Riding from the HeartRiding from the HeartIf Wishes Were Horses
This book will help you and your horse tune in to each other so that when you ride, you will move as gracefully as if you are one being. It also demonstrates how to become a caregiver who flows with and utilizes the nature of the four-legged.
"People who ride horses need to understand that love is quintessential to riding..." Ian Stevenson
Through proven techniques in communication, heightening awareness, and focus, and increasing the level of physical, emotional, and spiritual comfort, Riding from the Heart takes you on a step-by-step journey to improved horsemanship.
"Horses live amazing lives, secret with incredible instincts. They're telepathic...." Dick Francis
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Endorsements |
"Horses and riding are my passion, and I've read a lot of books about riding, but none affected me as much and as deeply as Riding from the Heart by Ian Stevenson. It is more than a book about horses, riding, and horsemanship. It reflects the whole fascination of our relationship with horses, based on a deep soul connection to these wonderful animals, written with a nice sense of humor. It describes how it is possible to connect in an easy, essential way with these energy creatures, how to communicate with them at a natural understanding level of a horse, whether in groundwork or riding position. This book is a must for all horse people who love and want to understand horses from the bottom of their hearts. But you will not be the same person when you have finished reading this book." Annette Ruffing
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Table of Contents |
1. Pegasus - The Nature of the Myth
2. If Wishes Were Horses ... A Pegasus Perception
3. Pegasus and the Unicorn
4. Whorl in the Spiral of the Golden Mean
5. Butterflies in Formation
6. Making the Donuts and the Breath
7. Horse of a Different Color
8. Saddle on a Barrel
9. The Thinking Body
10. Riding with the Breath
11. Intimacy
12. Riding from the Heart
13. A Horse Is a Horse, Is a Horse
14. Labyrinth
15. Riding the Light Fantastic Pathways
16. Riding Out of Your Tree
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Excerpt |
Riding from the Heart is an exploration of the way we, as riders and carers of horses, become better equipped to deal with the nature of the four-legged. To extrapolate, the nature of the horse's spirit is the path taken. Pegasus brings forth a perspective that is sung again in these onward pages.
Beyond the Pegasus perspective is an evolvement. Its roots developed in mythology in the earth realm, giving way to the ascending movement, to the constellations that fire our desire to passionately explore the meaning of these myths in our practical life on earth. This gives attention to the uniqueness of the horse and rider relationship. The epitome of this union reaches understanding far beyond words. Elements of the simple truth penetrate through the clutteredness of these beings. Within the horse we recognize often that there is a simple clarity of intimacy that overawes us. For me, this heralds the manifestation of the spirit of Pegasus, which shines through all equine beings.
How do we travel from the myth of Pegasus historically versed to the connection of the horse in work, a fellow being on the planet, so that one two-legged being and the four-legged being together presenting a six-legged combination of excellence: at one with each other. Riding in tune, Riding from the Heart. Let's look at the interconnectedness of the historical, mythological, romantic, and practical expression of the nature of this equine's journey. Briefly, in summary below follows the nature of the myth of Pegasus:
Pegasus, the white winged stallion with the golden mane, was born a long time after he was conceived. In fact the Gorgon, Medusa, had to have her head cut off for Pegasus to spring into earthly form. Poseidon, the sea god and creator of all horses, father of Pegasus, impregnated Medusa within the "sacred temple of reason." This was the sanctuary of Athene, who was the overseer of the conception. After her match-making between Poseidon and Medusa she was to bring her wisdom to other adventures that Pegasus's rhythmic hoof beats, and beating of wings, soaring great distances, would travel. Poseidon's white horses are acclaimed in any sea space, for the white caps driven by the wind are known as white horses. This is a name that has lingered to this day. Poseidon was back in the picture; instrumental, in sending a particular nasty sea monster to lay waste the land of Ethiopia. This was incredibly tough on Andromeda, daughter of the king and queen of that land, for she was set up as a sacrifice; for these were the terms to save that land of Ethiopia. Andromeda was bound and chained in all her beauty awaiting her untimely death.
Perseus, whose heroic ventures including slaying the wayward Medusa, and whose death by Perseus's magic sword gave birth to the noblest of all Poseidon's horses. Pegasus, "the winged one," mounted by Perseus was flying across the ocean on the way to Corinth, when they came across the sad sacrificial form of Andromeda. After parental negotiations with the king and queen of that land, Andromeda was scooped up by Perseus and Pegasus, and away the trio flew to the homeland of Perseus.
By this time Pegasus had earned a holiday, and hung out with the muses, on the slopes of mount Helicon. Clear spring water, and green mountain pastures, gave Pegasus a horse's dreamlike life. At night his hoof beats were heard in the night sky. Horses in Greece were sacred to the moon, their hoof marks symbolic of the crescent shape of the moon. Their watery relationship with earth, as with their lunar intuitive nature, gave a mystical edge to their role on earth.
It was Athene who gave the golden bridle to Bellerophon, who was contracted to do battle with a gigantic menacing monster residing in the caves of southern Turkey. The golden bridle which came to Bellerophon in a dream provided the link with mouth and body of the horse, and for the heroic rider; the communication to coordinate with the winged spirit of Pegasus. Bellerophon and Pegasus were off on the airwaves, turning left at Corinth and heading towards southern Turkey. They caught up with Chimaera the monster that was the epitome of deception and illusion. It had the body of a goat, the tail of a dragon, and the head of a lion, and belched sulfur. A good diet of lead was dropped by the two 'flybys' into the monster's mouth, quelling the monster forever.
Getting too big for his sword, Bellerophon wanted to go joy riding with Pegasus to the heavens. The gods were displeased and met quickly. Zeus sent a gadfly to sting Pegasus under the tail. Up went Pegasus, off came Bellerophon, falling into the fields of air. Ego and body, to walk disconsolate, on the earth plane forever.
Meanwhile Pegasus was on his heavenly way, and became the bearer of divine lightening for Zeus. He also provided cascading hoof beats to become the drums of thunder. The Muses recognized the hoof beats as rhythms of great poetry, and called upon the inspiration of Pegasus for their play. Pegasus, in the heavens as a constellation, is flanked by Andromeda, Pisces and Aquarius, with Perseus nearby. The winged constellation the over seeing realm of the imagination, intuition, visions, and dreams. The spirit of Pegasus has become indelible in every horse born.
Blue Dolphin Publishing, 2003