By Leigh Ballard
Many women find themselves at a crossroads in mid-life, deciding how to proceed with their dreams after years of marriage, childrearing, and careers. Many look for ways to reignite their own interests after years of attending to the interests of others. And many are simply looking for ways to fulfill unrealized dreams and possibilities, which now with maturity and funds, can be attained. Many women who had experiences with horses in their youth seek to reconnect with the equestrian experience; others are starting fresh in a venture they always thought would be fulfilling. For whatever reason, there are many mid-life women seeking to recharge themselves with the energy and enjoyment that horses bring.
Melinda Folse, a mid-life woman, has worked extensively with the clinician Clinton Anderson. In her work with him and throughout her own horsemanship journey, she has accumulated a wealth of information: questions to ask, ideas to examine, and common pitfalls and mistakes to avoid when seeking or recapturing a life with horses.
The Smart Woman’s Guide to Midlife Horses is full of pragmatic advice for those who might get caught up in the sometimes magical and mystical dream of horse-ownership. In a series of soul-searching, self-help type questions, she requires the reader to take a realistic view of what they seek to achieve with horses. She also provides a great deal of realistic day-to-day information about horse care, exercise, time management, goal-setting, expenses, and the like. In short, she seeks to help the reader find a balance between real and imagined horse bliss.
The titles of her chapters have both philosophical and practical meaning, including such topics as “Finding the Magic,” Take the Reins,” “Picking Up the Correct Lead.” There are chapters on fear, trailers and vehicles, animal communication, tack, choices, and sore muscles. Folse alternates between psychological and hands-on topics, and covers just about everything that an equestrian needs to know, might have forgotten, or maybe never knew. It’s a thought-provoking book, and whether a reader is a seasoned rider coming back to the sport or a beginner, there is valuable insight and information for everyone.
Many women find themselves at a crossroads in mid-life, deciding how to proceed with their dreams after years of marriage, childrearing, and careers. Many look for ways to reignite their own interests after years of attending to the interests of others. And many are simply looking for ways to fulfill unrealized dreams and possibilities, which now with maturity and funds, can be attained. Many women who had experiences with horses in their youth seek to reconnect with the equestrian experience; others are starting fresh in a venture they always thought would be fulfilling. For whatever reason, there are many mid-life women seeking to recharge themselves with the energy and enjoyment that horses bring.
Melinda Folse, a mid-life woman, has worked extensively with the clinician Clinton Anderson. In her work with him and throughout her own horsemanship journey, she has accumulated a wealth of information: questions to ask, ideas to examine, and common pitfalls and mistakes to avoid when seeking or recapturing a life with horses.
The Smart Woman’s Guide to Midlife Horses is full of pragmatic advice for those who might get caught up in the sometimes magical and mystical dream of horse-ownership. In a series of soul-searching, self-help type questions, she requires the reader to take a realistic view of what they seek to achieve with horses. She also provides a great deal of realistic day-to-day information about horse care, exercise, time management, goal-setting, expenses, and the like. In short, she seeks to help the reader find a balance between real and imagined horse bliss.
The titles of her chapters have both philosophical and practical meaning, including such topics as “Finding the Magic,” Take the Reins,” “Picking Up the Correct Lead.” There are chapters on fear, trailers and vehicles, animal communication, tack, choices, and sore muscles. Folse alternates between psychological and hands-on topics, and covers just about everything that an equestrian needs to know, might have forgotten, or maybe never knew. It’s a thought-provoking book, and whether a reader is a seasoned rider coming back to the sport or a beginner, there is valuable insight and information for everyone.
