Leo Clement

Because now tis the season for hats, at least everyone who lives in cold snowy places like Vermont, I would like to dedicate a post to the many different hats that have graced our little Lion's mane. (Brace yourself for a photo barrage..) We all know that every newborn needs a hat. There are so many to choose from! From the hand-knit  slightly lopsided hat from grandma, to the fancy animal hat, to the humble hospital skull cap, the varieties are endless and fun. But if you have a baby like Leo, in addition to the fun part, the hat also becomes essential; a cover up, a safety net from the rest of the world. And a heck of a fitting challenge, at least in the beginning. Patens pending, of course, on the pants/shirts/tights hats... Here we have Leo's first hat, the flattering pants hat look. (Pants, as in, made from my natty pajama pants.)   Next we have the so stylish Shirt Hat..(also a very unflattering shirt in a previous life..) The Bath Towel Cover up...

In the horse world we have a whole philosophy based on softening and suppling. Because it is a well known fact that a horse who is tight is a horse who is resistant, unable to learn, and even move in a balanced manner. When a horse holds tension in its body everything is difficult, if not impossible to do. We riders have many different exercises and tricks to help soften and ease the tension out from the horse's body and mind. And if everything goes as planned, and the desired softening is achieved then something magical happens.  That something is called harmony.  A perfect state of oneness and peace, an easiness and lightness that makes you feel as if you can soar up into the never-ending sky. But. Even horse people know, that most of the time, that place is hard to reach. You're lucky if you get even a couple seconds of softness and lightness during a ride. It is much like life when we strive for some great thing, and spend so much of that time ju