranches in the area and I worked (I really prefer ‘played’) with a variety of horses, each of which brought a unique blend of character traits to the ‘dance’, as Franklin lovingly refers to the communion of horse and human’s time together.
Throughout this week I lived and breathed what I knew to be true in my heart. I experienced first hand what it truly means to feel and think like a horse. I experienced an ever deepening sense of presence, of truly being in the moment. Franklin helped me see so clearly the smallest of details within the connection and relationship with each horse just by slowing things down…making each moment breathe on its own. What a remarkably beautiful experience!

There are so many attributes that I appreciate in Franklin. What stands at the front of a long list is his innate ability to be fully present, completely in his integrity…full of trust in the real sense of the word…a quality that is not often found in today’s world, a gift to be sure. He is honest. He is respecting and respectable. He’s quietly calm, peaceful…and at the same time exudes a happiness that lets you know he is truly living his passion. It was very easy for me to see how he’s so successful in his partnerships with horses. He’s everything they need him to be. He’s not full of hidden agendas. He’s there for them and they know it; they can trust him. He recognizes them for their greatness, their strength and their capacity to love. He recognizes their need for safety. He’s there for them.

As I write this I am reminded again of the overwhelming sense of purity, love and compassion that I felt as I observed Franklin with the horses. I remember reflecting with Franklin about how I feel so strongly that the power of the horse/human connection and the wisdom therein could truly be the answer to the world’s obvious cry for help and positive change. The qualities described above could cure this planet of anything that ails it if each human could find this space to exist in–relating in harmony with all of nature, all of life.

I’ll save the ‘technical’ details of my experience for another post. This post describes the essence that I came away with; an essence that I already carried in my heart and now had a wealth of practical experience to support it. I am forever grateful to Franklin…and Sunny D., Gracie, Shiloh, Sunbeam, Honey, Thunder and all of the other amazing Horsey Spirits out there! If you’re looking for a horse experience that will enhance your state of being for the rest of your life…contact Franklin, he and his horse friends will be there for you!

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Off we went into the woods through winding trails, up and down hills, over a stream and through a wide open pasture. It was there that Booger decided he had other things to do than to walk slowly behind all of his buddies. The grass was greener on the other side so to speak and Booger began trotting around all willy-nilly. As I bounced around in the saddle… I vacillated between feeling scared out of my pants to feeling a sort of exhilarating rush of freedom. Mostly I gave in to the scared out of my pants side of things not because I was worried that Booger was intentionally doing anything TO me, instead because I had a sort of knowing that I was supposed to be asking something of him and because I didn’t know what to do or how to do it Booger just did his own thing. I felt sure that Booger’s seemingly rebellious activity wasn’t about him wanting to go against anyone’s wishes…it was about him choosing to do what he wished seeing as though no one else (me) was asking him not to.

I didn’t know it at the time but that was my first lesson in true partnership (or the lack thereof) with a horse. Intuitively I knew a whole lot about what was going on and even about what was needed to change the situation to one that may have been more preferred not to mention a little safer. On the cognitive, intellectual side of things however I had no idea what to do with my intuitive instinctual side. This is the part that requires some training and being that it was my first ride and my training consisted of the guide telling me my horse’s name, that he can sometimes ‘be a booger’ and not to worry, just to do the best I could didn’t really give me a whole lot to go on.

The guide came around to help; this only seemed to be a game for Booger. When ever she approached he evaded her by moving to another greener spot in the pasture. All of the other horses and riders remained motionless, seemingly suspended in time and space as Booger and I frolicked in the field. After what felt like forever but was probably no more than two minutes the guide said, “Oh well, we’ll just go on ahead…don’t worry Booger doesn’t like to be left alone; he’ll follow when he realizes everyone else is moving on. You’re doing a great job!” At the time and still now I thought, “wow…that’s putting a whole lot of trust and faith in me…and in Booger”. I wasn’t sure either one of us really deserved all that; but a vote of confidence is a swell thing and in that moment it was exactly what Booger and I needed. As the rest of the group moved out, I think there were ten of us in all (including our trusty guide and our Campfire Girls adult leader) I wondered what would happen next. I kept my eyes on where I wanted to go and hoped that Booger would do the same. Much to my amazement Booger and I fell into line right where we belonged, at the end, and continued with the others on our journey back to the barn. Another HUGE lesson learned…ALWAYS LOOK WHERE IT IS YOU WANT TO GO! What a concept!

At 10 years old with a horse named Booger I learned some life lessons that would carry me the distance. I learned that a name can project certain qualities that may not always be the same as the being holding the name reflects. I learned that horses, like humans, like to feel connected and have a sense of belonging…preferring to be with others rather than being alone. I learned that relationships are partnerships where it takes two willing beings acting together to get things done. And I learned that confidence, faith and trust go a LONG way! I am forever grateful to my first partner, Booger. He taught me to be where I was and that being on his back was a lot better than the alternative at that moment which could have been falling off. He taught me about connection, about feeling the love that pulsed in each of our hearts for all living things and that taking time to smell the roses (or eat some luscious, green grass more specifically) was not only important, but crucial to our well-beings. He showed me the way of the horse. And I would be forever changed…not necessarily conscious of the power of our time together until much later. This one’s for you Booger, where ever your shining soul may be! Love and Good Grazing…Debra

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