Another report: Hi Melissa, I have several commonalities with you, including trying to read the book several years ago :-)
I saw all of Leslie's demos at EA (and also saw a few of the type of people you mentioned,....one lady walking out, saying Leslie is boring. I thought, I'll bet you are very boring to your horse :-). But I saw a lot more....people ready for the message Leslie was bringing....and riveted to her demos as I was. > work on the horses it was so fascinating to watch someone without > ego, who was much more concerned with connecting with the horse and > understanding what would fit that particular horse. I was also very inspired by Leslie's willingness to focus in on that horse. It made several weaknesses in myself painfully obvious. Leslie is truly not about the 'glory' or ego.....talk about leading by example. > just don't know. I'm really interested in knowing if Leslie ever got > to ride that horse. If anyone has an update please let me know. She did ride the chestnut horse and it was absolutely amazing. She rode him during her last demo, in the Coliseum, and started him in the round pen and definitely under his terms.....as well as hers. It was poetry to watch. That may sound corny, but it is how I felt and I was so moved by her, that I could hardly speak to her during my opportunity to meet her without tearing up. She, with the aid of one of her 'people', got the horse feeling good about going in and out of the roundpen. She had her friend ride in and out of it and encouraged her own mount to follow. She had safety in mind, first and foremost, and had the gate facing outward (away from the direction of travel) for each attempt to go in and out. I thought to myself, just how many practitioners would take the time to do that.....and when do you recall last seeing a demo where EVERYone was wearing helmets? I hear others preach about wearing them, but it is rare to see someone wear one. Again, leading by example. She eventually got the horse moving out quite nicely around the entire arena and allowed him to show her some things he could do, including going over the tarp. The wind was picking up a lot outside, and the horse would become aware of large bushes moving, and Leslie would allow him to look at these and she would look at them as well. There, a partnership exploring together. I really don't have the words to articulate what I saw this amazing woman do over the course of two days. It was an incredible honor to have her here in Ohio, and in my letter to Equine Affaire thanking them for a wonderful event, I am asking them to invite her back. Perhaps you would consider doing the same? There is a lot more that I saw and would be happy to share anything else with you. Hope this helps to answer your question. Sue M. Ohio "Our ideas, like orange-plants, spread out in proportion to the size of the box which imprisons the roots." Edward Bulwer Lytton
