Internship at ROTH
When Anna and Vin initially suggested I return to Colorado to do a 3 month internship at the ROTH Ranch after completing HHC, my first thought was what a wonderful opportunity it would be to learn so much more. My second thought was “F$%&! Me? An intern? They must have either had too much Costa Rican sun, got the wrong person, or forgotten that I’d only just managed to overcome my fear around horses enough to get a halter on – well, half on – without desperately seeking the nearest fence to vault over – or perhaps crawl under would be more apt! Of course, they hadn’t and my time with them has been wonderful.
The goal was to have more handling experience, and to become more familiar with the day-to-day running of a horse ranch: feeding, pasture management, fencing, being present for equine professional visits (farrier, chiropractor… etc.) and, of course, getting to know the horses, their needs and understanding the dynamics of the herd a little more. My greatest challenges were fear, of which I still had a sizeable amount, and the belief in myself that I could actually achieve what was required in an internship, particularly the physical requirements. I developed a very effective stalling strategy when doubt or fear crept in called “I can’t!” Anna, thankfully, had an even more effective counter-strategy called “Yes, you can!” She was right!! I could!
I have learned so much and as it is with the most valuable kind of learning, this has been on many levels. I also know there is much more to learn. My fear has diminished greatly in comparison to what it was and without it getting in the way so much I have been able to experience the joy of “being” with the herd and “seeing” them in a way I wasn’t able to before. I feel great gratitude for this, for what the horses have shown me about myself, and for the healing this has brought. Great gratitude, too, goes to Anna and Vin for the bestowing of their knowledge, their unwavering support, and the amazingly good humor shown as a strange Kiwi/Brit blundered about within their lives and all over their property! Even more gratitude goes to the universe for instigating everything and for keeping everyone, human, equine and canine, alive and intact, while that blundering went on!!! It has been ……………amazing!
Photo Credit: Lacey Knight
