Day 1 - Blow in the Nose
When you first meet a horse you truly want that horse to love you as much as you love her. And you wait anxiously for that moment, not always knowing what it will be. And then it happens, your horse turns her head and you spook a little and step back. Oops!
It’s my job to point out that we cannot buy those experiences, we cannot orchestrate them - we can only hope that in that very moment our horse turns to smell us we remember to lean into the experience. As an adult, this may not seem like a big deal, but as a child, a 1000lb animal looming over you can be daunting. “Let her smell the back of your hand,” I always say. “She is trying to remember you by your smell, your touch, the sound of your voice and your energy. And, you want her to know you are the most fair and capable leader she will ever meet.” For the braver kids, I urge them to blow in her nose. “You know that stinky smelly morning breath that nobody likes? That’s the one that horses love, that’s the one that is easiest for them to remember.”
Today we blew in each other’s noses. It’s a beautiful unfolding. From the time in the car with Uncle Doug, giving his tour around Hilo Bay, to the arrival and tour of our off grid home, the kids and I have all been getting to know each other. We toured the farm and then some of us went straight to visit his old furry friends, while others burned off some steam in the trampoline or took a walk to visit the pasture animals.
I made a delicious spaghetti dinner, while Makaia serenaded the kitchen with our rusty guitar (felt like Papa Lew was here himself) and Ola and Hannah helped me set the table - jammed packed like it was another holiday - and it was - our first Jr. Horsemanship Camp! My dear friend, Aunty Julie, joined us and blessed our journey together and then we bumped elbows as we twirled pasta and passed the kale.
The boys cleared the table and did the most impressive job at dishes (thanks to their German mother - lol), while Hannah explored all the other furry things to be found - puppies and kittens!
As I write this, the quiet movie night of “War Horse” is not so quiet, but buzzing with lots of laughs (probably amplified by the cookies) and has spread back out into the orchard and trampoline. But, I am quiet. Quiet with gratitude for a wonderful bunch of keiki and the opportunity to nurture their love affair with horses for the next several days.
