Therapeutic Riding: Morgan, his Morgan and Michel[l]es

The Wednesday Night Team

I wish I knew how many miles Morgan, Michele and I have traveled together in the last six years. Walking next to Don Pecos last night, I felt the usual comfortable unity of our team. Pecos and I marching, swinging, consistent, Michele and Morgan moving back and forth, side to side and up and down with the rhythm of the movement, Morgan's mom, Holly snapping photos in the gorgeous late summer sunlight.

This is a blog. I have to remind myself to resist my natural tendency towards verbosity. For I could go on and on and on telling the stories of how this little boy has taught me lessons in life. Conversely, I could write about the many times I have experienced extraordinary boundless friendship with Michele and Holly. I can never say enough about the beauty of Don Pecos. But, suffice it to say thirty minutes on Wednesday go very fast, and so easily. All those minutes, all those miles, remain among my most cherished.

If I was to make a music video of the Wednesday Night Therapy Team, it would be set to the Eagles' song, Peaceful, Easy Feeling.

Enough talk. Let the photos speak...

Carriage Driving Classics

Still feeling poorly, so I thought I'd share one of my most effective remedies: reading. I've been revisiting two of my all time favorite carriage driving books, Driving by the Duke of Beaufort and Driving For Pleasure by Francis Underhill.

Reading these books may not cure a chest infection or sinus congestion, but they make me smarter, for sure. I love the prose, the by gone erudition and the affirmation that what I do for a living is worth preserving.

"The old Morgan Trotter is probably the nearest suited to the requirements of the brougham or carriage horse of any strain produced in America." Underhill

"Remember that your comfort depends on keeping on good terms with your horse." Beaufort

I strongly recommend these books to anyone who is interested in driving horses.

More New York Times Archives

Been under the weather this weekend, so I'm going to cheat this morning. This article first appeared in the New York Times on September 15, 1910. I have been wondering how Serendipity can help expand the carriage driving market almost 100 years later. Accidental sagacity is everywhere, once you start looking...

Lenox Society Out In Coaching Parade

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Miss Kate Cary Leads Procession of Eight Breaks Drawn By Spirited Horses

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Rosettes and Cornflowers

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Tea Served to 150 Guests At Close Of Parade

In Butternut Cottage Stables

To read the full article:

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9C03E5DF1F39E333A25756C1A96F9C946196D6CF

Now, about that roof seat break, Harold...

Regards,

Michelle Blackler

Serendipity

www.hossbiz.com

515.360.8349

Serendipity is an Accidental Sagacity Corporation Company

New York Times Archives- Underhill

For all you carriage driving history buffs and coaching wannabes like me, check out this article, first published in 1894 about a coaching wager involving a one handed figure of eight with a four in hand and Francis T. Underhill...

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9800E7DF143EEF33A25756C0A9639C94659ED7CF

Wu Wei at Serendipity

Wu Wei with Don Pecos, Lucy and TT Ali.

One of the cornerstones of the philosophy at Serendipity is Wu Wei, a Taoist principle of "doing without doing". It is a natural order with the aim of producing a state of equilibrium that results in a 'soft and invisible power'.

My relationship with my horses is a good example. Often, I go out to the paddocks or in the indoor arena and just sit there, among the horses. I ask nothing, I just sit with them and 'be'. The most astonishing things happen during these exercises of doing nothing. The personalities of the horses develop in front of my eyes. They approach me one at a time, in the order of dominance. Don Pecos will often put his entire back end in my face and stand there. Kitten usually comes up behind me, places her front legs at my back and wraps her lovely head and neck around me. Ace grooms me with a head and neck massage. Major usually tries to grab my sweatshirt/scarf/jeans and drag me around, cave man style.

What does this mean? Who knows. I like to think it is because Don Pecos knows I'm happiest when I'm driving him, so he assumes this position. Of course it could mean simply that his rear end is in my face! Kitten protects me. Ace pleases me. Major plays with me. I try to clear my mind and let the first thing that pops into it while the horses are interacting with me be the definition.

Why do this? Simple. It is a form of meditation. It brings me closer to the horses, gives me an alternate form of communication with them. They seem to appreciate it, too. It is a form of therapy for me, also. Whenever I'm feeling really low, I Wu Wei with the horses, and the answers they give me, without giving them to me, illustrate the 'soft and invisible power'. Once I was sitting, staring off in the distance searching for answers and Don Pecos positioned himself to block my far off view. He looked back at me and I realized the answers I was searching for were not in the distance, but right in front of me. Another time, it was a broken heart. Kitten wrapped herself around me and 'held' me until the tears ceased. Economic hardship- Ace lowered his head so his eyes were level with mine and looked straight into my soul, "I will carry you," his message seemed to be and carry me he has.

Horses are vehicles. They can transport us above ourselves to greater understanding, both physically, emotionally and spiritually. Wu Wei, doing without doing-try it sometime. Just go out with your horses and Be. That is my accidental sagacity wish for you today.

Accidental Sagacity for Today: Harold Ault

My friend, Harold Ault of Ames, IA, is a rare find. By all accounts, he is the purest definition of eccentric. At first glance, it is easy to misunderstand him. His appearance is usually slightly disheveled, his gait both swinging and staggering at once, his mode of transportation helped down the road with the aid of log chains and cement blocks. But look for the accidental sagacity and you trip over a substantial treasure.

Harold is a walking, talking, dog eared, highlighted, frequently thumbed through, epic volume of encyclopedias. He is a collector of nearly everything there ever was on this earth, namely carriages, their accouterments and a bevy of anecdotes. For the uninitiated, Harold is the Saturday NY Times crossword puzzle. However, if you express an interest, he will start you out with a Monday puzzle and give you many clues.

I have known Harold for 11 years, a year after learning the importance of traces. And now I can tell you the difference between a road coach and a park drag. He has only had to explain the differences to me a hundred times, but he never tires of trying. Every time, he remembers yet another story to add to the richness of the lesson.

To say that I am familiar with Harold's carriage collection would be stretching it. However, I am aware of the historical significance of many of the items. He has so much stuff, both tangible and intangible, that it is sometimes overwhelming. It is a Show and Tell that has lasted 11 years and counting, of which I am eternally grateful to him.

In order to show my appreciation, I nag him constantly about writing a book and categorising his collection. Now that he is retired, I nag even harder. The purpose for writing this blog is to engage you, dear reader, to join my cause. Whenever you see/meet Harold Ault, let this blog be your first impression of him. Look beyond the cover and encourage, berate, cheer, cajole or threaten him into achieving the potential of his collection and in turn of his life's work. And ask, if you dare, the differences between a park drag and a road coach. Someday, you'll be glad you did.

Harold driving Don Pecos put to

his Kimball Stanhope Gig, at the

Villa Louis Carriage Classic, 2000

Bob and Ace: Villa Louis Carriage Classic

What an excellent weekend we had at Villa Louis. Harold Ault, Ace, Lucy and I arrived on Thursday the 10th to get settled in and meet Heidi Kenney and her dog Barclay. The first wonderful surprise was our stall assignment, which was nestled in between carriage driving pair gods, Aaron Achenbach and Howard Kietzke. It was Aaron who helped me decipher Gambler's Choice strategies 10 years ago, at my first Villa Louis. Howard lent me a back strap and crupper when one of my horses went over backwards at a show and I wanted to re-hitch despite broken harness. Aaron and Howard are the finest of carriage driving competitors: savvy, witty, generous.

Team Serendipity's whip, Bob Nervig, and his lovely wife Kathy arrived on Friday. I put them straight to work. Harold and I had just finished stitching the new patent leather shaft covers on the gig and Bob admired all the new patent, thanks to a very generous donation by Heidi. Bob and I schooled Ace through the water hazard and after cannonballing into the water directly behind me [soaking me] on the first attempt, he showed his typical contrition and strolled through it after without question.

Thankfully, that was the only time I was soaked during the weekend. The weather gods bestowed temperance and the rain gear stayed stowed. Not the case for Barclay, however, who found tributaries of the river at every opportunity, demonstrating the Labrador aspect of his ancestry. [He and Lucy left quite an impression on Prairie du Chien, and were known by name at the hotel and on the grounds.] Early morning fog laced the river bluffs, gently dispersed by fuschia dawns followed by lovely dappled sunshine that made Villa Louis a late summer paradise.

Saturday morning found us in turnout where the judge, Mrs. Eleanor Hunter, awarded Bob and Ace a second place ribbon. Cross country was a blast, Ace went right over the bridge and through the water for Bob. [Non carriage folk will wonder why the bridge didn't go over the water, as do the horses, but they are two separate obstacles.] Crossing the road was confounding, Ace stopped at the sign, and then got road rage and wanted to continue, without waiting for the traffic on the road, hence Bob and I got off count and missed a gate.

Still, it was a fabulous morning of driving and team Serendipity took a well deserved rest in the Patron's Tent to watch the show. I found an Audrey Hepburn hat with my name on it at Colonial Carriage Works that I didn't take off all day. I donned it in Bob's reinsmanship class, where he took a third place ribbon. For his first day of his first pleasure driving show ever, Bob shined as well as the gig and harness.

After a brief break, we were back at the Villa for wine, cheese and excellent company. Then off to prime rib dinner under the marquee and the auction, where Heidi and I showed off the auction items at Mike Rider's request. I must humbly admit that I aided the auctioneer in raising $425 for a three legged stool, something that no one at the auction is ever going to let me forget. Ah, camaraderie...

Sunday bright and early was the scurry- cones. This is Bob and Ace's favorite part of the division. They made a clean, fluid course and won a fourth place ribbon against village, Meadowbrooks and road carts. Well done, boys. Working pleasure won another second place ribbon for Bob and Ace and gambler's choice awarded another fourth place. At the close of the show, Bob tied for reserve champion novice driver horse, in a very competitive division.

For team Serendipity, he and Ace were unbeatable. More important than any ribbon, is the feedback from people who go out of their way to compliment your turnout or the volume of applause from an inspired audience. Bob's story about carriage driving with an auto immune disorder is touching and affected many people.

It is my great honor to have participated in this story. Villa Louis never fails to add value to my life and I thank all the individuals for the wonderful memories I have again this year. Yet another truly brilliant weekend to add to the books.