About

Raised in a barn 2
Welcome to barnraised.

This is about life in all its messiness and all its beauty…one in the same really.

Originally I was inspired to start this blog when I moved my family into a barn, LITERALLY. It all started with a horse, turned into a calling, then became more.

We ended up moving into the barn apartment of the boarding and training facility where I initially kept my horse. Quite literally living over the barn and managing the facility of 50+ horses. Our lives completely changed.

Since then, that barn that inspired “barnraised”…well, I have moved on and now bought my own barn and started my own “barnraised”. My own terms. “My barn, my rules” as my mentor liked to say. You taught me well, my friend, you taught me well.

This blog follows the fun, the adventure, the beauty and-yes-the messiness and challenges all along the way. Thanks for stopping by the barn!

Blog 1

A little bio: I have an undergrad degree in Education and a masters degree in Counseling. I spent many years working with children and families in different social work and therapeutic situations. I have lived and worked all over the world, specifically in Japan, Ireland and England as well, of course, as many states in the U.S. I then “settled down”, married a good (and -thankfully- very flexible, easy-going and low-maintenance) man, got my contractor’s license and started a construction-type business with him, then had a little girl (Sahalie) that made life so much more exciting. She is seven (at the time of this “about” page). I left my career in social work and therapy to focus on our business and homeschool my girl. I found the world of Waldorf education and have studied it like crazy. It’s magical. Just FYI, we use a combo of the Christopherus homeschool curriculum and un-schooling. Prior to all of this, I have been a waitress, bartender, teacher, traveler, librarian, nanny, foster parent, basically-you name it, I’ve probably done a little bit of it. Update:  now she is 9 yrs old and a hard core workin’ cowgirl! She is amazing. And, though we still have a deep love for Waldorf, we have transitioned more into unschooling/natural schooling. There is no school like the barnyard, I tell ya!

I grew up with horses and showing, but left that world during my years of college, travel and career. Then I found it again (through my daughter who loves horses). I rediscovered my love of horses, of the barn life and simplicity. My daughter and I bonded deeply through horses and riding together. We bought one horse, we got a second, I became a certified horse trainer and riding instructor through the Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA), started instructing at our local commercial boarding, touristy trail-riding, riding lessons and training facility (where I boarded our horses). Everything snowballed from there and I was offered the opportunity to move into the barn apartment and oversee the place (50+ horses). This would be a lot of work AND a lot of fun. What an experience. So, we rented out our little house and moved into a barn. Yes, many called me crazy. It was a whirlwind of learning, growing and inspiration. I have always known the therapeutic value of a horse, how they teach us about ourselves and force us to grow. I never would have foreseen that path in my life opening up. I truly feel like I stepped into my purpose in life as I now teach therapeutic horseback riding with a passion I never knew I could feel for my life’s work. The shoe just fit, my two “worlds” collided and I just belong here in my own world now known as “barnraised”.

While my original barn might sound exciting, I assure you it was not always so. It was a constant paradox of peace, quiet, acres of horses, nature and being in the moment, a wonderful escape from the rat-race AND it was also hectic, busy, sometimes very loud with never ending work, early mornings, little sleep. It was one moment breathing fresh air and enjoying a quiet sunset and then the next moment of 9 degree morning feedings in three layers of clothes, breaking ice in water troughs, getting out a trail ride of five dude riders (God help us), checking on a colicing (sick) horse, calling the vet, arranging a riding lesson, sweeping up spilled grain and wishing everyone would just go home! Oh, to learn so much through that raw, down-home, barnraised way of life.

When I started this blog, I was torn between writing about…Horses? Homeschooling? Parenting? Life living in a barn? Rambling thoughts? I just let it flow and found myself going back and forth between subjects sort of weaving it all together. This is my place to explore life, relate horses to philosophical thoughts, remind myself of what’s important and have a creative outlet for my daughter and myself to create an “online journal” about our adventures here, as she is always my editor. She and I both take the photos and come up with the ideas. Her artwork and inspiration is included here as well. This blog is continually trying to improve and grow (as am I) so I appreciate any and all thoughts, comments, suggestions and connections. Thanks again!

“If you climb in the saddle, you better be ready for the ride”…

Saddle up.

 

57 thoughts on “About”

  1. What a great idea. We had longed for a life in nature, but our circumstances don’t allow for that – at least not at this point. If anything, we would love to experience living in the wilderness in all its beauty and ugliness!

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  7. What a most interesting About page. You have experienced a lot of different lives and I can really appreciate that. I don’t know too much about Waldorf but from what I have heard, it has all been good. My one bio daughter always begged me to home school and travel with her. I think it was the travel part she wanted more! I look forward to reading more of your adventures. I also have a daughter who likes to edit my work as well. Happy blogging, Cheryl

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  8. So very glad to connect! Great About page and I identify with trying to pull a life together into a blog 😀 We, too, home educate, and simply enjoy the rough and tumble of family life. I look forward to reading more from you and wish you and yours every happiness!

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  9. Congratulations on being selected for the Encouraging Thunder Award. I know that you saw the post but I wanted to give this message so that your readers could also see this on your about page, so that it would follow the etiquette.
    Here is the link to the post, in case you need it
    http://gentlementalannie.com/2015/05/06/the-encouraging-thunder-award/
    Your blog is enjoyable. I don’t know of I told you, but I homeschool my daughters.
    Annie

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  10. Thank you for visiting my blog; I, too, was raised in a barn :). Some of my best life lessons have been in the saddle, learning to trust my intuition, and realizing that there were times my horse knew more than I did and to just lean into him. Your blog, and your writings about lessons with your daughter, take me right back there. wonderfully done ~ MJ

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    • Thank you so much. What kind words. I so appreciate them. Yes, the life lessons that can be learned in the “barn” are so amazing. I love the term you use “lean into him”. That’s a perfect description of letting go and just being, trusting, “leaning into”. Thanks!

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  11. Thank you for following The Trivial Mind! You have a fascinating resumé. I am looking forward to reading more. My wife has an aunt and uncle who live in a barn so we have that kind of background. My wife, however, is an ultimate neat freak – no barns for us!

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  14. I just “stumbled” across your blog and I am thoroughly enjoying it! I am a homeschooling mom of three using Waldorf/unschooling with three kids who ride (well, just recently started riding again). Horses are amazing and have changed my children’s lives. Thank you for sharing your journey! I look forward to learning through it!

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  19. Pingback: Dragon Loyalty Award | Far Beyond the Stars

  20. What a wonderful description of life thus far. We too live on a farm and have horses. However, they need us to have a trainer. They’re pretty smart already. I am a former counselor (middle school) and stayed home to instill my own good and bad habits on our now 26 year old daughter and almost 20 year old triplets. I love variety in a blog and look forward to reading more of yours.

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  22. I’m wearing a sweatshirt that says “yes,i was born in a barn” I spent all my teen summers in the barn where I rode and worked. You couldn’t get me to leave I even went to a horseshow with the barn. When I got married in 2009 I had a pony yes pony in my 20s lol. She was amazing but when I’d tell my husband I’m going to ride I never give him a time I’ll be back cause I never know or say a time and I go over by hours. This cowgirl is stuck in the city 😞. Good luck with your journey.
    I’ll take your challenge and saddle up! Now I work from “son up til son down”

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  25. I would like to pose a question to get your perspective? I had toyed with the idea of homeschooling when our daughter began elementary school 8 years ago, but I was always wondering how she would relate to the majority of students as she got older? I just cannot wrap my head around how public schools seem to be guiding the vast majority of kids one way and how those being home schooled are almost the exact opposite in the ideals they are taught? More to the root of my question might be, how can a child thats raised in a conservative upbringing have any chance of having a voice if they are say 5 percent of the population and the rest have been taught liberal ideas? hope you can understand my logic?

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    • Hi, just saw this! Facebook is usually quicker for meow! Wow, good questions. What I’m seeing with my daughter (and other older homeschoolers) is that they are raised so differently that it can sometimes be hard to assimilate but they are raised with inner confidence, less peer influence and tend to have more maturity. So as they get older it works out in the end. If that makes sense? My daughter actually just went into public/charter high school this year. She was feeling lonely for peers and wanted to try it. We have an amazing Equine high school here that was just perfect for her. I let her skip 8th grade to go in this year. Straight As and made some good quality friends. I observed that she didn’t get easily swayed into the drama and pettiness around her. Of course school went online in November because of COVID but she’s looking forward to going back. I’m not sure if I quite answered your questions. Please let me know your thoughts!

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