Hello All,

For my recent school project at Goddard I have decided to try my hand at photography. Obviously the only thing worth taking photos of are my beautiful girls…

Thought you all might enjoy seeing some of these.

EmmySaoirse In Motion

Saoirse and Maggie

Emmy Dark and Dirty

Emmy and Saoirse Fading into White....

The architect Frank Lloyd Wright coined the phrase “organic architecture.” Today we may think of organic architecture as a structure made from organic or “green” materials but Wright meant something different. “Determining form by the way of the nature of the materials…” Wright believed that architecture should not stand out or interrupt nature, but be constructed in such a manner to appear as if it was molded straight from the earth and belonged in its chosen setting. Wright’s goal was to create a structure that would compliment and flourish in nature and not destroy or diminish it. In a similar way, humans can combine with the horse to become stronger, wilder, more beautiful as a whole than either parts were alone and neither damage or destroy the horse.

We have approached the horse in the past much in the way some architects approach the construction of a building. Alter/ignore the landscape and build something new. As humans, we sometimes forge blindly ahead, making changes and imposing our desires onto anything we come across. It can be argued that humans evolved to effect, influence, and change our environment in order to further our own development. This “programming,” unfortunately, can sometimes lead us to thoughtless and uncoordinated actions.

We are powerful beings; we have only to look around at our earth to see the immense impact we have had on the world. As our species grows, often we start to look at other creatures on this planet in terms of how “they” will fit in with “us.” Although this has become something of a necessity in terms of preserving the life and land of the earth in an ever-changing world, it can also be a path of thoughtlessness, especially when we forget to look at creatures other than ourselves as unique and important in their own right.

In order for Frank Lloyd Wright to create the beautiful and harmonious buildings that he did, he had to first observe the landscape, the essence of his environment. During the construction of his masterpiece Falling Water in 1934, he spent numerous hours walking in the forest and wading in the river of the site that eventually became incorporated into that magnificent home. Instead of replacing what nature had already constructed, Wright enhanced what was already there.

Horses, As They Are

In this way we should approach many of our endeavors, and especially when being with horses. So much of what we call “horsemanship” is essentially the dissection and removal of the horse’s innate and powerful nature. We are drawn to horses for their mystique, their power, their beauty, yet through our “training” we, step- by-step, dismantle the horse’s wild soul, replacing it with something hollow and lifeless.

We are both attracted to and afraid of nature. The power of the ocean, the swiftness of the wind, the scorching of the sun, and the darkness of the forest excites us, yet within that excitement is a sense of fear, a lack of control and influence that makes us uneasy. We struggle with this in nature because we struggle with it in ourselves. We are aware of the dark, nameless power inside of us which we experience as both electrifying and deadly.

Our immediate reaction to this fear is to deny it, to control and contain it with all of our abilities. So as we approach the horse, aware of its great power and ability, we struggle to both obtain and destroy it.

We may learn to allow nature, both that of the horse and of ourselves, to flourish. We may accept and incorporate the power within us, allowing the force of the oceans, the winds, the sun, and the darkness to surge throughout our beings without destroying us. In this way we can become one with the horse by encouraging and complimenting his nature instead of destroying it.

If we step outside our doors with the eye of Frank Lloyd Wright, seeing the world for what it is and how we can enhance or become part of what is already there, we will become less critical of ourselves and others for what is innately part of us. We will grow more observant, more aware of beauty within and without, allowing ourselves to become whole and creative with all things.

Emmy Observing Her Surroundings

Happy New Year Everyone.

I wanted to write a quick post and give you an update on the upcoming projects to keep an eye out for.  I am currently in the process of launching my own website for my emerging practice as a Equine Facilitated Human Growth Practitioner. I will post the URL here on the Freedom’s Choice blog as soon as the website is up and ready.  Also writing on ‘the book’ is progressing fabulously with this January taking me into the realm of digital photography and editing.

Saoirse and Emmy are doing wonderfully.  Our sessions together could not be better, and they are proving to be wonderful teachers for my friends and clients.

Joan and I have put a pause on filming during these cold winter weeks but will begin again fresh when spring starts to arrive.

Thanks again to all of you who read the blog and support Joan’s and my purpose.  May this New Year bring success and fulfillment to all.

-Em