Stepping Into Your Power

/ Candice Ensign / Leave a comment

There are going to be times that you have zero idea on how to proceed
That you feel the universe is pitted against you
That every hand you are dealt feels like a losing hand.

You can experience being everyone’s idol
Everyone’s muse
Everyone’s scapegoat
Everybody’s reason for failure

And what everyone else thinks of you or for you is not a path to stay on.

Remember you are only responsible for you
You are responsible for how you feel about yourself
You are responsible for only giving energy to what you can control
You are responsible for understanding that happiness is a choice
You are responsible for learning how to stay in curiosity
You are responsible for truly honoring yourself and your healthy boundaries

The lesson is to become your personal everything
To love yourself unconditionally
To stand in your strength
To stand in your truth
To believe in your boundaries
To believe in your path
And to not waver even in the toughest of times
To not falter even when you feel lost or less than

The people that come into our lives are here for a reason
Some expect more than we can give
Some demand more than we can fathom
Some see us as they want to see us
Some cannot see us at all
Some appear perfect and are not what they seem
Some are the things dreams are made of only for us to awake to the impossibility of the reality of a situation, ever playing through to fruition
To some we are a convenience
To others an inconvenience

Can you stop listening with your agenda, your programming,
just long enough to understand the message, the role an individual who has stepped into your universe is playing?

It’s not always what you think.

Stop thinking, start listening, who are you becoming as the result of a persons interaction in your life, in your story.

We all play a role, sometimes its simply that we become the lesson for another person, we change their life, we become their fork in the road.

It’s not always about us.
It is about the growth we experience as a result of every actor thats steps onto our stage….

It’s about having the personal strength of character and the love of yourself to stand in clarity and see deeper than you have before.
To understand that some of the toughest relationships were not put here to define you.

To understand that you are meant to have these experiences to develop you, to grow and become a higher version of yourself.

Are you ready to love yourself unconditionally?

This is were it starts, this is the path to a higher understanding of your purpose and the purpose of the people that enter and exit your life along the way.

Are you ready to step into your power?

“Embrace and Live Your Own Crazy” – Candice Ensign

/ Candice Ensign / Leave a comment

I am passionate and many times outspoken and sure as heck stubborn…when it comes to my purpose.

Through years of trial and error, failures and falling down, and getting back up, I have been blessed, through a crazy life time full of events, to stumble on upon my path to purpose.
One that if I hadn’t been paying attention would have yet again passed me by. I believe that our soul purpose, the one we were put on earth to fulfill, has always been in front of us, whether we see it will depend on what color lense we are seeing our world through at the time.
In the last 10 years, through hard lessons, divine storms and finally listening to my intuition and being brave enough to embrace my crazy, I have clarity, now to spread a clear message.

I am here to help bring awareness to the gifts horses and humans have to give.
What I have discovered is when people are able to unpack their emotional baggage, become whole and truly love themselves, then are then able to identify with their God given, natural gifts, what makes them unique.

As their emotional traumas start to clear, they are confident in walking in the world, confident and whole and willing to share their unique gifts with the world, letting their light shine. As they shine they illuminate the way for others still in the darkness, they become a source of inspiration for others to heal, and emerge from the darkness and share their gifts with the world.

It’s a ripple effect, spreading hope and love and healing, out into a world that so desperately needs it.

At our sanctuary we focus on and raise funds for healing and empowering survivors of domestic abuse, human trafficking, PTSD, at risk youth and LGBTQIA and more.
We also offer private sessions for anyone looking to clear blocks, heal and move towards a positive future.

The horses and mules are no different than us as people. The challenge is they are seen as livestock, something to be used and when they no longer serve ones definition of useful they are thrown away without regard.

I am a voice for these sweet souls. I am here to raise awareness around the gifts that horses and mules have to share with us as humans, outside of being ridden. They possess and willingly share gifts that help us heal.

I am drawn to the misfits, (being one myself) the ones who would not be candidates for traditional rescues, due to injury, physical or mental limitations. At our sanctuary we rehabilitate them, show them love and compassion. We meet them where they are and work at their pace, no expectations no timeline. No agenda of being ridden or trained to do a job.
The work I do with the horses is different than anything I had experienced prior with horses, and I have been hands on since the age of 3.
It is truly magical to watch the transformations and to see once healthy and willing how they can help people heal emotional traumas.

Even the horses that we have, that I swore would never coach because they were never going to trust or be safe for humans, much to my surprise one by one they come around and one day they show me they are ready, ready to give back,ready to help the very human race that abused and threw them away. We have so much to learn from these incredible creatures.

My purpose is to be able to provide a second chance,
by helping the horses and mules we are able to help people.
When both are happy, healthy and whole we are helping heal the world one life at a time.

I have been called crazy and I am certainly misunderstood, and at times I walk alone. What I know, is this is my path, this is my calling.
I am steadfast in my faith and my belief that this is what I put on earth to do, and I have only just begun.

Listen to your heart, believe in your intuition. Once you have discovered your purpose, nothing will stop you, everything makes sense and battling the storms is never in question, you will do what it takes to honor and pursue your purpose and keep your promise.
Remember, chances are your purpose has been right in front of you your whole life, take off the blue colored lenses you are currently looking through and try the rose colored lenses, look at things from a different perspective, think outside the box…….see what shows up, what’s possible.

Remember your power and strength come from loving yourself and walking in this world as your authentic self and being fully expressed. There is no power, no fulfillment in being less than who you truly are, do not walk in someone else shoes, stop being who others tell you, you are.

Shining your own kind of crazy is liberating and life changing, surround yourself with those who truly see you and love you for every bit of your crazy, misfit, unique, magical, perfectly imperfect self that you are and watch the magic ensue.

I’M NOT POPULAR, I DON’T FIT IN, AND THAT IS JUST THE WAY I LIKE IT!

/ Candice Ensign / Leave a comment

“Don’t dance around the perimeter of the person you want to be, dive deeply and fully into it” – Gabrielle Bernstein

Heaven knows I make and have made a lot of mistakes and I am FAR from perfect. What I have learned, is that to truly make a difference in this world I must stand in my perfectly imperfect truth. I do things differently, I run against popular opinion and I am happy to be told I am doing it wrong.

You may ask, “Why Candice, would you be proud of doing things wrong, and going against the grain”? (Remember right and wrong is a perception.)

Why?

Because when I live in my strengths and my God given gifts, I am able to bring about change, I am able to touch the lives of those that others have not been able touch.Not because I am right and they are wrong or because they are right and I am wrong, no because we all have our path, we all are here to stand in our truth, and that truth will speak to and help a certain niche. Opportunity is abundant. Success is abundant.

We can all take a stand, embrace our unique talents and WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

What I do with people and with the horses, is not mainstream, it isn’t traditional and you know what? I am grateful and beyond blessed to be able to FINALLY embrace this about myself. I attract the perceived misfits and misunderstood horses and humans.

The crazy thing, in my awakened awareness, I ALWAYS have, even as a kid. I help both find themselves, love themselves, trust themselves and embrace their purpose. I do this with an open mind no judgement and no agenda and most importantly with love and kindness.

People bring me their horses, and they all have a cautionary tale to tell about them. It has taken me a long time to realize, I don’t want to know the story, I graciously accept the blessing of stepping into and sharing their journey and I kindly ask to walk into this new relationship with an open mind one without preconception of who this sentient being is or how they will behave. I have found that when I expect a horse or a person for that matter to behave in a certain way lo and behold that behavior manifests.

I have found that when I show up with no agenda, and from a place of love and compassion the outcome is vastly different.

Now this doesn’t mean that there are not obstacles to overcome, of course there are, the difference is the horse or human has an environment in which they are free to express themselves, without judgement or preconceived notion, which YES affects how they show up.

I ask you, how would you show up if you had no fear of being judged or labeled. How would you show up if knew you would be accepted for your true self? How would you show up if you knew you were free to TRULY BE YOU? The you, you have always longed to be, yet have hid from the world because it didn’t fit the mold, the norm or what was expected?

Horses are no different, when they are allowed to be themselves, everything shifts. Of course the horses we work with have traumas to heal and this takes time. The difference is I don’t train it out of them. I meet them where they are and I work at their pace. I allow them to be a horse. They are not human,and contrary to many beliefs not all horses need a job. No they need to be a horse. They don’t need to be dominated. They need an environment that fosters love, safety and trust. This is what I provide, my gift to the equine world, is to see them differently.

My passion and purpose is to raise awareness that there are other ways to develop horses and horses have gifts to bestow upon humans way beyond sitting on their back.

This same theory applies to people as well. When we allow others to be who they are, stop trying to change them, or live through them vicariously, control them, dominate them and show up from a place of love and compassion its truly mesmerizing to see the person that emerges, the proud, confident, unique individual that has just been waiting to share itself with the world. The person who until now felt they had to conform to fit in, to have success, to be loved and to be worthy.

Stop hiding, surround yourself with people that love you unconditionally and support your perfectly imperfect self. Surround yourself with people that applaud you and embrace your unique God given gifts and push you to truly be you. Take a risk, step into your truth, let your light shine, and show up for others without judgment and stand in love and compassion. You might be amazed how the world around you changes and from changing your perspective you become the change you wish to see in the world….#rippleeffect

Hidden Gifts Unveiled

/ Candice Ensign / Leave a comment

“Gifts, what gifts? Horses are meant to be ridden, need a job, and once their value in this arena has passed they are throw away commodities…..”

If I had a dollar for every time I have heard this statement…. I would be rich!

The last 10 years of my life have lead led me, here to this very moment, living in my passion and purpose. The world of rescue is heartbreaking, filled with opinions and the need to look good and be right. It can be downright ugly at times. It is also the most incredibly fulfilling, life changing work I have EVER done.

I am blasted, time and time again, for saving those that others deem a lost cause- those that are not ride-able, or have been broken, thrown away, and failed by humans. That being said, I realize that there are MANY ways to be right. I see the value in the differences of opinion…. Therefore as everyone has a unique and valid perspective, I am called to stay, steadfast, on my path and to make a difference in the lives of these sweet souls that others would forsake. These larger than life hearts, when healed, forgive us humans, (the very species that condemned them to a horrible fate), and agree to partner with us to help heal humans on a daily basis.

The human race could learn SO MUCH from these incredible creatures.

Introducing Genevieve (pronounced with a French accent John Vee Ev) aka Vieve.

DSC_9673

Vieve was purchased as a yearling, from an Amish owner 6 years ago, with a nasty injury, one that some thought was going to limit her ability to be ridden or would deem her worthless.  I will never forget walking into the barn, and laying my eyes on the sweetest young filly I had ever seen. I was instantly drawn to her, like a moth to a flame. Her energy was undeniable and I knew in that moment we were meant to share this journey.

Fast forward 6 years, this girl is LARGER than life and hasn’t met a person she doesn’t adore. I also haven’t met a human that isn’t instantly enamored with her.

Vieve is a proud member of our equine coaching partner program and our herd.

This is what Journey with Equus is all about. The journey we share with them. Their journey to safety, and great health, to knowing they are safe and once again trusting mankind.

Once rehabilitated we evaluate each equine to see who is willing to partner with us and willing to do the work. The work that will ultimately change the lives of the people they meet. The journey is now about that which our herd shares with the people who seek our their help.

The horses we work with, choose to unveil their gifts to us. You can’t train a horse to do what they do in this work.  It is their natural gift, and we ask them if they are willing to partner- some are and some are not. Those that do, will go on to share a variation of the following gifts: balancing energy, like a Reiki healer for humans; Equi Detectors, they call us out when we are not speaking our truth or our feelings are not congruent with the words we are speaking; Some will pantomime back to us the experiences we are sharing; or others help us establish or see where we need to, or are not setting personal boundaries.

I am grateful that Vieve has graciously chosen to share her gifts.

It is truly magical to witness her willingly unveil her gifts to the human world, like a curtain coming up on a Broadway play, for me, its truly breathtaking. It awakens the excitement of my inner child every time, an excitement I can’t contain, which leads me to share this story.

This last weekend we were so blessed to have her partner with us in a test group coaching sessions.

A small group of about 8 including the coach sat in an indoor arena with the Vieve in the round pen.

*NOTE: many will be skeptical about the information I am about to share. What I know is once you have experienced a session with one of our horses, you will NEVER see horses in the same light again.

The client entered the round pen and moved to center, we asked her to get grounded and centered.  Horses connect to us when we are present and authentic and living in our feelings versus our thoughts.

The coach began interacting with the client…

Vieve settled in and engaged the client.  Vieve started working and providing very clear messages based on what she was picking up from the clients energy, leading us, as coaches to help facilitate a breakthrough for the client.  Vieve was reading and communicating back to us, where the client’s energy was blocked and helped us to ask focused questions such that the client could self-discover what was standing in her way.

A horse that has the gift of reading energy or chakra balancing will line up their chakra with that of the human. Vieve was constantly and emphatically lining up her upper and lower throat chakra with that of the clients to help open up that chakra and give her the strength to say what she needed to say.  To support her in being able to speak her truth,  that up till now may have been left unsaid. IMG_3734

Vieve, repeatedly would raise her head up and over the head of the client, from side to side. This was signaling to us as coaches, that the client’s connection to spirit, faith, universe or God was potentially blocked or in question. This helped us to connect to where the client was at that moment, clarity, that what was standing in the way was the client’s lack of faith to move forward in her journey.  It also could help to show us where  the client was in terms of faith and trust in a divine connection, the belief that they were on the right path.

I am continually amazed at the incredible work these horses will do to help us. Vieve did not waiver in her message for the entire session. She would only disconnect if the client would move into her head, versus speaking from her heart. Horses do not care for the noise of human thought. They are beings of energy, and communicate through energy. When we stay in our heart and express our feelings, horses can help guide and heal us. Some of you may say, b.s., and those of you who have been around horses, know that they just make you feel a certain way. They just make us feel better. If you are around horses when you are sad, you leave feeling your load has been lightened. All of us who have experienced horses in our life, know that this is true. We, at Journey with Equus are just shedding the light on the experiences people all over the world have felt with horses at one time or another, yet may not have been able to explain.

Riding is a wonderful experience, one that takes a relationship to be formed with a large animal, that does not have to allow us to ride them. It is, also, not the only thing that makes horses exceptional, it is not their sole value.

We see hundreds of horses thrown away a week. Over 130,000 horses a year sent to slaughter. This has to change. The change won’t be easy. It must start at the foundational level of the horse industry and horses must be seen for being more than just livestock, for more than just being a commodity a tool, or a being to dominate.

My mission is to the share the gifts that horses possess, outside of just being ridden. To help create a movement and bring awareness, to see these majestic steeds as more than just steeds. To see them as the loving, forgiving, healing, almost magical sentient beings- that they are. Asking for nothing other than love and care, in return they offer us their greatest gifts, gifts that help us heal, self discover, connect, lead, communicate. Gifts that help us become the very best we can be.

“Rescued Horsed Rescuing Humans – Through the Horse Human Connection”

Are you ready to join the journey?DSC_0063 (1024x683)

Broken

/ Candice Ensign / Leave a comment

“You see a horse with your eyes, and you feel a horse with your soul.”

Stetson..Dumped at Auction

Standing in the shadows of the setting sun, I am drawn into the expression in your eye. One of fear, doubt and hurt. A reckoning that the life you knew, is no more. You have experienced being ripped from the safety of your routine, to being dumped at a facility with other horses, strangers to you at this time. Hurt, you do the best you can to stay safe within the new herd in which you find yourself, a herd filled with the same fear and confusion you are experiencing. All the while, wondering what did you do to find yourself here. Were you not a wonderful steed, there to carry your owner, to do his bidding, sturdy, willing and unwavering?

Is it because, due to the nature of what your owner asked, you have aged and the work has taken its toll, that you are no longer able to do the work you once did? Was your loyalty and service to your owner not enough, to secure you a safe, loving retirement.

Meet Stetson, dumped at auction, left to be purchased by a kill buyer and sent to slaughter. Thankfully he had an angel that day and was spared. We are blessed that his angel reached out to us and asked if we would take him in. We gladly and gratefully said “yes”.

Freedom Ride

I have spent the last several nights at quarantine with this massive, and broken boy. He is at least 16 hands tall and sadly lame, appears to have ringbone, a Horsemans term for osteoarthritis. I also believe he is in need of chiropractic care. He will be evaluated by our vet this week. We will make sure he gets the care he needs to live out his life comfortably. We can help him physically, the disturbing piece is the energy that emanates from this sweet soul. The overwhelming heaviness I can feel as I stand by him as I cradle his head and whisper to him that he is safe. The energy of defeat, of loss, of fear, of confusion and of sadness. His soul speaks to me, an old soul, wise and deserving. Time will heal, he will come to understand he is safe and loved. This will happen on his timeline. My experience has been for one that could be 90 days for others it can take 2 years to fully heal and trust again. I am grateful to share his journey, to be his constant and steady reminder that all will be ok.

My mission, my calling is to bring awareness to the gifts these beautiful souls have to offer, outside of being ridden and used as tools. These sentient beings are healers, they are our safe space, they offer unconditional love and zero judgement. They help us see ourselves, how we truly show up and help us to become better humans. They are our daily therapy. They do not have a voice, therefore you will continue to hear mine.

There are so many horses that do not get the second chance that Stetson is getting. The horse industry must change at the foundational level, for us to ever see a day when the inhumane treatment of these incredible horses subsides, and it will take a massive army of supporters to bring about the needed change.

To all the horses that humans have hurt, thrown away, starved and those that have been sent on the hell ride to slaughter: I apologize on behalf of the human race. My promise to you, is that everyday, I will do everything I can, everything within my power to make a difference, one life at a time.

One life that will get a second chance, one life that will heal and miraculously forgive us, and one life that will help heal human lives.

We all have the power to make a difference, to help the world see differently. Speak up and be a voice for what you believe in and for those that do not have a voice.

“Be the Change You Want To See In The World”

Safe in Quarantine

Fate serves us in random, unexplainable and beautifully touching ways! Blessed to honor a life, cut short way too soon. A woman who loved these sweet horses and now, from beyond, continues to help care for them and give them the second chance they deserve.

/ Candice Ensign / Leave a comment

Molly photo 31

We are blessed to honor Molly Malerba’s life. This young woman passed away, unexpectedly, last week due to complications from diabetes. Molly was an avid horse enthusiast and an adept equestrian who had helped many rescue horses find homes. Molly’s sister, Mandy Nadler, had been following Journey with Equus for some time and reached out to us, shortly after Molly’s passing, to see how we could create a legacy for Molly.

Journey with Equus had recently rescued a young mare, one that Mandy had read about on Facebook and instantly felt a connection with. Mandy came and visited our young mare last week. This mare came in sick, scared and, quite frankly, a little bit mean. However, when Mandy went into the pen with her, there was an instant connection – she would even chase off other horses seeking Mandy’s attention. Fate serves us in random, unexplainable and beautifully touching ways!

We have set up a fund, at Mandy’s request, to honor her sister Molly and to create a legacy that will live on through this little horse, now appropriately named “Miss Molly”

Miss Molly

Donations will be used to care for “Miss Molly”, who is in quarantine fighting to get healthy, and to help other horses, just like her, get the second chance that they deserve and program development to help at risk humans through equine partnered coaching.

At Journey with Equus, we help rescue at risk horses. These horses come in, in various states of poor health and condition. Many are scarred from years of abuse and from the experience of going to auction or ending up on a feedlot, left to fend for themselves. We work with approved partner rescues, veterinarians and other equine health professionals, to start the healing process. Once rehabilitated, these rescued horses are placed with qualified owners into forever homes or they may find their forever home with us here at Journey with Equus, as equine coaching partners and go on to help at risk humans heal through the horse human connection.

Thank you for taking a moment to honor a life, cut short way too soon. A person who loved these sweet horses and now, from beyond, continues to help care for them and give them the second chance they deserve.

Thank you for sharing the journey and helping to create a legacy for Molly.

To Donate to “Molly’s Legacy” visit www.journeywithequus.com and click on Molly’s Legacy. If mobile view click on menu icon in top left corner first.

Living in your Purpose Requires You to be Purposeful

/ Candice Ensign / Leave a comment

I’m blessed to do what I do. I serve others everyday and it requires me to grow everyday. As a coach, we visit vision often. We talk about the “Why” the what drives us out of bed everyday. What requires us to be the best we can be so that we can realize our dreams. What are those dreams? What surprises me is often the connection to ones “Why” eludes them.
Today at the end of my coaching day I headed out to the barn. This is my time to recharge, bond and reflect. My time spent with the horses is most often some of the best conversations I have and yet nothing is verbally said.
I approached the paddock and was greeted with a low almost silent nicker, the noticeable quiver of nostrils was the clearer sign that my arrival was being anxiously awaited. I poured the supplement I was carrying into the feed bin and my large teddy bear of a friend eagerly commenced to munch away. I rested my hand on the soft yet large sturdy back of one of our more recent rescues, gentle giant, Sterling.

29793549_10216917347269239_355885551401828352_n

I closed my eyes and I felt his soft hair under my hand, the energy that passes from him to me and me to him. I took a deep breath and inhaled the blissful smell of horse and became fully present in the moment. I slowly opened my eyes and looked to the west as the sun began to slowly peek through the afternoon clouds ….in this moment I become all to aware, aware that the reason so many of us find it hard to stay grounded in our “Why” is because we get so busy in the chaos of day to day life, that the one thing that so many times get pushed to the side, is the very thing we are driving ourselves to achieve. I too, just like everyone else have days that I’m so caught in the chaos that when its time to come up for air I just want to breathe, and find myself frozen in the moment catching my breath. 28276847_10216515416541222_2791729548062146773_n
There are days I catch myself dreading getting in the truck to drive. Yet what awaits me on the other end of the drive is the very thing that pushes me day in and day out to be the best me I can be. We are not guaranteed tomorrow, we must ground ourselves in the present. We can not become so consumed with the chase we forget what we are chasing. Tonight it became crystal clear that to be able to truly live in my purpose, I must be purposeful in my commitments. I must be aware of what I am saying yes to and if saying yes to anything that means I must say no to the very thing that drives me then I need to make a change. Tonight the saying “Clarity has Power” has never meant more to me. I’m called to make a difference in the lives of horses and humans. My schedule reflects my goals. My conversations reflect my goals. My moments of having to say NO reflect my goals. I will never again allow myself to become so lost in the chaos as to let suffer my path to purpose.
Are you being purposeful in living in your purpose?

So You Think You Know Me….?

/ Candice Ensign / Leave a comment

For years I have asked myself, have I ever been truly seen by anyone?

At the age of 10 months I was taken in by my grandparents and raised as their daughter. (Let me be clear, this is the BEST thing that could have ever happened to me. They are by far, 2 of the most incredible people I have ever known)

As with all families, this was not a win for everyone and due to that, I have been labeled and blamed by others for their loss, all due to a circumstance that I didn’t control. I was blamed just for being born, I have continually been blamed for a decision that others made and left to bear the burden. All I longed for was to be seen for the open authentic heart that I was. I was full of love, and believed in and saw the very best in everyone. The scar that was created was that I was never enough, that I would never really be a daughter or a sister, that I didn’t belong, that I was taking something away from others.

I never understood why I couldn’t just be accepted and loved for the true energy that encompassed my soul, my very being. The saving grace was I was blessed to have parents that gave me a strong sense of independence, strength and self worth.

My parents equipped me to not let the judgement of others become my reality or shape my possibilities. Who I am and who I am becoming daily is MY CHOICE. (YES I say parents, family is not about blood its about SOOOOOO much more than that. They are the only parents I have ever known)

One of the life shaping events that my parents gifted me with was that they nurtured and fed my love for horses from the early age of three. I was blessed with a sweet, spitfire of a Shetland pony on my third birthday and from that day forward my truth was there was no fear and no judgement, there was only freedom, on the back of a horse. I felt this freedom in the presence of any horse, whether on their back or not. It was something I could never quite put into words. I attribute so much of who I am today because of this, even though the true discovery of the meaning of my journey with horses thus far has only become clear in the last couple years. What is true today, is exactly what was true for me as a child, a teenager and a young adult…..My obsession with horses started out of a desire…the desire to be appreciated for my authentic self. The horses see me, not because I’m a trainer, or an accomplished rider, they don’t care about my family status, they see me because they see my heart. They accept me for me. In return I see them, the damaged, the thrown away, the less than desired, for the beautiful, imperfectly perfect and loving, kind, deserving sentient beings that they are.

I have and always will be willing to look below the surface, to see the heart and the soul of another. That gift is what I believe has led me to saving the horses that are labeled unsaveable. I see them differently.

My obsession with horses, is they have filled the void in my life to be seen, for the purity of who I REALLY AM not what others have labeled me to be due to their own judgement, fears and limiting beliefs and their inability of being able to face the world through love versus fear. They have given me the gift to see the world through their eyes.

I tell you this, not so you will feel sorry for me, and simple to provide clarity and hope. I have been seen by many others over the years as something I am not. I have been judged, based on others perceptions or who they wanted me to be to make them feel happy or adequate. I was bullied for years, because I was seen as having something that others didn’t. I have had as many trials, tribulations, heartbreaks and losses as the next person. I am truly imperfect, we all are. Yet I refuse to let others or my past define me. Each one of us has a voice. Your were created to use your voice, to share your giftedness with the world. God created us all with qualities that are true to us and only us. There is only ONE of YOU. What I want all of you to know, it that anything is possible. WE are all TRULY UNIQUE. People judge us, criticize us because of their own inadequacies, because of their own fears, their own programming. It is so much easier to project our pain onto others and see them as imperfect than to look inward and be honest with ourselves and see ourselves and to work on ourselves. Yet the truth be known, the only control we have is controlling who we are becoming. If you see things in others that you don’t like, chances are you possess those qualities. Take a moment and stop judging the world, and start becoming a better version of your self.

The next time you start to judge someone else, stop and ask yourself where that judgement is coming from? Chances are it stems from inside, a fear that is haunting you.. Make a choice to grow yourself. Remember everyone else is doing the very best they can at the time. Step forward, release your judgement and your fear and step in faith and love. Focus your energy and gifts on making a difference in the world, as only you can do.

Mooshka the Mule

/ Candice Ensign / 1 Comment

Check out how our herd at Journey with Equus is impacting the lives of people.

Guest Blog written by:  Pamela Polonet Slobin

They say a dog is a man’s best friend. Why not a horse? Why can’t a mule be your best friend? I never would have thought of a mule, man was I wrong. Today, I went to Journey with Equus to meet a mule named Mooshka and 11 horses all saved from going to slaughter. When I arrived… I was looking around at these gorgeous animals and cannot believe that there are people who when they are done with their animals, they sell them and then these precious babies go off to slaughter. These animals are live, breathing creatures that have feelings just like us. They have so much life and personality
in them that you can’t help but smile from ear to ear. The kisses that they want to give you. The hugs that they would love to receive. As I was standing there watching these incredible animals play with eachother, you can clearly see all of their different personalities. Some are loving on each other, some are playing around with eachother as if they have nothing to worry about. And they don’t, not anymore!! And, some were just resting! When I met Mooshka the mule, she was so sweet and full of personality. I instantly fell in love with her. Her big beautiful brown eyes with those long eyelashes were just batting at me, as I talked to her.

I brushed her and made her look all beautiful as she stood there and loved every minute of it. I loved every minute of it as well. All of my worries and stress went away as I was loving on Mooshka. She was not there to judge me. Wow… what a great feeling. Not to be judged… what is that? She just loved me back. When it was time to leave, I had such an amazing feeling of relaxation that I haven’t had in a long time. The stress and insecurities were gone that I was feeling before I got there. I read something that said “Lessons are more easily understood and the process is richer with a confidant. “
I can’t wait to see them all again and spoil them with lots of love. Love really does go a long way. Stay tuned until next time with Mooshka!