NOVEMBER 2013 MEMBER HIGHLIGHT

For each newsletter, for The Lightness Foundation, we will spotlight a member. We are very happy to start with a true gem, Annie rode Whiskey in the 1st Lightness Tournament and passed her level 1 & 2! We are all so proud of her.

Name: Annie Bolognino
age:33

Main squeeze: (Horse)
CTR Peptos Whiskey (aka Whiskey) was born May 2, 2008 and purchased by Vista Verde Guest Ranch in Oct 2009. Originally he was intended for breeding of sound mindedness to add to the ranches' guest horse string or for sale horses. He is large beautiful red roan who creates a nice blend of appeal with a beautiful big kind curious eye that will draw a visitor in to greet him with a smile. Even though he is a stallion, Whiskey is as dependable as the day is long. Whether it’s on a trail leading guests or at an offsite clinic working around other stallions and mares; he is a kind soul who can maintain focus while waiting or working.

A story that you love to tell about your horse:
A little background on Whiskey.....When I first met Whiskey, he was nicknamed "Noodle" because he is a big guy, with long and floaty strides. Not your typical quarter horse or reiner feel. So most of the riders that tried to exercise him, had quite a hard time keeping him together. He used to be a tripper, stumbler, and well, sort of a wet noodle to ride! He was being asked to fit a mold that didn't fit his body.

My first ride on the "Noodle" was around my Birthday end of June, and he couldn't have been a better gift. As I started the routine of getting him ready, I could feel his curiosity for me in the process. He liked attention, he liked being brushed, and he was gently curious about me and followed me with his eyes as I moved around him. He was attentive and curious. This didn't fit the description of a “traditional” stallion. Needless to say, my heart was already starting to melt!

Our first ride together was a combination of trying to fit the old shape of reining and exploring some of the techniques of Lightness Manuel had introduced to me with several other ranch quarter horses in my past. It started with some leg yield at the walk, "Head up Whiskey, its ok!” “I won't pull you down" was all I could remember repeating in my mind to him. I recalled Manuel’s instructions from previous lessons "Up in the head, beeetter Annie" with his european flair. Whiskey felt as though he could finally get his front end up and free, an out of his way.

I put several more rides on him as the days passed and he began to carry himself in a presence that no longer fit the image of a reiner. There was no more stumbling and tripping. Our head trainer, Terry Wegener, decided he was a one person horse, and I was his rider. Over the course of the summer, developing him under the ”Lightness” philosophy and Manuel’s guidance, Whiskey and I have found a partnership that make our guests ask, "What kind of horse was that you were riding? It didn't look like a western quarter horse. He moves sooooo different. He is just lovely!" They would say. They would ask when I would be riding him again so they could come down and watch. The smiles they offer while we are riding make me feel like they themselves are out there riding him too. Something magical happens for folks when they watch us. Some onlookers have been moved to tears, their smiles reward Whiskey and I that we are doing something amazing. Even if our remote location in Steamboat Colorado, keeps us hidden, there are these moments when visitors ride on the same cloud Whiskey and I are on. He is, in many ways, a gift bringing joy to others.

The guests, myself, Terry and our Lightness friends can see beyond trying to fit Whiskey and I, in a quarter horse reining, box. That is why my favorite story of Whiskey is his Path of Lightness development, so he can show WHO HE REALLY IS! ......it is a story that mirrors my own.

Tell me your first memory of riding a horse:
At age 5, I rode with my best friend Jamie at her lesson barn, on a shetland pony named Tony. I remember learning to ride him in the arena then her instructor took us out for a trail ride down the driveway. I didn't know the difference, all I knew was I was being delightfully carried by this hairy beast and I loved it!

What or who was your first inspiration with horses:
That’s easy, it’s the Horse!
It's the horses that I meet, and the people who are in their lives that inspire me. Each horse that I have the privilege of getting to know, usually opens doors to know a bit more about myself and others. Horses carry more than just the weight of the rider, they absorb the hearts of those among them. It is the genuine honest nature of the horse that inspires me to be a better person, teacher, trainer and friend.

What is your inspiration now?
Currently, Terry has given me the privilege to start the new yearlings at Vista Verde. They are sons and daughters to Whiskey. They have his mind, his heart and some have his body! It is my hope that I can show them their first introductions to riding and understanding humans in their world as friends and that things we ask of them is out of respect, kindness and understanding. So far I have had great success with the five yearlings. All are packing saddles around, free jumping and even 2 have been rode out on the trail. These little ones, who are free from jaded opinions as a result of confused human interactions and misused pressure, are my inspiration. They are pure willing spirits, a reflection of how our Heavenly Father asks our hearts to be available to Him, so He can guide our feet without resistance, tripping or stumbling.

If you have a dream or vision of riding a horse, what does it look like in your mind’s eye?
I would love to have a horse like Whiskey trained to the highest degree of Lightness so others could be inspired by the rider, the horse, or both. I feel like training in Lightness offers an opportunity for the real nature of horse, a sentient being, and the rider to live in the moment. Each “mini” moment can build on the next. If you worry about pushing through for tomorrow, you can't be light for today. Every moment can be light and full of joy, it just feels better that way! I hope to learn more about developing the horse in that kind of a feeling. Passage, Piaffe, Flying Changes, Airs (in a Western saddle of course!)....are all in my mind’s eye!