Society points the finger at the individual—to raise a good kid, to be healthy, to recycle, to reduce carbon emissions, to succeed financially—but it’s a deflection to keep us engaged in our own personal choices rather than hold the society at large—our leaders, our institutions our policies—responsible for creating a culture that supports us to thrive.
Posts
Aedín is a small black six-year-old quarter horse mare who was saved from the kill pens last year. When she arrived three months ago to live at our ranch she had not been trained or ridden. In horsemanship terms, you would say she hadn’t been ‘broken’. Broken––such an incisively appropriate term for what we do to horses (and people I would add). In order to feel safe on the back of one thousand pounds of wild horse muscle, trainers notoriously intimidate, bully and manipulate their four-legged companions into submission, rendering them emotionally numb and spiritually bereft. Cowboys call these horses proudly ‘yes ma’am-ers’. I call them a tragedy.
Katie
We adopted sweet Katie from the Espanola Animal Shelter. We’ve been told she is a purebred Australian Cattle Dog. But we think she’s actually a Northern New Mexico Butterfly Sheppard. She spends her days chasing butterflies and their shadows. When not herding butterflies, she’s coaxing Molly to play games of tumble and roll.
Éowyn ‘Wynnie’
Named after Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings character who was a fierce shieldmaiden, Wynnie is indeed idealistic, spirited, brave and high-minded. Adopted from the animal shelter, she spends her days in the piñon forests of Thunderbird Ridge, and hunts alongside her friend Lizzie.
Elizabeth
Elizabeth ‘Lizzie’ – Lizzie is a tuxedo cat, adopted from the animal shelter. When she arrived at Thunderbird Ridge, she had lived virtually her whole life in a cage, having come to the shelter as a kitten, and raised for over a year in that environment. Now she’s an adventuresome hunter, and is the first to enthusiastically greet our EQUUS clients at the driveway.
Molly
Super happy, joyful and content – Molly’s calm and welcoming presence soothes us all as she keeps a watchful eye on well, everything.
Kassandra (Cassie)
Cassie is named after Kassandra in Homer’s Odyssey, the daughter of King Priam and Queen Hecuba of Troy who was cursed to utter prophecies which were true but which no one believed. Kassie is our faithful protectress and keeps the clan safe from coyotes, bears and mountain lions. She is a Jeruselem donkey, named because of the cross on her back, which is thought to be because of how the donkey carried the Holy Mother.
Francisco
Cisco (Francisco) is an appendix quarter horse. This means that he is thoroughbred and quarter-horse – bred for competition in the hunter-jumper shows. He is named after St. Francis of Assisi for which Santa Fe is also named.
Cimarron
Cimarron means ‘the untamed one.’ He was a leopard appaloosa, and his lineage followed back all the way to Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce peoples who bred these horses to be outstanding war horses.
Cimarron’s spirit and impact resonates with everyone who’s spent time with him. His special vibration is still present here at Thunderbird Ridge. Missed in his body, his strong horse medicine connects with us and teaches us.
An EQUUS Wisdom Circle, named in his honor, took a moment to honor him and to invite his spirit in with as we carry the work of the Circle forward.
I have been repeating ‘Cimarron’ to myself often, appreciating his majesty and feeling super lucky to have his name carry us. – Meighan Leibert
In joyful memory of my mentor & friend Cimarron and his playful strength and presence, I commit to honoring his vitality through my full participation in our journey. – Tom Isaacson
There’s a calm moment, up close or even when viewed from a distance, when the invitation to simply connect and “be” happens. When accepted, it’s a shared moment. It’s an exchange of deep connection and true presence. There’s acknowledgement in this connection, and thrill, and joy, and peace, and everything that is. It is a silent invisible energized thread. It is felt where your soul lives. It’s that connection between spirits that once felt, is always available to you. This is my experience of the EQUUS herd and of Cimarron. – Dan Weil, CPCC
Dante
Dante (named after epic divine comedy Dante’s Inferno – an allegory representing the journey of the soul toward God). He is a an imported lusitano – a Brazillian bull fighting horse. He came to us from the equestrian world-wide show Cavalia and is credited for showing EQUUS the true way of liberty work.
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Society points the finger at the individual—to raise a good kid, to be healthy, to recycle, to reduce carbon emissions, to succeed financially—but it’s a deflection to keep us engaged in our own personal choices rather than hold the society at large—our leaders, our institutions our policies—responsible for creating a culture that supports us to thrive.
Aedín is a small black six-year-old quarter horse mare who was saved from the kill pens last year. When she arrived three months ago to live at our ranch she had not been trained or ridden. In horsemanship terms, you would say she hadn’t been ‘broken’. Broken––such an incisively appropriate term for what we do to horses (and people I would add). In order to feel safe on the back of one thousand pounds of wild horse muscle, trainers notoriously intimidate, bully and manipulate their four-legged companions into submission, rendering them emotionally numb and spiritually bereft. Cowboys call these horses proudly ‘yes ma’am-ers’. I call them a tragedy.
Katie
We adopted sweet Katie from the Espanola Animal Shelter. We’ve been told she is a purebred Australian Cattle Dog. But we think she’s actually a Northern New Mexico Butterfly Sheppard. She spends her days chasing butterflies and their shadows. When not herding butterflies, she’s coaxing Molly to play games of tumble and roll.
Éowyn ‘Wynnie’
Named after Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings character who was a fierce shieldmaiden, Wynnie is indeed idealistic, spirited, brave and high-minded. Adopted from the animal shelter, she spends her days in the piñon forests of Thunderbird Ridge, and hunts alongside her friend Lizzie.
Elizabeth
Elizabeth ‘Lizzie’ – Lizzie is a tuxedo cat, adopted from the animal shelter. When she arrived at Thunderbird Ridge, she had lived virtually her whole life in a cage, having come to the shelter as a kitten, and raised for over a year in that environment. Now she’s an adventuresome hunter, and is the first to enthusiastically greet our EQUUS clients at the driveway.
Molly
Super happy, joyful and content – Molly’s calm and welcoming presence soothes us all as she keeps a watchful eye on well, everything.
Kassandra (Cassie)
Cassie is named after Kassandra in Homer’s Odyssey, the daughter of King Priam and Queen Hecuba of Troy who was cursed to utter prophecies which were true but which no one believed. Kassie is our faithful protectress and keeps the clan safe from coyotes, bears and mountain lions. She is a Jeruselem donkey, named because of the cross on her back, which is thought to be because of how the donkey carried the Holy Mother.
Francisco
Cisco (Francisco) is an appendix quarter horse. This means that he is thoroughbred and quarter-horse – bred for competition in the hunter-jumper shows. He is named after St. Francis of Assisi for which Santa Fe is also named.
Cimarron
Cimarron means ‘the untamed one.’ He was a leopard appaloosa, and his lineage followed back all the way to Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce peoples who bred these horses to be outstanding war horses.
Cimarron’s spirit and impact resonates with everyone who’s spent time with him. His special vibration is still present here at Thunderbird Ridge. Missed in his body, his strong horse medicine connects with us and teaches us.
An EQUUS Wisdom Circle, named in his honor, took a moment to honor him and to invite his spirit in with as we carry the work of the Circle forward.
I have been repeating ‘Cimarron’ to myself often, appreciating his majesty and feeling super lucky to have his name carry us. – Meighan Leibert
In joyful memory of my mentor & friend Cimarron and his playful strength and presence, I commit to honoring his vitality through my full participation in our journey. – Tom Isaacson
There’s a calm moment, up close or even when viewed from a distance, when the invitation to simply connect and “be” happens. When accepted, it’s a shared moment. It’s an exchange of deep connection and true presence. There’s acknowledgement in this connection, and thrill, and joy, and peace, and everything that is. It is a silent invisible energized thread. It is felt where your soul lives. It’s that connection between spirits that once felt, is always available to you. This is my experience of the EQUUS herd and of Cimarron. – Dan Weil, CPCC
Dante
Dante (named after epic divine comedy Dante’s Inferno – an allegory representing the journey of the soul toward God). He is a an imported lusitano – a Brazillian bull fighting horse. He came to us from the equestrian world-wide show Cavalia and is credited for showing EQUUS the true way of liberty work.