Alexa Linton

If i had one piece of guidance for horse people after over 20 years of horse keeping (potentially controversial, but hear me out), it would be this…

Don’t be a purist when it comes to your training, your trimming, your rehab, your feeding or your care. There I said it.

Yes, it’s good to be “good” at a method, a modality, a way of caring for horses, even to be a master. It’s good to listen to professionals, to stick to guidance within reason. But don’t give all your power to one thing.

Because it always always depends. There is always nuance. There is always grey, not just black and white. And when we get stuck in a black and white way of thinking that doesn’t leave space for intuition, instinct and curve balls, we miss the unique horse that's standing right in front of us needing us to listen, to see, to be open to all possibilities.

So instead of following something to the letter, I always leave ample space for flexibility and flow and new learning. And I trust, as my horse’s person, that I know things, that I spend more time observinb them then any trainer, farrier or professional, and I need to weigh their advice, their method, against what I know about my horse and move forward with an approach that sees the whole picture.

And yes, I absolutely apply this guidance to every part of my life. To my own health, to my movement, to the food that goes in my body and the work I do. Because at the end of the day, my body makes the final call on how to move forward, not some guru or teacher or doctor.

The reminder I give myself is that there is no perfect method for all, but there may just be a perfect blend for my horses and myself, if I take the time to listen and learn and be curious.

Can we talk about patterns and horse-keeping?
As a neurospicy human, I can't help but notice patterns, how one things reflects or mirrors another, how one thing shows up looking remarkably like another thing. And then I can't help but wonder what connects these things, and have they been connected before and how. And of course the bigger question of what it all means. Some patterns are resonant, like the estuary of a river and the capillaries in our body. They hint at a level of connection we may not have considered.
Let's look at this photo of Reykur and the forest. Do you see the pattern? The connection? Here there is an alignment and a coming together of two seemingly separate beings, a tree and a horse. When I look at this photo I see and experience resonance, the sense of two frequencies harmonizing. Like with great harmonies in music, there is an experience in my body of this resonance, and a sense of calm.
Why does this matter? In a time where we can be taught to separate things, what is the impact of acknowledging a mirroring or a resonant connection? Well, in the case of horse-keeping and land-keeping, I would suggest that this resonance might give us clarity on the presence of deep connection and common ground (pardon the pun) between horse and land, that they are inextricably inseparable. That, in good horse-keeping, we would also consider the health of the land, and consider the quality of this connection as a part of caring for our horses. And that we should always consider that the land, and it's care, is a key part of not just our horses well-being but also our own. Because how I care for and steward and think about land reflects how I care for horses, and also, how I care for my community and myself - am I extractive or collaborative, am I destructive or regenerative, am I entitled or humbled, do I love with strings or without, do I move towards more life and spirit or less? I truly believe that our horses and the land are supporting us to move towards more harmony, quite literally - a pattern of resonance, if we take the time to listen.
I heard from a teacher long ago that how we do one thing is how we do everything. Notice your patterns, the good and the bad. Notice the patterns that are all around you and be curious when you witness and feel resonance - the learning is all around you if you choose to see.

I am excited to be able to offer two full scholarship and two half scholarship for this year's Whole Horse Apprenticeship (a $997 and $499 CDN value) to four committed horse lovers (no horse required), who would benefit from this program and may be experiencing barriers around accessibility (financial, racial, health, location or otherwise).

I have decided to offer double the scholarships this year in honour of the ninth and final year of this experience (in its current form) and my desire to support as many people as possible to take part before we complete.

Join myself (Alexa Linton) and over 25 guest instructors including Amy Dell, Susan Waite Tenney , Kim Hallin, Holly Barnett, Lucie Klaassen, Heather Nelson and Brittany Ashworth (plus pre-recorded webinars with Celeste-Leilani Lazaris, Dr. Tracy Rainwaters, Felicity Davies, Carmen Sp****la, Lockie Phillips, Shannon Beahen, Hannah Weston, Sarah Schlote, Hillary Schneider, Wendy Murdoch, Elsa Sinclair, Josh Nichol, Kerri Lake, Elisha Edwards, Sarah Griffiths, Elisse Miki and many more!).

This online-based 6-month Equine Wellness Immersion, designed as a venue for horse lovers and stewards of all ages, interests and locations to explore the many aspects (physical, emotional, energetic, spiritual and more) of wellness in their horse-human relationships (no horse required, just a love of horses), begins on September 15th, 2024 (registration closes September 10th).

Apply at http://bit.ly/whascholarship2024 by Sunday August 25th, 2024 (scholarship recipients will be announced on Wednesday August 28th).

Please share with any inspired and inspiring horse people in your world who would benefit from being a part of this 6-month program dedicated to horses and our relationship with them! More details on the Whole Horse Apprenticeship at http://alexalinton.ca/whole-horse-apprenticeship

The Whole Horse Apprenticeship Scholarship Thank you for applying! If you would like more details on this program and what it includes please visit http://alexalinton.ca/whole-horse-apprenticeship. I will be in touch by Wednesday August 28th with news about the recipient of the two full scholarships and two half scholarships. If you have any...