I have ridden horses for most of my life, and with thirty
plus years of horse experience I still have to laugh when
people refer to me as a cowboy. I may wear boots and
jeans, but cows and I are not friends. The cows have been
very clear on that front.
I much prefer the term horseman; it encompasses more of
what I am.
I started riding at the age of five and bought my first
horse when I was twelve. Adults would ask me what I wanted
to be when I grew up, I'd tell them I wanted to be a horse
trainer, they'd chuckle and say that wasn't a real job.
I'm proud to say I proved them wrong.
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Despite accidents and injuries, including being kicked
in the face, breaking ribs, and being bucked off more
times than I can count, I kept riding. I spent eight
years as an assistant trainer. During that time, I
worked with hundreds of horses. From horses which had
never worn a saddle, to riding finished show horses in
competition. I learned that what I wanted would take a
lot more hard work than I ever imagined. I stuck with
it, put in the time, and branched out on my own and
have run my own training operation ever since.
Learning both English and western styles of riding
growing up helped me to be a well-rounded horseman. I
rode dressage, jumping, reining, roping, and a handful
of other events. I think one of the most exciting
disciplines I learned and coached was equestrian
vaulting. It brought together so many skills from
different areas of my life. Vaulting combines dance,
gymnastics, and artistry all on the back of a running
horse.
Although I love training, working with horses is not as
glamorous as books and movies make it seem. Sweating
profusely in the summer, freezing in the winter, injuries,
and client expectations can't be avoided. It takes a lot
of dedication, but I loved the challenge. I think my
favorite part of training is being able to coach and teach
others. I love teaching. Watching students grow and evolve
not only in their riding but also in life. I've watched
shy kids blossom into brave young boys and girls. I
watched horses help people overcome difficult past
experiences and break out of long worn behaviors. Horses
are therapeutic and they have taught me more about life
and people than anything else has.
If you have any questions about horses for your writing
or just want to know more feel free to shoot me a message
@jake_fluekiger.
For reasons I will not go into, I have to offer Jake some
very serious respect and my heartfelt gratitude to him for
producing this article specifically for publication.
Much kudos to you,
Jake Fluekiger, Horseman.
Humbug!
What can you do when your partner is about as festive as the
Grinch? Ask Brennan. Oh, wait! He's going to show you.
Submission by @Brennan_and_Riz
#VssChristmas (#greetings)
"Riz! Time to get up you lazy twat!" I said, hiding my
grin.
"It's der first of December, I'm stayin in 'ere!"Riz
snapped.
"I have booze." I whispered.
Riz shot of the drawer and stood aghast at all the
decorations.
"Seasons #Greetings humbug!" I laughed.
And Teddy Too?
A quick solution is sometimes quite a costly one, as Meg's
mother is about to find out.
Submission by @Utgardloki2
#Vss365 (#ribbon)
Meg stared in the mirror at the ribbon carefully tied in
her hair, 'Looks stupid.'
'You have to wear it for this party dear, it's a ribbon
party.'
Meg frowned.
Mum tied a matching ribbon around teddy's head. Meg
brightened up. 'Is Teddy coming?'
Tactical mistake Mum.
Auroral Windchimes
An interesting set of prompts that are delivered under the
auspices of the #atreyasverse hashtag are listed below.
What better way to demonstrate how to use the prompts than
with a pretty cool example from @starfish_72?
Submission by @starfish_72
#Vss365 (#crisis)
#atreyasverse
Auroral windchimes
sounds from heaven
when will we be called
from our earthly plane
riddled with crises
an organic journey
when at this time
nothing can be touched
outside of our senses
families of centuries
in absolute peace
we'll find our own
Submission by @atreyasverse.
#atreyasverse
(#Prompt word - see list below)
I enjoy writing using prompts and around two and a
half years ago I decided to try providing prompts myself.
There's only one rule - use the prompt given for the day.
Atreya's verse is named after one of the the main
characters in fantasy tale "The Neverending Story. Except
it's not Atreyu now.
A Little Town In Bosnia
A pretty morning view from a balcony in Mostar
(Bosnia-Herzegovina).
Video courtesy of @PinguSinatra
ARTICLES FOR FUTURE EDITIONS
There are certain areas of the writing community that are
under-represented here, which is mainly due to my lack of
involvement in those areas. That does not mean that these
genres/areas/topics are excluded. If you have any articles
tweets, stories, anecdotes to share then do, please, submit
them for consideration.
WordSquare
WordSquare #009
Words must be a minimum of 3 letters long.
They must contain the letter in the shaded square.
Only the letters in the square can be used.
There is at least one 9-letter word in each square.
An impressive painting of a beach which caught my eye as I
browsed my timeline.
When I was a boy I spent my time on coastal areas much like
this. The treasure I found was not gold but what you see
here.
For me this was Heaven
I painted this many years ago from memory of a time long
gone.
Painting courtesy of @wolfjon4.
My Lighthouse Of Hope
Life can be turbulent and stormy, and under those
circumstances it's a blessing when you find your own
special lighthouse.
Submission by @adivayeatts
#Poem
The day I was caught
Falling towards
The end of my storm
Bitter cold shadows stalking
Head in the clouds, lament
Tears in a locket of stars
Then you held my hand
My Lighthouse of hope
As tempests come and go
Worthy, you made me calm
To believe again
And to take me home.
To Xanadu
Discovering your value is part of the journey you
undertake to find peace. Go now, to Xanadu.
Submission by @LexiIsAWriter
#VerseAngel
A weaving glow
Through a neon forest
Takes us
To Xanadu,
Losing the bitter
Fragrance
Of despair's harmony
To find a gift,
Peace within
Your voice
Stitched in my bones,
Where I can feel
Again
Good rest
In a once lonely soul,
Worth more
Than your tattered
Receipts.
Some are enemies are unable to
rest in peace, particularly when they are jointly interred.
Submission by @BithiPaulAuthor
#Crowcalls
they place his bones with mine
in the caliginous ossuary
our peaceful rest is broken
by the forgotten but unforgiven wrongs
we resume our unfinished war
possessed by the bone deep enmity
why, death, why
could you not keep us apart
No Cure
It is sad to admit it, but for some things there really
is no cure.
Submission by @anitacensabella
#Vss365 (#genetic)
He'd seen a similar
virus before
Like a chimera
it kept mutating
keeping up with
#genetic weaknesses
in its human hosts
The real #crisis
though
was how people
kept traveling
carrying the virus
& its mutations
to all continents
Unfortunately
there was no cure
for stupidity
Favorite Feast
When she's got an appetite, she heads to her dining room
to indulge herself in a feast.
Submission by @DKMarieAuthor
#SensualScribbles
#bdsmLines
#Better2sday
He's a decadent dessert
A mind brimming with tasty fantasies
Honeyed lips made for kissing and licking
A chest of nibbling and biting
A broad back for greedy, hungry hands
Stong thighs to savor, encase and ride
He's her favorite feast
A Busybody
Rarely are these people well-intentioned. It's their own
need they cater for.
Submission by @lisamanus
#Vss365 (#crisis)
The only way she could live was going from #crisis to
crisis.
She never relaxed, and if she wasn't creating constant
dramas in her own life she had to interfere in everyone
else's.
A busybody of the worst kind.
One of those do-gooders that don't get the hint to butt
out.
The lists should provide a wide variety of information
from suicide helpline numbers to #hashtag prompts.
Editors, Artists, Graphics designers, alternative software,
writing utilities, beta readers, etc.
Newcomers and old hands alike, sometimes find themselves
asking questions that have been asked and answered so
many times before. I hope to make finding those answers
easier by listing the
information so many of us ask for.
If you would like to be included on these lists contact
@Owen_G_Richards
and have a chat about what you'd like
to include in the entry for your particular talent.
You can help others by allowing me to help you by providing
constant visibility on the lists.
NO FEES. NO MEMBERSHIP. NO MAILING LISTS. Just your entry
visible to those who may be interested in your skills or
expert knowledge.
A Beloved Gift
Loss is a misery in a category of its own, but when those
special days come around the pain cuts all the deeper.
Submission by @therealSIR3
#Vss365 (#ribbon)
Having weaved the last bow of the #ribbon with trembling
hands, he looked at the package with reverence.
It was her favorite.
The thought made him smile even as tears flowed.
That it would be decorating her headstone didn't matter.
It was her birthday.
He loved her.
Produced by and for Owen G. Richards
and anyone else even remotely interested or
amused by this stuff.
With grateful thanks to my 'research assistant'
@therealSIR3
First introduced September 2021 in an alternative format.