We have enjoyed yet another grand year here at MRH . . . and the year is not yet over! As always, we feel ever grateful for the fine group of students and fellow horse enthusiasts whom choose to join us on this journey! And again, the year is yet through, so there is still the chance to meet new faces!
Besides a full line-up of MRH courses and clinics this year, Emily enjoyed the opportunity of attending a handful of events as a learner herself. She kicked off the year by riding with Manuel Trigo, inspiration and founder behind The Lightness Foundation, in his Lightness Clinic. This proved to be an extraordinary event and successfully fed Emily's ever fervent hunger for learning as a student of the horse, herself.
This was then followed up by a trip to Colorado for the Advanced Train the Trainers Clinic put on by the Western Dressage Association of America. Just as Emily was one of the first in the country to take the pre-cursor program to this event, she was on the cutting edge again, as a graduate of the first ever offering of this advanced clinic. You may read more about Emily's experience and her new Western Dressage credentials
here.
Amidst the abundance of horsemanship events, Emily and her students still managed to make regular appearances on the Nebraska Western Dressage show circuit. It was a fun and extraordinary year for the students of MRH, many of whom made their debut for the first time in the Western Dressage show ring -- so congratulations are certainly in order!
Team MRH's most recent highlight was a grand showing at last month's Schooling Show Championships held in Lincoln, NE. Each of the 12 rides put forth by the MRH students or Emily herself, both met and exceeded each horse/rider combos goals for the show, so yeehaw! Though this show wrapped up the local show season for the year, there is still one more grand event for the year, the Western Dressage World Show! Emily and MRH students, Glenn Friendt and Kathy Lewis, are Oklahoma bound next month to compete in this year's World Show. The show is streamed live on the internet, so stay tuned via the
MRH Facebook page for upcoming details on how you can watch. You will also want to be sure to visit the MRH FB page as that is where you can find photos and highlights from our year.
As if all that was not exciting enough, here at MRH we are delighted to announce that yet another addition to the MRH herd is on the way . . . of the two legged type, that is. Emily, her husband, Matt and their son, Soren, will be welcoming a new member to the family next March! While the gender of baby #2 (colt or filly?) is not yet known, the growing family is feeling expectant and terribly excited nonetheless.
So, what does this mean for your upcoming involvement in the MRH program you might be wondering? Below is some info designed to help you in your upcoming horsemanship planning!
Though Emily will be ceasing training of outside horses and riding in the next month, she will continue with a full course and clinic teaching schedule through the end of the year. You may find the full line-up of events for the remainder of this year on the
MRH Calendar. We will then all enjoy some well deserved down time and a break around the holidays and then she will resume private and semi-private instruction to current MRH students at the New Year and up until baby's arrival in early spring.
Starting in the spring, Emily will then gift herself with a few months of maternity leave, whereby her teaching schedule will be significantly scaled back. And then come next summer, she and her family are on the move again!
While there are no "official" announcements to be made just yet, Emily and her family's intent is to get into a ranch of their own. Again, nothing official quite yet, but we will give you a couple of hints . . . it is big, it is beautiful and it is a top notch equestrian facility that would become the home for Emily's long term vision for the Wholeness Through Horsemanship Education Center! The word on the street has it that this location would put Emily conveniently between and still very accessible to both the Nebraska and Colorado horse community. Can it get much better than that?!!! Suffice it to say, stay tuned!
So, with consideration of the above, please do note that the remaining line-up of fall offerings this year is to be your last chance to be a part of these program offerings for awhile. So, what are you waiting for? -- Now is your chance!
In summary, it's time to mount up by visiting the
MRH Calendar to claim yourself a spot. And as always, our heartfelt thanks for allowing us to be a part of your pursuit of partnership with horses!
Oct 23 Exploring Equine Emotionality
at Log Barn Stables - Plattsmouth, NE
Oct 24-25 Horsemanship 201: Exploring Equine Emotionality
at Log Barn Stables - Plattsmouth, NE
Nov 6-8 Western Dressage World Show
at Expo Square - Tulsa, OK
Nov 13 Riding Refinement
at Log Barn Stables - Plattsmouth, NE
Nov 14-15 Horsemanship 301: Riding Refinement
at Log Barn Stables - Plattsmouth, NE
Nov 20 Trail Riding Safety and Etiquette
at Log Barn Stables - Plattsmouth, NE
Nov 21-22 Training for the Trail
at Log Barn Stables - Plattsmouth, NE
Dec 5 Partnership Exercises for a Winter's Day
at Log Barn Stables - Plattsmouth, NE
Dec 6 Equine First Aid
at Log Barn Stables - Plattsmouth, NE
Dec 20 MRH Holiday Party
location TBD - Omaha, NE
Misty - Versatile, Proven and Elegant AQHA Mare
Breed: Quarter Horse (Reg. Name: Awesome Misty; Reg. #:4154073)
Gender: Mare
Age: 14 (DOB: May 20, 2001)
Size: 15.0 H
Color: Bay
Temperament: Misty is an elegant mare, of quality build and with a gentle temperament. She is a very smart and sensible mare who learns quickly and has a terrific amount of try. She is both a kind and generous spirited horse and has a stellar work ethic. She is polite on the ground and an equal pleasure to ride with smooth, comfortable and balanced gaits! Misty has both extensive show and trail riding experience and has proven herself to be quiet and responsible in both environments, whether on her own or in the company of other horses. She clips, bathes, loads, ties and trailers well.
Training and Accomplishments: Misty is versatile, talented and proven in many different arenas. She was trained by Sherman Tegtmeier for reining and was campaigned in her third and fourth year in Novice and Amateur classes. She has points in each, which can be viewed on the AQHA website. She was then a working ranch horse as a 5 year old and then became a broodmare for five years producing four foals. In 2013 she was put in training with Rae Lynn Gilmore who showed her in reining and trained her for ranch horse versatility. Misty was judged the Supreme Champion Horse at the 2014 Nebraska Cattlemen's Classic after competing in conformation, ranch trail, boxing, open roping, and ranch rodeo. Misty has most recently received natural horsemanship based, partnership and western dressage training with Emily Johnson of Mountain Rose Horsemanship. Misty was shown successfully at the 2014 Western Dressage World Show placing 4th and 5th in her respective Introductory Level classes with Emily Johnson riding. In November 2014 Misty won her division of the Trail Rider Challenge at the Nebraska Horse Expo with the owner riding, further proving her terrific versatility. Misty has eye-catching movement and a free-flowing stride which makes her equally suited for english disciplines. Misty is currently showing in the 2015 season and thus far has shown with success in english dressage at Training Level and has most recently put forth more exceptional competition rides in Western Dressage at the Basic Level. Whether on the trail, in the western arena or on the english dressage court, Misty excels!
Health History: Misty has been on a regular de-worming, farrier and vaccination program throughout her life and is current in all categories. Misty is currently shod in the front.
Rider Experience: Intermediate
Price: $6500/offer
Location: Plattsmouth, NE
Contact: Contact Emily at 402-522-6748 or emily@mountainrosehorsemanship.com to meet Misty!
(click for video)
********
VISIT MISTY'S LISTING ON THE MRH WEBSITE FOR ADDITIONAL
PHOTOS, VIDEOS AND INFORMATION.
_______________________________
Sirocco - Arab in Breed and Beauty, Quarter Horse in Demeanor
Breed: Arabian
Gender: Gelding
Age: 6
Size: 14.1 H
Color: Fleabitten grey with bloodmarks
Temperament: Sirocco is an eye-catching horse with fancy movement and the rare and highly-prized bloodmarks in his coloring. He is a very sweet and kind horse and is a terrific learner -- smart, willing and eager. He is a pleasure to work with as he offers unending try and puts forth great effort to please his human partner. Though eager and ambitious, Sirocco is equally adept at showing thoughtful consideration and emotional control and has demonstrated himself to be responsible and reliable both in the arena and on the trail. Sirocco has wonderful gaits with an active, marching walk, an exceptional, ground covering trot and a smooth rocking-horse canter. He has shown a preference for women and his size and sensitivity make him equally suited for a female human partner who is interested in building an intimate and flourishing partnership with him!
Training: Sirocco was started using natural horsemanship based concepts and techniques. He has had extensive groundwork allowing him to be confident, curious and competent with a variety of obstacles. He has been ridden both western and english, in the arena and on the trails. Sirocco is currently in dressage training and has competed successfully in the Introductory Level at his first dressage show. Sirocco continues to receive regular exposure to obstacle work, dressage training and trail riding as well. Sirocco has a very solid and correct base to his education and with continued training will only flourish further into the ideal partner!
Health History: Sirocco has been on a regular de-worming, farrier and vaccination program and is current in all categories. Sirocco has quality hooves and is currently barefoot.
Rider Experience: Intermediate
Price: $4,500/offer
Location: Plattsmouth, NE
Contact: Contact Emily at 402-522-6748 or emily@mountainrosehorsemanship.com to meet Sirocco!
(click for video)
********
VISIT SIROCCO'S LISTING ON THE MRH WEBSITE FOR ADDITIONAL
PHOTOS, VIDEOS AND INFORMATION.
Graciously submitted by Bonnie Livengood
I recently attended Emily’s Develop an Independent Seat clinic in Omaha. In the past, class situations have been difficult for me, because my inner judge really gets on my case. I bet some of you readers out there know exactly what I mean. That inner judge can be a real pain sometimes. It is never particularly helpful, when you get right down to it.
I went into the clinic with a clear intention to try to be present and open in a wholehearted way to whatever happened. It was emotionally and physically challenging, but I felt that I was able to show up and be present in a class situation more completely than I have ever been able to do in the past. That’s a good thing, since the format of the clinic allowed each person to ride individually on a lunge line with Emily. That meant that you spent most of the day watching other riders. A few years ago it would have driven me completely nuts to spend so much time watching other people ride while I was waiting to ride myself. My inner judge would have convinced me that I couldn’t possibly be getting anything out of it. But this time, I was more able to embrace the experience of the other riders and at times I could actually feel my muscles responding to what they were trying to do while I was sitting in the chair.
Even so, I started feeling pretty sad about my skill level after the first day (old habit, there’s that judge creeping in), but as I sat with that, and tried really hard to stay with my wholehearted, be-present intention, by the next morning something really shifted. It’s hard to put into words, but my body felt completely different ... I mean like totally different ... on the second day. Whereas on the first day I felt tense and insecure on Frisco, on the second day my hips and pelvis had loosened up so much that I didn’t even walk in the same way. The change was huge and dramatic. Very cool.
I stayed an extra day after the clinic for a semi-private lesson with Emily. Right at the very end of the day, she conveyed an important safety lesson that sort of threw me for a loop. I started getting depressed about what I couldn’t yet do, and had to try really, really hard to not beat myself up about it. I was determined not to fall into that old pattern, but I didn’t know what else to think about it yet, so it sort of rolled around in my head for a long time. Sometime the next morning I was finally able to reframe that lesson into a set of positive action steps. That was a pretty big and very welcome change.
One of the key messages in this workshop was to ride what the horse gives you, which Emily phrases as, “Resist nothing, allow everything”. When she says it during the clinic it’s meant in physical terms related to your seat on the horse. But it’s pretty good advice in other contexts, too. I have found that the more I am able to “resist nothing and allow everything” in a learning situation, the more I learn and benefit from the experience.
