Reva Murphy

Michelle Donlick & Avalo Farm

Natural Eventing & Performance

Reva Murphy

Reva and her filly "Satara"

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It was in February when I first met Michelle. I was informed earlier that day that she was to arrive that night and stay in my room. Heck, fine with me, I least I knew ahead of time! I was in middle school and there was a Valentine dance that very night that Michelle was going to be at my house. I went to the dance had fun, came home that night and saw two people that I didn’t recognize! I assumed that one person was Michelle and the other was her groom that she had at the time. I learned the groom’s name was Joannah and the small person was Michelle, so now I knew who was who. I found out later on that night that Michelle did Parelli Natural Horsemanship! Ever since my family and I had been into horses my Step mom had been trying to get me into Natural horsemanship. I wanted to learn but I didn't understand it at all. I was listening about natural horsemanship on Cds in vehicles and watching Dvds, but I still didn't get it. That was when my Dad and Step mom finally realized that I was a hands-on learner. I watched Michelle closely that very night, from my point of view her every movement was thought out, fluid and graceful all at the same time. She spoke her mind when need be and always had a ready answer. She knows what she likes in her food and what good food tastes like! I found out that she is from Canada, maybe that explains everything?

The following day was the event that was being held at Sporting Days Farm that Michelle and my last trainer were going to show at. Lucky for me that I wasn't grooming that day so I could watch people ride. I watched people ride and watched more people ride and watch them ride some more. They all seemed good at what they were doing, and the way I have always viewed people riding horses was comparing it to dancing mostly with dressage of doing the waltz (or something like that). But, then I saw Michelle riding Babe in the dressage arena and I felt like I had just stepped into a book of poetry but instead of reading it I saw it in movement and I was mesmerized.

When it came to jumping it was like Michelle pointed Babe to it and he said "Yeah I'll jump that!" It was the same thing with cross country, but when they were done with the course it looked like Babe was ready to do it all over again and again and again.

Afterwards, my Step mom and I discussed me going to Michelle to learn more about NH as I still didn't understand but was interested to learn more about it and its results with different horses. About a year and maybe a few months later I was finally able to go to Michelle's place for the summer. I learned so much in riding and in ground work with horses. I went from a clingy, hollow backed, confident, tight reined maniac to being soft with the reins, using my seat before the reins, not being so hollow-backed but being more relaxed, getting comfortable and more confident with the horses that Michelle knows that I'll be safe with. Since then I have been braver with riding different horses. The ground work I find truly amazing - I never thought that doing seven games would get a horses trust and after awhile I preferred to do ground work with horses other than riding because I just found it just so fascinating and wanted to keep doing more and more of it. After being with Michelle I learned more about being
comfortable with myself and who I am.

So that is all what brings me here living with Michelle for about 2 years but learning under her for maybe 4 years. I feel comfortable riding her main horse Babe and I'm also learning how to jump with him which I find amusing because it's like he's babysitting me. I'm at the Tadpole level with him and it seems like after every jump he wants to stop and check on me and make sure that I'm still on and if I would like to keep going. I also ride a sensitive but FUN TB mare named Rhapsody and now ride her bareback in a halter and every now and then I'll ride her with a savvy string around her neck (thank god she's a good mare). Another horse I find a complete joy to ride is a palomino Selle-Francais gelding named Dune. It is fun working with him because on the ground I can try anything with him and he'll his attitude is "whatever - let's just this done and over with already". But, when it comes to riding him, he pretty much keeps me on my toes because we'll have disputes of what I'm asking him to do and he'll argue with me and then all of a sudden he'll do when you least expect him to. I also feel comfortable riding him bareback!

It seems like that ever since I've been with Michelle I have come to figure out more about myself and who and what I can become just by being with horses, having a connection and being a leader. It applies to every situation including dealing with other types of animals and people. It all depends on how to approach a situation with other types of animals or people and it all goes from there. Speaking of connections it also seems like Michelle and I can read each others mind! At certain times we'll look at each other with certain looks and know what they mean, and at other moments we'll do something for each other without having to be asked. and that is why we are so excellent together :)