The next morning I went to the same spot and there she was again, just as beautiful as I had seen her the previous day. I approached her and nuzzled up to her only to have her shy away from me. I tried again and she shook her head violently and moved away again. I came up behind her and put my hand on her rear and she slapped me in the face. I tried it again and this time she slapped the other side of my face. What had happened between yesterday and today? I had not seen nor or spoken to her! I tried one more time to put my hand on her face but this time she bit me so ran off away.

I guess I should tell you that Epona is a golden Palomino that belongs to Liz Mitten Ryan of the Gateway2 ranch in Kamloops, BC. The slaps on the face were with her tail, one from each side when tried to approach her. I was devastated as I thought I had bonded with Epona. Why were things so different today from yesterday? Liz explained to me that I ought not take it personally andl that she was probably having a bad day. Maybe she had an altercation with one of herd or was just not feeling right. I had signed up for this workshop at Gateway2; the workshop EARTH (Equine Assisted Re-connective Therapy and Healing) and now I should point out that I have had very little to do with horses in my lifetime. I had ridden one year’s ago when I was a member of the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) and a few times before that when I was very young. So here I am in the middle of this huge ranch miles from anywhere. The other thing you should know is that I had visited Liz in the spring from Ontario to deliver a sculpture I had carved for her that was to be placed at the gateway to the Spirit Lodge. We became friends. At the time my joints were wearing thin which caused me a lot of pain for the most part so she invited me to come out and spend the week to relax and take the workshop. I soon learned I was kind of out of place when the others arrived. All these people were horse people. But I was accepted right away and they all made me feel so very at home. I was hurting really bad and could hardly walk, my knees were really worse for wear from thirty years of jogging (10 km’s a day for most of my adult life). When Liz started telling us about what to expect I was skeptical as to how these horses were to help me heal as well held a deep concern for the sacred places on the ranch that emitted copious amounts of energy just to get there.

Today, I could write a book about my experience and my new found connection I have with horses. I learned how we are all connected not just as human beings but with the animals as well. We all share the same feelings; we hurt, we are happy, we are sad and so are the animals. They interact the very same as we do, they have their pecking order and their leaders and everyone knows their place. On this ranch however they have it so good. No one judges them and they are free to run as they please. There are no boundaries and when they are finished playing, they come home and have a warm place to sleep and a great supper waiting for them. My experience at Gateway2 was out of this world. I met the kindest people in the world and for one whole week I didn’t have the pressures of everyday life. If it wasn’t for my loving family and my grandchildren, I would truely spend the rest of my life caring for horses but unfortunately that is not the real world for me as I have commitments and my home is in Ontario. My life has changed though since my visit to Gateway2 with the herd. I would love someday go back when I could stay a little longer. The friends I met at Gateway2  will be my friends for the rest of my life because none of them stood and judged me and that includes the horses. I was determined to experience everything that Gateway had to offer with an open mind and a open heart. I was almost crippled and the thought of walking from the cabin to the facilities was mind boggling for me. I endured the entire week though and gritting my teeth, I walked miles and miles up hills and dale to magic places. I experienced the energy, I bonded with the horses and more so I bonded with the people that were there. My strongest human bond during this time was Yvonne Allen, a lady who I have grown to love and admire. This lady treated my knees one evening with aromatic oils. She worked on me for over an hour and the next day my knees felt much better.

I left Gateway2 a week later with a whole new vision of life and a new meaning to my life. Yvonne and I live provinces apart but are still very much in touch with each other and because of her I am very much in touch with horses once again. There is in fact a stable down the road from me where there are a bunch of thoroughbred yearlings in a paddock and I was able to make arrangements to go and visit with them daily now the spring is finally here. So this is my story, although not very exciting perhaps, never the less a wonderful and life changing experience I am sharing. My life has moved on and I know for sure I am a much better person from having met the herd and sharing in their every day life. One day I will return to BC to the Kamloops area and this time hopefully will be in much better shape to experience it to the fullest.