Reflections of the Rasmussens: Parelli Heaven

For this blog entry, I don't even know where to begin.

I started riding horses at summer camp. I don't know how old I was. Young, though.

I couldn't get enough of them. I rode during my cabins riding time, I rode during other cabins riding times (if there were horses left over).

I tried to spend every waking moment at the barn.

Eventually, they let me start getting up early in the morning to come up to the barn to help with the morning chores. I remember walking through the thick fog at dawn, across the grass field soaking wet and smelling thickly of dew.

Then I started running up to the barn after dinner to help let the horses out to pasture,

and some awesome 'special' evening rides arose from that.

I remember scooping up poop and feeling like I was in heaven.

Yep, I must have been nine.

But that was it, no training, no year round riding, no nothing.

My first ever riding lesson was when I was in college at Truman. Up to that point, I just guessed and watched other people. After joining the Equestrian Team at Truman, the coach recommended I spend the summer on a dude ranch getting in as much time as possible riding.

And while that summer didn't work out exactly as I had planned, it was because of that coach that I met Gretchen.

Have you ever met someone and connected instantly? Had a friend who you could just look at and they always, ALWAYS knew what you were thinking, and vice versa? You could sit in silence with them for hours....comfortably. Her friendship goes well beyond that.

And when I broke my elbow in Colorado, she never left. She was there by my side, and stayed by my side even after the summer when we returned to Truman. She helped me with my casts, helped me bathe, helped me pull stupid pieces of toilet paper off of the roll, helped carry books and backpacks to classes, took me to every single physical therapy appointment...in her car!!! She let me yell, and scream, and cry, and she was still always there. You have to love that kind of friend. They are one in a million. No, one in a billion.

She was also there for some of the best moments in my life. We've laughed so hard together we've snorted and peed. She was a bridesmaid in my wedding. I was at hers, and it was beautiful. When I'm with her, I feel like I'm at home.

Now Gretchen is living in Madison and has started The Horse First Farm.

Gretchens story with horses is the opposite from mine.

I think she was riding before she could walk and while I love horses,

Gretchen has a heart for horses.

Gretchens ease and confidence around horses has always been apparent, since the first time I saw her around a horse at Truman. Even before Parelli entered her life, I believe she was practicing them with her horses. When I watched her ride, she was never ordering them around, she was always listening to what they were saying, and responding accordingly.

So we visited her farm on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, on the 4th of July.

The Horse First Farm teaches the Parelli method of natural horsemanship.

"The Parelli method is less a horse training program and more a method for teaching humans how to train horses using love, language and leadership."

Learn more about this method here.

The farm is GORGEOUS!

Honestly, these pictures do not do it justice, and I think these pictures are amazing.

Gretchen greeted us with one of her horses named Tequila.
I later got to watch Gretchen play with Tequila.
I didn't take any pictures because first of all, I couldn't tear my eyes off of them,
and secondly, I didn't want to disrespect what was going on between them by fiddling with gadgets.

Um...this is a beautiful horse.
Grace, our big animal lover, was immediately in heaven.

This is the 100x200 arena (with a sound system). For those of you who aren't familiar. Huge.

The lounge overlooking the arena. Beautiful.

Some super cute adorable people!

Also, let's keep in mind that this chica had a BABY three months ago!

Jess, you're one hot momma!!!

Here is their miniature horse, Dovey...

All Alex wanted to do was ride him, but he'd never been ridden before, so we decided to pass on that. He was super cute though, and great with the kids.