“Joy is not in things; it is in us.”- Richard Wagner

Joy is a primary emotion. Think of babies (or puppies). Most of the time, they are pretty joyful without needing anything special, except for their basic needs to be met.  That joy exists within each & every one of us. We don’t need a fancy car or some external pleasure to be joyful. We only need to learn to access the joy already within us. It may seem too good to be true – but it is possible and it becomes easier and easier with practice. Give it a try, you may like your results!

Here are 7 steps to unlock your inner JOY!

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We asked some of our friends that work with or own horses, to tell us how HORSES bring JOY to them.  Here are their stories:

Humans have been connected to the spirit of the horse for centuries. We see ourselves in their behavior and our world in their eyes. A horse’s joy is boundless. When turning out my horse in an empty arena with some of his friends (or even by himself) He will buck and prance and run around for no reason other than for a resounding WOOHOO, THIS IS AWESOME!! His tail perks up, head held high, he’ll jump and twist and kick. Then he’ll drop to the ground and roll all the way over on either side, jump up and run around again. Just happy […]

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The relationship we humans have with our expectations is a complex one.  Expectation can be beneficial, but only when there is BALANCE and flexibility.  When held too tightly, our expectations can lead us to a myriad of unpleasant states: disappointment, resentment, fear, worry, perfectionism, low self-esteem and conflict with others.

Expectation comes in many forms – the expectations we have about a certain outcome for the future, the expectations we have placed on others in our lives, the expectations we have for ourselves and our own success as well as those we imagine others have for us. When we are in expectation, our focus is on the future.  Planning for or at the very least considering the future is a necessity in today’s world,  but too much time dwelling in the […]

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Horses and donkeys continue to teach us the value of being in the present moment. As prey animals, they can’t risk getting caught up in expectations, like we humans often do. This sort of behavior would pull them out of the present, where they need to be in order to remain safe. Even though they don’t become as entwined in them, horses do still have some expectations. For example, they expect that they will be hunted and they use this information to color their actions. But rather than dwell on the multiple possibilities for their demise or create unnecessary suffering, horses stay true to the present moment and what is actually happening around them. Because equines are so connected to and aware of the now, relating and interacting with them […]

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Feeling frazzled?  Late on a deadline?  Stuck in LA traffic?  Consider how often stressful situations leave you feeling irritated and drained.  How we manage our energy when faced with a stressful situation can have a far-reaching effect on our performance, health, and overall quality of life.

One key way to manage energy and keep from loosing your cool is to mindfully notice your energy and focus on being present. Equines are masters at being in the present and managing their energy– they have to be in order to survive.  Through working with them we can learn a lot about how to effectively use and manage our energy.

Margret, Chance, and Piper* were standing in the middle of the arena, exhausted from running behind the herd of equines. They were visually […]

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