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Greetings!
 Like you, I've been thinking of what I'd like to accomplish during the next year, and what I'd like to do differently. When it comes to interacting with animals (and with people, for that matter), my goal is deceptively simple: approach each being I meet with an open heart, and an open mind. And then, just listen. If each of us could all do that every day, our lives would be a whole lot happier, our world a lot more peaceful.
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This year has brought me the gifts of the incorrigible Django, and the irresistible Liam. 
They never fail to make me smile, no matter what else is happening, and I cannot imagine being coached by better teachers.
I am grateful to have been blessed with the opportunity to talk with you and with your animal companions this year. Thank you for sharing yourselves, and for the many ways in which you have enriched my life. I joyfully look forward to working with you in the days and months to come.
With sincere wishes for happiness, insight, and love in the new year.
From my heart to yours,
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  Book Review
Beyond the Homestretch: What I've Learned from Saving Racehorses
by Lynn Reardon
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In 2008, more than 134,000 hapless horses of every age and breed were crammed into overcrowded trucks from various points in the U.S. to take a one-way ride to oblivion, via slaughterhouses in Canada and Mexico. The trend continued this year, though the final tally of equine lives lost in 2009 is not yet available.
The scope of the problem is daunting to anyone who loves horses and wants them to be treated with dignity, not put in harm's way. Yet what can one person do to make a dent in the carnage? In Beyond the Homestretch: What I've Learned from Saving Racehorses, Lynn Reardon has the answer. You do the only thing you can do: you save them one at a time.
Lynn experienced the horrors of the horse slaughter pipeline first-hand when she was living in the Washington, DC area, working as a finance manager and spending all of her free time learning how to become a proficient rider. It was during the early 2000s, when slaughter was still legal in the U.S. Attending an auction with Tina, a trainer seeking a horse for a client, Lynn happened upon an old paint mare, wedged into a pen with her son and several other horses:
"Her face was incredibly sweet with large, dark eyes full of warmth and trusting cheerfulness. I halted, arrested by the humanity of her gaze. . .The mare took a couple steps closer to us, looking for attention, her gait clumsy. I looked at her ankles and a chill tightened my throat. Even my novice eyes could see the arthritis and large bony spurs around each joint. She could barely walk--a death sentence.
Tina pulled me away, muttering, 'That mare's only heading one place and not for a lot of money. She's earned a better end than that.' I glanced at the mare again--her Da Vinci expression still haunts me today. A meat dealer bought her, a squat, sunburned man with eyes like concrete. That was the last auction I ever attended."
In chronicling her experiences as the fledgling founder of LOPE ( LoneStar Outreach to Place Ex-Racers), which helps to find new careers for thoroughbreds whose racing days are over, Lynn vividly describes the physical and emotional challenges she's had to overcome to ensure that at least some of the horses retiring from Texas racetracks don't meet the same fate as the gentle mare she met so many years ago. And it's her gut-wrenching skill with words that makes us care so passionately about what happens to the ones who have been lucky enough to reach the safety of her ranch.
Many of the thoroughbreds who arrive at LOPE come with gossipy backstretch "rap sheets," suggesting that they are mean, or stubborn, or high-strung, or even untrainable. Lynn quietly smashes these stereotypes, in sometimes surprising ways. Her gift is to listen only to what she hears from each horse's heart, and to compassionately and creatively give them the space they need to shine.
My favorite (and perhaps Lynn's, too) is the aptly named, "Sugarfoot," an angel of a filly blessed with a "mellow disposition and willing attitude," but questionable conformation. Because of her sweet demeanor, Lynn was sure she'd find a new home quickly. But each prospective adopter found some reason to reject her, and it looked like Sugarfoot might take up permanent residence in Lynn's backyard. Everything changed on the day that a developmentally disabled young woman named Desiree arrived to meet her. Without ever having been trained to do so, Sugarfoot immediately understood how to take care of Desiree, and make sure she wouldn't lose her balance.
"It was clear that Sugarfoot was protecting Desiree, that this little red filly with the funny build had a true, deep vocation to be a therapeutic riding horse. Awed, we watched as Desiree and Sugarfoot walked together, with Sugarfoot always listening, always careful to keep her steps slow for her special rider."
Along the way, Lynn has found herself unexpectedly but earnestly assisting at tracheotomies, treating rattlesnake bites, and constructing tricky hock bandages. She confronts her own doubts and deficiencies with self-deprecating humor and honest introspection, often coming across as her own harshest critic, always wondering whether she is up to the task:
"I had developed an interesting skill set, like how to feed fifteen horses from my truck and the proper technique for tracheotomy assisting--but these were the badges of an equine social worker, not a true professional equestrian."
But Lynn Reardon doesn't have anything to apologize for. The herculean dedication required to sustain an equine rescue cannot be overstated, yet Lynn has carried each horse to the finish line with grace and equanimity. She's been instrumental in saving the lives of more than 700 thoroughbreds, and in Beyond the Homestretch, she's written a compelling memoir of her own redemption. I eagerly await the next chapter. |
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Animal Communication Tip of the Month
MORE THAN SKIN DEEP:
WHAT ANIMALS CAN TELL US ABOUT OURSELVES
Robby's beautiful hair had been falling out for some time, and Nadine was becoming increasingly distressed. She knew something was wrong with him, but hadn't been able to pinpoint what it was. She'd been conscientious about making sure that her long-haired dachshund's diet included only the best organic ingredients, and she was savvy about supplementing it with herbs, fish oils, and probiotics. Robby's thyroid tests had been within the normal range.
So why was his skin so irritated, and what was causing him to lose his lustrous coat?
Nadine's intuition told her that Robby's skin sensitivities might be emblematic of a problem that science alone couldn't measure. And that's when she reached out to me.
During my session with Robby, he seemed worried about the arrival of a family member. I sensed that someone--perhaps Nadine's adult daughter--had moved into their home. Robby also let me know that the house was often filled with loud arguing, tension, and strife. He seemed to be internalizing the negative emotions that were swirling around him, apparently confused about whether they were related to something he may have done wrong. It seemed to me that Robby's physical issues stemmed from an emotional source.
Nadine confirmed that indeed, her adult daughter had moved into her home with her husband and baby, and that this event had certainly brought some changes to their daily routine. And even more sobering, Nadine admitted that she and her husband had recently been engaged in rancorous confrontations as a result of the financial pressures that were squeezing them and pulling them apart. As we were talking, we both recognized that Robby had become a sponge for all of the stress in the household, and that the only way he could release these disturbing emotions was to literally shed them through his skin.
As so often happens, Robby's mood lightened considerably within 24 hours after I had communicated with him. "The day after we spoke, he was running around the house and playing with toys," Nadine confided. "It was a pleasure to see him acting playful and not so glum." It's almost as if Robby now knew that his concerns had been "heard," and that he no longer had to take on the responsibility for resolving everyone else's conflicts.
A few weeks later, Nadine contacted me and said, "My husband and I are trying to deal with our issues differently, and I made a decision not to take an excellent opportunity to expand my business, due to my own stress levels and health. Perhaps Robby's issues were a great reflection on us, and what is happening in our home and our relationship."
And I'm sure it's no coincidence that Robby's hair has now started to grow back.
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*The cases discussed here are real, but to protect their privacy, I may have changed the names of my clients and their animals. |
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A Word of Thanks
From an Appreciative Client
 You might remember Katie, the beautiful golden retriever whose story I told in the last issue.
She was suffering from seizure-like episodes and her veterinarians had not been able to determine why.
Katie's "Mom," Cathy, asked me to communicate with her dear golden to see if I could learn something that might shed some light on what was occurring. Mystifyingly, Katie's symptoms ended abruptly immediately after I telepathically connected with her, and have not recurred.
I was truly honored to have been able to help Katie, in some way, and very much appreciated Cathy's comments after the session:
"I am so grateful to you for your communication with Katie. Your sense of Katie is so accurate.
This really helps a lot and gives me a better idea of what my plan of action should be. All of the physical sensations that you felt are dead on.
Maureen, thank you for your recommendations. I am definitely going to pursue your advice."
Cathy Sanchez
New Hampshire
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The Animal Communication Book Club
Join me for the next "Conversations With Animal Authors"
Teleconference with Lynn Reardon, author of Beyond the Homestretch
Tuesday, December 29th, 2009 at 8:00pm (EST)
 I'm so pleased to have Lynn Reardon as my guest for the next "Conversations with Animal Authors" teleconference.
Lynn's stories of the horses who found their way into her ranch, and into her heart, are honest, gutsy, and bubbling with the kinds of details that true horsemen will relish. She paints a realistic--and compelling--picture of the challenges she's faced in transforming sometimes quirky racehorses who are often emotionally or physically compromised. At a time when it is estimated that 100,000 discarded horses are being shipped out of this country each year to be slaughtered in Canada and Mexico, Lynn shows us what can happen when someone cares enough to save even a few.
Please join us by dialing 712-432-0180 and entering PIN #1063739 at 8:00pm tonight. If you are not able to participate live, I'll be posting an archived version of the call on The Animal Communication Book Club within a few days after the event.
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| What's Up With Your Animals? |
 There are so many ways to communicate with animals, as these stories attest. Animals are natural telepathic communicators, and it's because they're so good at it that I can "hear" them.
If you think that you and your animal would benefit from a telepathic consultation, please drop me a note or give me a call.
Until Next Time!
Maureen Harmonay |
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