Day #20 - Graduation Day!

Well, here I am on Saturday, 9/26 - finally getting around to making my final 2009 ISC entries.  I haven’t even been able to really “lick and chew” much yet, as I was plunged into life the minute I returned and haven’t stopped yet - I even have one suitcase left that still isn’t unpacked!

So, I’ll go back to my Friday notes and try to finish:  We started in the lodge with John talking about today’s theme of “highlights and lowlights.”  A bunch of students commented on their experiences over the past week(s) and then John talked a bit about Julia and Avery - who are now official instructors and off to their own parts of the world to teach - Julia to the Idaho area and Avery to Rhode Island.  A couple of quotes from them:  Avery - “You don’t realize how much teaching you improves OUR horsemanship.” and re-quoting Pat - “Take care of your horsemanship, and it WILL take care of you!”  Julia (through tears) - “It’s that stick-to-it-tiveness that makes you keep on keepin’ on - that new level of conscious incompetence.” and “Sometimes being here, you forget what a special place this is - being out in the world will be humbling - looking for that new level of conscious competence.  The leadership development is simply a by-product of the horsemanship.”  Then Kathy commented on “how deeply your relationships develop with those you are here with” 

After this, we all went up to the Big Top, where “Dancing Pete” taught us the 7 Games Line Dance and some other simple dances that were all related to the 7 Games - amazing!  We started with savvy strings, then went to liberty.  Then we came back to the lodge and went out back, where John made us literally “walk the plank.”  We had to stand on two railroad-tie-type planks about 10 feet long (7 at a time) with attached strings and move the planks as a team wherever John told us to - not so easy!  I wish I had taken some photos of this - it was hard!  I ended up being “nominated” as the team leader to call out commands (some things never change, I guess).  Our team was first and then we went again last and walked all the way up the hill! 

Then, we went inside and watched another inspiring video of Pat and Magic on one of the Tour Stops a year or two ago.  After that, it was “certificate time.”  We all clapped like crazy for each other, cried about leaving, etc.   Neil Pye stopped down and talked to us about  how “it’s great being in the dome,” but that we need to “savvy on” at home and not fall into the “performance traps” of people asking “So, come on - show me what you learned.”  Impossible!  He also said that we need to not be slaves to one of our biggest fears - making mistakes, because horses are forgiving - we just need to keep moving forward.  He talked about Pat’s vision and how “Pat put this in the hands of others - it was the bravest thing he could have done - it could have easily crashed and burned.” 

John finished up class with a (memorized - impressive!) recitation of the poem “The Man In The Glass.”  Very appropriate. 

After this, I went up and got HotShot out and took him riding around the ranch.  I met up with Jeanne and Rachel and we decided to go for a trail ride back to Sneaky Snake (a trail that runs behind the ranch).  Rachel and her horse - both RBI’s, ended up having some “issues,” then Rachel got stung (twice!) by a hornet when she got off to deal with her horse, so we didn’t end up riding too far before I had to break out the first aid kit in my trailer.  Lucky we came back, because the thunder REALLY started up and the rain was coming!  So, we got everything cleaned up and ready and hauled up to the trailers, so we could get an early start on Saturday.  I went back to the condo and ate leftover Chinese and packed all of MY stuff as well - whew!  Ashleigh decided to go her own way and go to L.A. with some of the other Austrailians who were flying out of there, which left me to drive home across the U.S. alone with two horses - not quite what I expected, but it was a challenge. 

Alicia and I were up early (5am) and I saw her off to Durango in her rental car - she had an early flight home and Jade had been picked up by the professional hauler on Friday.  I got to the ranch around 6:30 a.m., cleaned my pen and organized the rest of my stuff.  I had HotShot and Libby loaded and we were on the road by around 7:30am. 

The weather was perfect almost all the way home - the horses were perfect “traveling buddies” and with the exception of an unintended run-in with sand-burrs and fire ants, all went well the first day and we got to North Platte to Knoll’s Country Inn before dark.  I had a great visit with Arlene Knoll (was the only one staying that night) and she made me a delicious breakfast on Sunday morning - then we hit the road again.  All was well until we hit the Wisconsin State line - it hadn’t rained here for 21 days, but it couldn’t wait 3 more hours for me to get home!  I had to drive through rain and construction (and dark) and didn’t get home until after 9pm, but everything was O.K., if a bit stressful.  John was home to help me unload and unhook the truck and trailer.  The horses were ecstatic to see each other and were still running around happy at midnight! 

So - a successful ending to an incredible experience and by the way - I AM officially the “horse whisperer” now - the only one who pee’d in my trailer over almost 3000 miles to Pagosa Springs and back was - ME! 

It’s good to be home - but I already miss the mountains and the “dome.”  I think I will be back someday . . .

Edie

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