Tap-tap. Testing one, two, three. Is this thing on?

Oh, hello GHCers! I hope you’re having a bright, beautiful spring in your little corner of the world. Here in Northern California, the rain persisted through most of the season. While that wasn’t ideal for getting out on the trails, it did keep the grass growing and the wildflowers blooming, and that made the horses happy.

Now here we are on the cusp of summer, and some of you have emailed or posted on the GHC Facebook asking about plans and events. I truly appreciate the continued interest from loyal contributors who keep coming back to share their talent and connect with other girls who are passionate about horses. So I want to let you know what’s unfolding, and what that means for GHC…

Like you, I need to feel inspired and motivated to contribute to GHC, and lately my muse has been nudging me in a different direction—one that gets me out from behind the computer and connected to horses and horse girls in the real world. So, I’ve decided to make it a priority to volunteer at a local therapeutic riding center this summer, and to look for new adventures with horses (and the people who love them).

What does this mean for GHC? It definitely means I won’t be hosting any big events like last year’s fiction competition. Instead, I’d love to hear your horsey plans for the summer, and maybe if enough of us are committed to horse events in the real world, there’s an opportunity to share stories about what we’re doing. If you don’t have any plans but dream of hanging out with horses, maybe now is the time to start making your dreams a reality.

What are your horsey plans and dreams for the summer?

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THANK YOU to everyone who came out to March for Wild Horses. We read dozens of inspired contributions to our blog, and the gallery artwork was stunning. Your collective, creative voice made a powerful statement: We have an unwavering passion for wild horses, and we’re determined to assure they’re protected and preserved for horse girls and boys of the future.

I addition to all the great GHC creations shared throughout the month, we were very lucky to learn about and interact with TJ Holmes, who introduced us to the amazing mustangs of Spring Creek Basin. Thanks to Rochlia for connecting us to TJ, and thanks to TJ for giving us a glimpse into the family of horses she calls her own (yet does not own). I was riveted by the tales of her experience observing and photographing them, but this really hit me…

“What inspires me most about mustangs is at once simple … and amazingly complex – just like the horses themselves. They are hardy. They are fragile. They are wonderfully complex in their social systems and bonds. They are refreshingly simple in their actions and reactions. They are adaptable. They are graceful. They are innocent. They carry the weight of their ancestors’ long history. They are curious and brave and easily frightened. They are bold and fearless and defensive of their families. They live in the harshest environments – to which man has committed them – and they thrive. They are independent. They are dependent (we have fenced them into these herd management areas and it is incumbent upon us that their basic needs of water and forage are met). In a perfect world, they could manage just fine without us (witness those few horses returned to the continent … the millions repopulating the continent … the devastation wrought upon them by generations of “mustangers” …). In many, many instances where they’ve been adopted, their adopters become so enamored of them as to say “I’ll never have but another mustang.” They are stunning. They are so much more.”

~~TJ Holmes

As always, thanks to our behind-the-scenes barn mice. Julia and Madelaina are always here to support the rest of the herd with editing, moderating, and encouragement. Without them, we couldn’t have an event like this. And let’s not forget our technology jockey, Sky, who keeps this virtual barn on a solid foundation and assures the doors are open to welcome old and new friends.

During March for Wild Horses, we saw that Wild Horse Annie’s spirit lives on through today’s horse girls—at GHC and beyond—all committed to mustangs in their own way through writing, activism, film, photography, and so much more. Although the event has come to a halt, it doesn’t end.

Keep hoping, keep taking action, and keep Wild Horse Annie’s legacy marching forward.

Sincerely,

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I hope the new decade is off to a great start for you and your four-legged friends. In addition to rebuilding the Stables and dusting off stories from the Loft Book Club archives, I’ve been pondering the future of the GHC blog and have decided on some big changes, along with what’s next. So here goes…

JUNIOR BLOGGERS
After careful consideration, I’ve decided to discontinue the Junior Blogger program. There are many factors that went into this decision, but a primary reason is that having a “special status” was creating a dynamic where some girls felt left out and/or bad about themselves — as though they’re not “part of the club”. That’s no fun, and not what GHC is about.

This change is not a reflection of anything the JBs have done. In fact, they’ve done an amazing job keeping us entertained, informed, and inspired while showing support for guest writers. We truly value their contributions, and hope they’ll enjoy what the future holds.

PUBLISHING
Blog activities will shift from regular publishing of stories, poetry, blogs, and artwork to periodic events focused on a theme. For example, over the summer our big event was the 2009 Fiction Competition. In March we’ll host another event — the first ever March for Wild Horses to give back to the animals who inspire our work (like this poem by Julia). Stay tuned for details to come.

Generally, events will include an open submission period, and the submission guidelines will apply along with anything specific to the event.

COMMENTS
Moving forward, comments will open during special events on the stories, poems, and blogs that are part of the event. The Ground Rules still apply.

I know change isn’t always fun, but the intent is to keep GHC fun for everyone and keep sponsoring events centered around our common love for horses. I hope you’ll stick around as the future unfolds.

If you have questions not addressed here, please use the email link below. I’ll keep this post updated with answers to frequently asked questions while gearing up for the next event.

Thanks for reading!

Sincerely,

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What happened to the Junior Blogger’s category? It’s been moved off the top menu, but is still available under the BLOG CHANNELS to your right in the side bar. In the coming weeks everything will be moved to the Junior Blogger archives.

Will GHC still have Junior Editors? Yes. Behind-the-scenes help will always be needed when we host special events. If you’re interested in being considered as a JE in the future, demonstrate your editorial skills by self-editing your comments and anything you submit during events.

Can you tell us anything about when submissions will open? Yes. As the main activity during March for Wild Horses, the tentative plan is to open submissions later this month for a new Int*l Horse — a mustang character who represents the story of many horses who are taken off US public lands and held until they’re adopted (or worse). In this case, the horse’s story would be relatively happy (being adopted for the GHC stables), but there’s plenty of opportunity for conflict leading up to that.

The submission guidelines will encourage writers to research what’s happening now, then create a fictional character based on fact. More details to come, but hopefully that’s enough to get your research fingers Googling and your creative brain cells sparking. (Hint: The links under “TAKE A STAND” on the right are a good place for information from organizations advocating for wild horses.)

(Last updated February 2, 2010)

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I’m very excited to announce the GRAND RE-OPENING of the Girls Horse Club Stables!

The stables are one of the original features created when we launched back in 2001 (read more about our early days in the GHC history blogs). When GHC was hacked back in December 2008, it was like we experienced a barn fire that, in a matter of minutes, destroyed what took many years to build. Unfortunately we lost the stables, the Loft Book Club, and the Perfect Horse activity.

Fortunately no virtual horses or horse stories were harmed, they were simply relocated until I was able to start rebuilding. During the winter break I’ve had time to begin that process. Please stroll below for a visual overview of what you’ll find in the stables and answers to some frequently asked questions, then canter over to meet the horses. Don’t forget to bring some virtual carrots!

Sincerely,

WHAT TO DO IN THE STABLES

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What are the stables and who are the Int*l Horses? The stables are an area of GHC that features fictional horse characters created by horse girls. We call them Int*l (international) Horses because horses (and horse-loving girls) are all over the world, and through their stories you’ll read about interesting horses, people, and cultures.

Are the horse in the stables real? Technically? No. Destiny, Shahar, and the other horses are virtual horses — figments of our imagination. If you’re a girl who loves horses, you’ve imagined the perfect horse. Maybe you’re lucky enough to have the perfect horse in your life. In either case, our fictional horses represent the perfect horses around the world.

Are the stables similar to a virtual horse game? Not really. Most of the activities at GHC center around reading and writing about horses. You can read each horse’s story, get to know a bit about their history, and let your imagination take flight from there. If you’re looking for a virtual horse game that allows you to feed, groom, exercise, ride, etc., there are plenty of good ones on the web.

Can I make an Int*l Horse for the stables? Maybe one day. GHC has sponsored and hosted two Int*l Horse competitions (read about them here and here). We may have another competition in the future, and if we do you’ll learn about it here on the blog.

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If you’ve been around GHC for more than a year, you may recall the Loft Book Club, an area of the site that housed a HUGE library of fiction and poetry written by and for horse girls. In addition to accepting submissions, then editing and publishing the best for GHC readers, each month we hosted a loft competition where readers voted for their favorites and the winners where showcased throughout the following month.

Although the features housed in the Loft Book Club were lost when GHC suffered a virtual barn fire last year, most of the content was preserved in an archive. I thought it would be fun to sift through those archives, dust off some of your favorites, and share them for new and not-so-new readers to enjoy. So head over to the Loft Book Club Favorites and get lost in a good horse tale…

Thanks for reading!

Sincerely,

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Sometimes when I’m stuck and need some inspiration, I’ll find an interesting image, imagine a story taking place in that scene, and write about it. It’s a good exercise to get the creative juices flowing.

What’s the story in this scene?

This photo titled An Evening Stroll Around the Cabin is from one of my favorite photographers, Trey Ratcliff, aka Stuck in Customs. He also took the photo that was adapted for the GHC home page. Trey uses a photo technique called HDR that results in stunning detail and colors. He’s very generous to make his work available under a creative commons license, which means it can be used in a non-commercial context with credit given to the photographer. Thank you for the inspiration Trey!

Photo Source: Stuck in Customs @ Flickr.com

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While GHC is on a break, I hope you’ll have fun interacting with horses and horse girls in the real world. But on those days when it’s not possible to get out, or you’d like to get out but don’t know what to do, here are some ideas (in no particular order) to help you…

GIVE. In 2007 and 2008 GHC hosted Giving Season. Why not carry our spirit forward and organize your own event for giving season? Develop a plan to corral your real world friends and family around a cause (horsey or not) that’s important to you, then act on it!

BLOG. There are many sites that allow you to create a free blog, so why not start a blog of your own? These days most aspiring and published authors have a blog. In fact, some published authors (like GHC Fiction Competition judge Jessica Burkhart) were discovered through their blog.

My favorite site for creating a free blog is Wordpress.com. It’s easy to learn, and there’s great documentation and support in the Wordpress community. You must be 13 or older to register at Wordpress.com (that’s true for most blogging sites — I don’t know of any for age 12 and younger).

Remember, safety first! Before you consider starting a blog, discuss it with your parents and get their support.

VOLUNTEER. If you don’t have a horse of your own or don’t take lessons — or even if you do and you want to do something meaningful for those less fortunate — why not be a volunteer? There are therapeutic riding centers and horse rescue farms everywhere. Here are some resources to help you get started:

• North American Riding for the Handicapped (NAHRA): Learn about this wonderful non-profit association and search for a center in your area that may need help.
• Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (EAGALA): Another great non-profit organization with centers throughout the U.S.
• Find a Horse Rescue in Your Area. Do an online search like ‘horse rescue (name of your city and/or county)’.

PLAY. There are many online horse games, and most are free or have a free mode. Some of the best and most popular are Bella Sara, Howrse, Horseland, and My Horse Club. For a comprehensive list of online horse games, read Online Horse Games at The Equinest.

CREATE. Here are some of my (and your) favorite online tools to help you create books, artwork, and more:

• Blurb: Why wait to get published when you can do it yourself? Blurb is a free tool for creating your own book. You’ll need to download and install software on your computer so check with an adult first. It’s free to create a book, but if you want to order a hardcopy you’ll have to pay $$.
• Picnik: Some of you are already familiar with this free tool for editing photos and creating photo illustrations. With all the images you create, you can even start your own art blog (see above)!
• One True Media: Upload your photos, artwork, and video then mix with sound, music, and special effects to create your own movie!

PUBLISH. Many of you have aspirations to see your work published beyond Girls Horse Club. What’s holding you back from pursuing that goal? Start by doing some research into publications that might be suited to your style and interests. The Children’s Writers & Illustrators Market is a great resource to get you started. If you can’t  purchase the book, try finding it at your local library.

Here are some publications that may be suited to your work:

• Discovery Girls is a magazine about and featuring preteen and young teen girls. Do your research into the content they publish, and if you fell it’s suited to your talent and interests then click here for info about how to contribute.
• Try contacting the editor at Young Rider magazine to inquire about their submission policy.
• Here’s a great list of more publications that accept work from young writers.

HAVE FUN HORSING AROUND!

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As we approach the Girls Horse Club hiatus, I find myself musing about lessons learned from horses…

If you’ve been riding and/or training for a while, you’ve probably experienced ebbs and flows in your progress. There are times when you’re moving forward in a steady flow, completely in sync with your horse. There are other times when you’re just plain stuck, and you feel your frustration building. Not a good thing for the partnership with your horse…

When I’ve experienced feeling stuck during a lesson or training session, I like to end on a positive note by giving my horse a leisurely groom, plenty of love, and a bucket of healthful grain before turning her out to graze and roll and frolic. Sometimes I’m back within a few days to try again, but other times my instincts tell me a longer break is needed to reflect on what’s holding us back, and whether to focus on getting beyond the barrier or taking a different approach.

With most lessons learned from horses, there’s also a valuable lesson for other areas of life. It’s these lessons that inspired Girls Horse Club more than ten years ago, and continue to guide me in all I do here.

I know I’m speaking in metaphors, but also know horse girls will understand why I share these thoughts as we’re about to go quiet, with just the sounds of horses and other critters scurrying about this virtual barn.

With all this philosophizing and reflecting, I can’t possibly kick up my hooves and gallop off without expressing thanks for the gift of horses and all they do to inform and inspire our growth — not to mention the FUN we have together! As so many of you point out in your writing, what would we do without these amazing creatures in our world? Let’s make sure we never have to answer that question. And let’s never forget our gratitude for the gift of horses.

And horse girls? I have a strong belief that you’re capable of anything you set your heart and mind to. You’re talented, intelligent, insightful, kind, generous, courageous, strong… I could go on, but you get the picture. I’m thankful for all the amazing young and not-so-young horse girls who have touched my life.

I hope you’ll graze and roll and frolic in your real world lives, and for some of you I suspect the break will lead you to a new challenge (ideally one that includes horses). I know that’s where I’m headed…

Until our trails cross again, keep reading, keep writing, and keep horsing around!

Sincerely,

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This is the back of my car all loaded with prize packages for the 2009 Fiction Competition winners. (Plus my helmet and paddock boots, of course — gotta be ready to ride wherever I go!)

Because the autographed copies of Black Beauty were delayed arriving from the publisher, it took a bit longer than expected to assemble everything. Fortunately I happened to have a trip east planned right as the books arrived at the author’s home, so I was able to get them autographed for each winner then transport them back across the country to join the other great prizes in one big fat package of awesome goodies. Winners can expect their package to arrive by early next week. ENJOY!

Thank you again to all who supported the competition. If you’re shopping for gifts during the holiday season (or making a wish list for yourself), please consider something from one of our generous prize donors.

Here are a couple of photos from my trip east…

Author and GHC Competition Judge Sharon Lerner and Her Boy Coda

The Cutest Barn Kitten Ever

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Inspired by nature’s endings and beginnings, GHC has its own ebb and flow. Please read below for news about the changing seasons at GHC.

Sincerely,

NOVEMBER SUBMISSIONS. In case you missed it in the News Nickers, please note that November general submission dates have changed. Guest writers can begin submitting blogs, fiction, and poetry this Sunday the 1st. The submission form will close the following Sunday, November 8th.

FICTION COMPETITION UPDATE. It’s taken a bit longer than expected to get all the prizes from our generous donors, but this past week I traveled to the other side of the country and personally picked up the last prizes — six copies of Black Beauty autographed by author and horse girl Sharon Lerner (and lucky me, I also got to spend several days riding with Sharon and her horse Coda in the colorful Connecticut countryside). So this weekend I’ll get everything boxed up and ready to ship. Winners, thank you for being so patient.

NOVEMBER INTERACTIVE VIEW. From November 9th through the 13th, we’re very fortunate to host author Alison Hart, who will be hanging around our virtual barn to answer your questions about horses and writing. If you’re not familiar with the format our our Interactive Views, click here to see what we’ve done previously. Special thanks to guest contributor Jonannah for initiating this event!

BEYOND NOVEMBER. When I decided to take on the 2009 Fiction Competition, I made myself a promise that once the competition ended I’d take some time off to gain perspective, clean house, and revisit priorities. We have some fun activities planned this month, but come December GHC will be winding down for a break. During the hiatus you can expect all comments and submissions will be closed. That’s all I can tell you right now, but as details are solidified I’ll let you know.

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