In an instant I was jolted, no, catapulted into another reality. Thirty minutes earlier I had pulled down the shades and blinds, and set the alarm system. I was in the bathroom getting ready for bed when a familiar dry cat food crunching and tinkling noise came from the kitchen. It reminded me I needed [...]

  This is a real story about barnyard animals and their person, Susan, with whom I have had dozens of telephone consults over the years. People easily overlook or dismiss barnyard animals because they are common, humble and feel more distant. Susan is not one of those people.  Her love and consideration for her feathered [...]

Recently I was reminded of something Benjamin, a New Zealand white rabbit, had expressed when he was 1-1/2 years old. What he conveyed was so extraordinary that I went back to my files and found the transcript. And there it was in bold, capital letters: ..."I like being DIFFERENT!  I AM VERY DIFFERENT!" "I am [...]

It is a well-known statement among trainers and animal lovers: The most difficult animals to work with are those that teach us the most. And we humans have SO much to learn. As a younger woman I used to wonder why the wiser among us would feel the more they knew, the less they knew. It didn't [...]

A  2 year old stray no one had claimed and slated for euthanasia, Sophie made her way with 29 other dogs from Kern County to El Cajon, CA. where she was taken in by a no kill rescue group. A sorry sight , with an ear tattered from flea and fly bites, she acted fearful and nervous. [...]

The Year of the Horse (January 31, 2014-Wood element) and an article in California Riding Magazine February '14 issue couldn't be a more fitting time to kick off my blog. A project that has been on the back of my mind for quite some time. And, of course, we must start with a horse. A horse that [...]