.
“When you’re around animals that large, you have a tendency to be
more still,” she said. “I also really admire and wish to emulate the
balance of strength and gentleness that is the horse’s way.”
With that starting point, clients can meditate silently by the horse
or talk with Treece, an approved instructor of the Epona Approach
Equine Experiential Learning Program in Tucson, Ariz., and certified
practitioner of Healing Arts, Light Dancer Institute in Boulder.
Treece, 47, said some people feel most comfortable connecting with
horses and their inner self while brushing or stroking the animal.
Others prefer sitting on the horse or riding it as they talk over
various concerns with Treece.
All the while, Treece teaches that the horse is sensitive and picks
up on the client’s emotions.
“The horse becomes like a mirror, a biofeedback mechanism,” said
Denver decorative artist and Horse’s Way client Rachel Saunders, 36.
She initially became interested in this therapy after reading “The
Tao of Equus” by Linda Kohanov, Treece’s Epona Approach instructor.
Saunders called the horse’s influence on sessions subtle but
effective. For instance, she said if she tries to mask her
agitation, the horse senses it and moves away. If she begins
authentically expressing herself, the horse moves a little closer.
“It sounds very mystical, and it is, I guess,” Saunders said.
But not all clients pick up on that quality of the interaction or
what the horse might be communicating. That’s when Treece attempts
to interpret.
“I’ll say, ‘I’m picking this up. Does this fit for you?’” she said.
“Horses pick up on the frequency of fear or other emotions. I
believe that. I have no proof. But I’ve learned to get logic out of
the way.”
Treece said the results speak for the validity of this alternative
healing approach, which aims to connect the brain to the heart. Her
clients, she noted, start operating out of a more authentic
heartfelt place.
Part of that success stems from the nonjudgmental presence of the
horse during the therapy and the specialty area of each horse,
Treece said.
She explained that one horse tends to draw out people struggling
with boundary issues. Another can loosen up someone battling
performance anxiety. The third horse comforts victims of sexual
abuse, and the fourth helps people who have shut down find their
voice.
Treece offers private 90-minute to two-hour sessions and a yearlong
study program.
Explaining what happens in Horse’s Way sessions may be challenging.
But Treece can boil Horse’s Way down to a sentence.
“Horses show us how to be here now,” she said.
Pam Mellskog can be reached at 303-684-5224, or by e-mail at
pmellskog@times-call.com
Back to top
Chief Left Hand
Equestrian experts of the 18th Century, The Arapahoe in
Boulder Valley
By: Bonnie Treece
The Arapahoe Indians arrived on the Central Plains
from the Red River country of the Minnesota around 1790. The route
they followed was along the South Platte to the mouth of the St. Vrain (through present day Longmont, Colorado) where they crossed
the river into Boulder Valley .They went west toward present day
Lyons then south to the mouth of Boulder Canyon where they set up a
winter camp. At that time immense herds of buffalo estimated at 30
million head were sustained by a thick grass about 2 inches high
that required little moisture. It was possible to ride all day and
not cover a herd from end to end.
Several of the original trails can be followed to this day through
the Laramie Mountains.
Horses gave the Arapahoe the freedom to follow the
buffalo vast distances across the open prairie. Ponies were
originally acquired from the Spanish in trade for sugar, tobacco,
firearms, and possibly liquor.
Some sources say the Arapahoe tribes first acquired
Ponies from the Shoshones by raiding one of their camps around 1750.
Another account of the process explains that the first horses were
exchanged through peaceful contact between tribes so that there
could be a training period for those not familiar with the animals.
Over a time span of possibly 10 years the tribes began raiding. The
horses played an ever more important role in their survival as the
buffalo diminished. During this time most warriors owned ten or
more horses and some of them had herds numbering several hundred
head.
The Comanche’s, Shoshones and Arapahoe traded Spanish
horses between their tribes at Horse Creek, north of the present day
Cheyenne, Wyoming.
The Indian pony had a large head, strong features,
weighed about 700 pounds, and stood about 14 hands. It came in a
range of solid and mixed colors, the most familiar being the pinto.
The finest of the Pintos were used for ceremonial purposes only and
were rarely taken into battle. Many of their ponies were kept in a
pasture tended by the young men or sometimes women during the day
and hobbled near the tipis at night. The best war ponies were staked
outside the door of the owners tipi at all times between sunset and
sunrise in case a quick get away was needed. Some horses were tied
to the wrist of the owner at night with a rawhide rope to prevent
theft. An artist by the name of Miller was impressed by their horses
which “partook somewhat of the Arabian breed” No geldings were
present except those brought by the Whites, thus preserving the
spirit and endurance of stallions. War Ponies were expertly handled
by their painted warrior owners.
A warriors
reputation was built on his fearlessness in counting coups (touching
enemy warriors), and his ability to steal ponies. The symbol of a
squared horse shoe shape painted on the horse and on the warrior
indicated how many horse raids he had participated in. A tribe’s
wealth was based on how many ponies it had.
By the 1840's the Central Plains was being invaded by
white immigrants, armies, and exploration parties. They all poured
across the Southern Arapahoe and Cheyenne lands leaving a wake of
destruction of buffalo carcasses, trampled grass, and virgin timber
was killed and burned. In 1843 - 1000 people came, in 1845 - 3000
people came and in 1849 and 1850 40,000 people came through what is
now Boulder County and Weld County Colorado. In 1853 a Northern
Arapahoe Chief Medicine man was quoted to say “Our horses are dying
because we ride them so far to get so little game.”
Around 1858 the tribe was starving but rich in horses
and mules. Their agent observed that individuals would often own 100
head. They loved their horses as if they were their children. The
only time a horse was given away was in case of absolute starvation,
or as a high compliment to a friend to thank them for a favor.
Whitfield (their Indian agent) that year reported an estimated 2400
Arapahos had a total of fifteen thousand horses.
When a boy was born in the tribe, he would be given a
foal. When the child reached the age of 4 they would put him on his
horse. If he fell off, they would put him back on until he learned
to bring the animal under his control. By the time he was 5 or 6 he
was an expert rider using only a rope bridle that formed a loop in
the horse’s mouth where the bit would be, and extended one rein on
the right side. There was no restraint on the head or nose. War
bridles had two reins. A similar halter tie was used for breaking
horses. They typically mounted from the right side, and didn’t start
mounting from the left until it was introduced by the White men. To
prevent chafing from riding bareback they would soak in salt water,
or ice water to make their skin tougher.
White on lookers were awed by their riding abilities.
At a full gallop they would drop to either side of their horse
holding on by their heel. They were also riding hanging under the
horse’s belly. Boys learned to lean down and pick up small objects
from the ground while riding at full speed and how to ride by and
lift up a fallen comrade alone or with help of another warrior as a
team effort. They could pick up a rope by flipping it into the air
with the tip of his bow while moving at full speed. Some could
spring to the ground and back again while riding full speed to
confuse the enemy’s aim.
Growing up there were always opportunities to test
their independence by racing their ponies in a beautiful unspoiled
land that must have given them a feeling of freedom and power. In my
research so far, I haven’t found any accounts of women being
involved in the riding, however there are accounts of the women and
young men tending the herds, and following up the rear behind the
horses when the tribe was moving to a different location. The women
however made all the tack, saddles, ropes, and beaded ornaments. The
later bridles were decorated with mirrors and silver dollars.
Chief Left Hand of the Southern Arapahoe used to
winter in the Boulder Valley. He was noted for his ability to speak
English, but also for his superb horsemanship. Early in 1858 he set
out for Nebraska to learn the ways of farming. He took his wife and
2 children. Pulling a wagon was a very big job for the small ponies.
Aware of their limitations to spare their strength, his family
traveled light. This was significant in a time when the military
troops were said to sometimes work the horses until they died in the
harness.
An example of Left Hand’s horsemanship was described
by military officer Cook as Lefthand went to kill a buffalo,”
According to Cook he handed the reins to his wife, jumped from the
wagon and whistled for his buffalo pony. Holding his shotgun high
overhead, he ran toward the herd, man and animal in unison, Left
Hand’s feet keeping in time with the motion of the Pony. Coming
along one of the herd he leveled the shotgun and fired. The pony
veered sideways to keep from being gored and circled at a safe
distance while Left Hand reloaded. Once again, sensing his rider’s
commands, the pony moved in close enough for Left Hand to fire a
second shot which brought the buffalo down.”
When he returned to the Denver area at Christmas time
he encountered the white men having a feast. He may have arranged a
pony race with the prospectors. The white mans ponies and mules
against the Indian ponies and mules. Left Hand is said to have
wagered 150 ponies and mules on one race. At the time the horses
were worth $50 each.
In many areas of the United States and especially
Colorado, Natural Horsemanship is becoming very popular. The history
of the Arapahoe equestrians reminds us that “being one with your
horse” is not a new idea.
Bibliography
1. Coel, Margaret, Chief
Lefthand, Southern Arapahoe
University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, First Edition 1981
2. Mails, Thomas E., The Mystic Warriors of the
Plains,
Doubleday, Garden City, N.Y. 1972
First paperback 1995, Marloe & Company, N.Y., N.Y.
3. Trenholm, Virginia Cole, The Arapahoes, Our
People,
University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, First Edition 1970
Blue Light Special
by Bonnie Treece
7-17-07
A friend and graduate student from
Horse’s Way called today to share some horrific news. For purposes
of this article I’ll call her Jan.
Until recently Jan was volunteering her
time on a private property helping a 65 year old woman take care of
15 horses. Some of the horses were getting on in age. The oldest was
29. All but two of the herd lived with the woman all their lives.
She considered them “her family”.
Because Jan loved being with horses, she
went every day to muck stalls, feed and groom. She never asked for
any pay. When she offered to buy one of the horses to provide some
relief and money for feed, the woman refused to sell her any of
them. For almost two years Jan continued to help. A strong bond with
the herd resulted.
Jan went away to a week long horse
clinic last month. She was looking forward to trying her newly
learned techniques with some members of the herd. After arriving
home she called the woman to make arrangements to return and help
and was told her assistance was no longer needed.
What Jan heard next from the woman’s mouth was beyond her wildest imagination.
In Jan’s absence five horses were blindfolded one by one, led into an enormous pit, and euthanized,
while the other 10 horses in the herd stood near by. (most of them siblings or sons or daughters)
The woman went on to describe what she
called the “Blue Light Special”: “If you have a vet come out you might as
well take care of as much business as possible with one vet call
fee.”
Jan contacted a close friend of hers who
was looking for alternative homes for the horses after recognizing
that the woman might not be able to care for all of them in the
future. He was very disappointed the woman never contacted him.
Several neighbors had offered to provide temporary or permanent
homes. When he called the authorities he was told that it is not
illegal to kill your horses, only to beat them.
So it is illegal to beat them but you
can kill them?
According to Jan the horses were in fine
condition and leading good quality lives with exception of the 29
year-old, Hal, who only recently quit eating because his teeth were
worn. The ages of the other four horses were, 25, 24, 23 and 21.
The woman closed their phone
conversation by saying, “I gave them a good life, and a good death.
It was a farm decision.”
The vet was originally called to check
on Dancer - a pregnant mare who in the end was not carrying a foal.
Dancer evidently wanted no part of bringing another horse to the
woman to live a “good life”.
Jan later shared with me the following
vision she received when contacting the horses
energetically:
“They told
me that they saw heaven as they were led to the grave, and that
their angels were with them all the time. As each one passed out of
body, the soul waited for the others and they ascended as a group
to pass through the portal where all the other horses are who have
gone before. In addition, they explained that there is a continuum,
like a cord that remains attached to the other members of the herd
still here.”
When I shared this story with Linda
Kohanov she commented:
“I can see now why euthanasia is illegal
for humans. Some people would do this to aging family members with
the same dispassion they are now allowed to do this to horses. I
hope that, as we all spread the practice of empathy and authenticity
and sentience to horses through our work with programs like
Epona, the laws regarding what people are "legally" allowed to do to
horses will change!”
At Horse’s Way we do not practice
dwelling on the negativity that permeates our fragile planet and its
precious inhabitants. My Heart goes out to Jan and the horses - Hal,
Haze, Tusquetti, Society, and Dolly. I hold the surviving friends,
sons and daughters with deep compassion for what they endured.
Sharing this is intended to provide an
awareness of the sensitivity and capability of emotion our equine
partners embody. When we become aware of these incidents it
inspires us to make changes. Personally this story motivates me to
design a national network and training program to place horses who
still have so much to offer into the Equine Facilitated therapeutic
arena. The idea to do so has been in the back of my mind for some
time now. If anyone else is interested, or knows of someone who is
already doing it, please contact me.
With Gratitude,
Bonnie Treece
batreece@horsesway.com
970-931-2278
Back to top
Alice in Solar Land
(You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to venture off
the grid)
By:
Bonnie Treece
As I
sit at the kitchen table and look out the window I can
see a meadow next to the Dolores River from where red
rock canyon walls ascend to the sky for 800 feet. A
clear blue water creek meanders from a side canyon and
through the meadow before it empties into the river. The
wildlife is plentiful and the climate is moderate yet
provides 4 seasons. As I drink in the ancestral energies
of the ancient tribes that once lived here my heart
sings to the memory of the drums that spoke their
rhythms. This may sound like some kind of Wonderland but
it is real, and my name is not Alice.
I
recently moved to Gateway, in Southwest Colorado. It has
a population of around 200. I felt the new location
would satisfy my craving to be closer to nature and
delve into a relationship with my first love –
interspecies communication. This location also provides
a magical place for my clients to attend Equine Learning
Retreats and Workshops. There are no power or gas lines
that reach this property, only a phone line runs down
the adjacent highway. Thankfully I am able to have a
private land line because there is no cell reception
here. Moving from a place where all utilities are
provided, to live off the grid, would prove to be a
challenge. I kept telling myself, at the worst; living
here would be similar to a long, up-scale camping trip.
And I’ve always loved camping.
I
investigated Federal Funding for the purchase of solar
equipment and was gravely disappointed. It turns out one
of their programs will only reimburse you for equipment
if you already live on the grid and can sell the power
you don’t use to the local energy companies. I was
amazed at the new solar technology however. Back in the
early 80’s one panel was 8 feet long and 4 feet wide. In
comparison to what is on the market now they would have
been the equivalent of Dick Tracy wearing a television
on his wrist instead of a small watch sized monitor. The
new panels mount neatly on metal poles with an easy way
to adjust the angle for different seasons. My dad has
been living off the grid 20 miles from here for over 6
years. With his knowledge of solar systems, and help
from a professional installer, he designed the one here.
It consists of 8 panels, 6 batteries, an inverter,
charge controller, and a back up generator.
For
those of you who don’t know how solar works it is pretty
simple. The panels pick up the sun and send it to an
inverter. The inverter converts the power from DC to AC.
AC is the language that all of our appliances, light
bulbs, computers, and televisions understand. When the
panels bring in more power than you are using they send
the over flow to batteries that store it to be utilized
when the sun isn’t shining. If you use more power than
you accumulate a backup generator can provide power
until the batteries are recharged.
The
expense of new construction was cost prohibitive on my
budget partly due to the rising fuel prices and the
timing of the project. We started one month after
hurricane Katrina hit. Concrete and building materials
of any kind were scarce. So I bought a nice used double
wide mobile home and moved it 350 miles over the
Continental Divide. It proved to be very affordable
housing even with the moving costs. The house on wheels
came to its final resting place in the meadow next to
the river.
To
prepare for living on limited electric power I purchased
an “Energy Star” rated washer and refrigerator in
addition to a propane stove and dryer. I decided against
a propane refrigerator because they have a hot pilot
light. Here in the high desert temperatures are on the
warm side most of the year. We converted the existing
furnace and hot water heater to propane.
Nine
months after beginning the project I moved into the
canyon with my 4 horses and my big brown lab. (I call
her Big Brown, but her name is Sienna). I was
anxious to move away from the noise and pollution. What
I longed for was to live where the sky is blue and the
air is clean and quiet. We weren’t sure if the solar
system would power my life style so the next six months
revealed a steady learning curve. Energy conservation on
both a physical and symbolic level was the lesson.
Slowly
I became familiar with the language of Solar Power.
Watts, volts, amps, MPPT (Maximum Power Point Target),
Sleeping, Snoozing and Sweeping. I am not describing
getting enough rest or cleaning off the porch. These are
all words that appear on the digital screen of the
charge controller for the solar system to tell me what
it is doing. It has a life of its own and immediately
became an important part of mine.
I found
myself constantly questioning if I would have “enough
energy” and realized it was a metaphor for what I was
going through in the rest of my life. Being an “A” type
personality and keeping up the pace that goes with it
has taken its toll on me. This remote location affords
me some much deserved quiet and rest. Relying on my own
power station challenges the old ways of constant motion
at high speeds. I have to slow down a lot and plan my
day depending on the sun. Marathon house cleaning
sessions with the vacuum are no longer possible if the
sun isn’t shining. Washing six loads of laundry
consecutively, or surfing the internet for hours on end
are not part of the new operating system. After a
stretch of three cloudy days in a row I run the back up
generator for several hours to charge the batteries. It
requires a nurturing balanced diet of fuel, oil, and
fuel extender.
When
winter approached I installed a small wood stove for
back up heat. It soon became my main heating source. The
fan in the existing furnace burned up all the available
watts in no time. Even with the wood stove I still
couldn’t keep the house warm. Finally I stuffed a pillow
into the vent opening of the swamp cooler so the warm
air wouldn’t escape through the roof. Symbolically I
was blowing hot air and giving my energy to something
that drained me. (Sounds like a romantic relationship
gone wrong to me). I had grown accustomed to a nice
decorative fire occasionally, but heating the whole
house is another animal all together. I need a lot of
wood to feed the fire. The stove requires frequent meals
of pine, elm and cottonwood along with a patient,
consistent chef to prepare them.
I get
out of bed in the morning and pile on hats and coats to
make the coffee, providing I have enough power left from
the day before. The auto drip coffee pot is quite an
energy hog. Some mornings I brush snow off the solar
panels and start the generator before coffee can be
made. If I am too lazy to start the generator, as a
backup I can always make camp coffee on the propane
stove. By now you are starting to understand that living
off the grid is all about having a backup.
I’ve
been here for eight months now and I’m getting the hang
of it on a physical level. On a symbolic level relying
on energy from the sun has me pondering some interesting
questions like:
Where
is my energy going?
Am I
utilizing the energy I have in an efficient way?
Will I
have enough energy to complete that long to-do list?
How
long do I need to rest before I get recharged?
If
people come visit for a few days will my solar system
and I be exhausted when they leave?
How do
I manage my available energy?
Living
off the grid encouraged me to explore the back roads of
the speedy lifestyle that wore me out. I reflected on
driving myself at record breaking speeds. Going and
doing constantly was all I knew how to do. I drained my
internal batteries to a dangerously low level. Now that
the list of completed tasks relies on the sun shining, I
find I am more in sync with my “internal power system”.
I am more cognizant of how much energy I have to spend
(sweeping) and rest when I am tired (snoozing). I store
my energy for later by not wasting it worrying about
things I cannot change (charging my batteries).
I
would have never imagined that living on Solar Power
could become a guide for such positive life changes, but
on the other hand, I’m not surprised. Living with Nature
is a powerful teacher. We all rely on the sun to
survive. The experience has inspired me to explore my
“Inner Sun” and how I utilize my energy in life. You
don’t have to be a rocket scientist to live on sun power
but you may find yourself slowing down the rocket to
smell the roses.
Back to top
10-21-07
Recipe for a Rainbow
A
blessed day in the Canyon
By
Bonnie Treece
This
morning I woke to the first snow in the Canyon for this
year. Small tiny flecks floated toward the canyon floor
through leaves of green and yellow and everything
in-between. Orange, Rust and Olive too. . . . On top of
the Canyon rim is a dusting of powdered sugar. Fog
lingers up there as the sun peeks through from the East.
I
stepped out to feed the herd and they came thundering in
from the lower field. Dancer was in the lead, then Lady,
then Mariah. Hap took up the rear. They were bucking
rearing and frolicking, as if they were saying “Look
Mom! It snowed!”
Toward
the West the powdered sugar crept further down the
Canyon wall decorating the sage and cedar trees that
seem to grow right out of the rocks.
The
river is olive green changing to clear turquoise.
It is
casting an emerald light on the golden grass.
The
ravens that visit most every morning are not here today.
Only a chilly wind out of the North that occasionally
drops an umbrella of bright golden leaves. They fall to
the ground and gently rest on the red dirt.
Add in
the blue sky peeking through the fog and you have a
complete rainbow of color for the eyes to feast on.
Some
flowers are still blooming.
Magical
doesn’t describe this special place.
Ethereal is closer.
As the
sun peeks out more, the sparkling snowflakes are picked
up by the wind and blown off the rim’s edge into the
river like millions of tiny diamonds.
By days
end the snow is a memory. Where the river bends at the
North East end of the Canyon a big Mother cottonwood is
wearing pure yellow. It blends to chartreuse and then
deep green. Her leaves shine against the rusty red
canyon wall.
It is
4:20 and the sun has already set on the house, but a
line of sunlight still lingers by the Mother tree. The
shadow of the days end creeps up the Canyon wall
seemingly faster than it should. The river begins to
reflect amber and indigo and olive.
The
herd grazes on grass making happy horse sounds. It has
been a blessed day in the Canyon. She is grateful to be
witnessed in her glorious beauty.
Back to top
“Have Gratitude for the
opportunities you have created for yourself
and your Soul’s Purpose.”
|
