August 23, 2004

Howdy,

I wanted to let you know just how beneficial my stint at Kesmarc was to me. Although I suppose I did have my up and down days, overall, I thought it was the best learning experience I have ever had. Although I've been around horses for a long time, I have never had the opportunity to see top quality horses treated at a top quality facility, with money usually not being as much of a factor. It was enlightening, to say the least. I think the one thing that was especially driven home was that Kesmarc doesn't have tunnel vision when it comes to taking care of the animal's needs. Instead of just treating the injury, y'all maintain every facet of the horse's health, from dental to nutrition. That particular way of looking at things really demonstrated to me what a true horseman should be all about.

While at Kesmarc, I did pick up a lot of new skills: bandaging, handling a horse, giving shots...However, I think the area where I really improved was simply learning how to be more aware of what was happening around me, picking up problems before they really became a problem. Of course, I've heard all my life that you have to be observant and listen to the horse, but I don't think I really learned that lesson until I was at Kesmarc and saw how everyone pays attention to every tiny detail. A lot of it was simple things like watching the horse's legs when they walk by or looking into all of the stall when walking through the barn. I suppose, in a nutshell, I learned the difference between looking and seeing.

Kesmarc was a lot of work and a lot of long days, but I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. Yes, that includes the time spent grooming babies, even though it left me feeling like I was coughing up hair balls! Besides being a necessary part of the job, I think I benefited from the extra one-on-one time with a horse; it was just one more opportunity to get to know each animal and better learn how to handle him.

While I still have a long way to go and a lot to learn, I think Kesmarc really gave me something to build upon. I appreciate having the opportunity to spend some time there; it was beyond beneficial. Thank you.

Lanie Kuhlmann