Jill and her Painted Hat Mare
Heather Miller
What is a Medicine Hat Mare?
Friend, Jill Vaughan, recently posted a picture of herself riding her Medicine Hat mare, Pip (PF Peaches ‘n Cream). The “Medicine Hat’s” body is primarily white with a colored patch or patches on the top of his head, giving the animal a unique appearance, like wearing a headdress or bonnet.
“Native American legends say that Medicine Hat horses were believed to have the magical ability to protect their riders from injury and death in battle. Additionally, they were said to warn their riders of danger. Other tribes tried to steal these horses in hopes of getting their good luck” (Fought).
For this reason, warriors closely guarded them. “Medicine Hat horses can have other markings like a ‘shield’ on their chest. Those with one or two blue eyes [like Pip] were prized even more!” (Fought).
Jill has owned and trained with Pip since the horse was three years old, now thirteen. Pip is beautiful, with a white face, brown coming up above her two startling blue eyes.
The How and the Why
The picture above is of Jill and Pip competing in horseback archery.
Impressed by her skill, focus, and evident love for her mare, I immediately contacted her. It is impressive to see someone who has found their “Why,” their balance in life. She had not only done so but also found her “How.” Joy emanated from her face, mirrored from her blue-eyed, painted mare.
I gained far more, listening to how this sport has rewarded her life through friendships and physical and mental focus.
Jill remarked, “A majority of people who compete travel through the course shooting on one side. I have to start at the end of the course due to being a left-handed shooter.”
Pip is recovering from a severe eye injury. Since Pip’s injured eye is her left eye, Jill adjusted her training to help her get comfortable with the sound, arrows, for what is now limited sight.
No matter how Jill and Pip score, they have already crossed the finish line. Sometimes balance comes with anticipating the end before reaching the beginning. Equal competition requires diverse thinking.
Is Pip doing okay?
I’ve watched Pip’s recovery in Jill’s posts on social media. Kicked by another horse, large animal veterinarians performed two surgeries on Pip, including insertion of an IV into the eye along with a catheter, providing direct medication supplied four times each day.
Jill says, “the area behind her eye will never completely close, but so far, no continued issues have arisen.” Pip endured a second surgery to graph over part of the eye, hoping to provide her more vision.
Training is ongoing to help Pip’s acclimation with limited vision.
Jill says, “She has made a remarkable recovery, from us not sure she would survive, to now thriving.”
Balance, Skill, and Talent
Unique to this equestrian sport, riders must shift in their saddles. “Horseback archery requires the rider to move forward and stretch up at the same time, keeping head, shoulders, knees, and toes in line. In the arena, the rider turns with their legs alone. One can’t rely only on reins. It is completely in the rider’s seat and legs, guiding the horse.”
Jill also uses a thumb draw on her traditional recurve longbow without the benefit of a mechanical trigger. Skill comes from drawing an arrow from a quiver or in your hand, nocking the arrow, and letting go simultaneously.
Pip is brilliant, trainable, but very independent-minded as well. Jill says that Pip has a “natural go, comfortable gait, and natural-born curiosity. She loves you, wants to please you, but doesn’t need you.” Hours of training along with sweet rewards of apples and carrots all help ensure Pip’s devotion.
Jill sent me to several YouTube videos to expand my knowledge of the sport and study the required form from experts in shooting like Mihai Cozmei. His precision and skill are fast but measured, a balance of alignment and aim. With precision, Mr. Cozmei aligns his body with his tool, and his muscle memory allows him to focus only on aim (Living Arrow Horseback Archery).
Noel Grayson, Cherokee Treasured Citizen
In research, I discovered Noel Grayson, a Cherokee Treasure in the art of bow and arrow making. His knowledge and skill in the craft captivated me, as well as his philosophy. His interview focused not only on the materials of bear intestines for string and black or yellow locust wood used to craft the longbow but also his quiet reminders about the life purpose of a Cherokee hunter and warrior.
Mr. Grayson remarked, “Whether a person was a hunter or a warrior, they were all warriors. Each member of each of the seven clans is a warrior. They are there for the good of the tribe itself” (Projectimready). When a young boy became of age and had learned the skill and goes hunting, he was “. . . feeding the whole tribe. You are feeding young ones and old ones who cannot feed themselves. When you are a warrior, you are taking care of young ones and old ones who cannot take care of themselves” (Projectimready).
Through Jill and Pip’s example, I had the privilege to appreciate more depth in the art form and Cherokee cultural history behind horseback archery. Whether horseback archers shoot at hay bale targets or game, each shot drives the rider’s mental focus and physical skill.
And the archer said, “Wado.”
Thank You, to the Great Spirit for both.
Centuries ago, the handcrafted bow and arrow taught the hunter to carry a weapon to support the lives of others, the weak and the strong. Lessons taught archers to not only be grateful for the game. Shooting flint arrows taught a lesson of life’s balance through compassion.
If you’d like to follow Pip and his beauty of a rider, Jill, search @pfpeachesncream on Facebook. Jill Vaughan also is a real estate agent in the Eastern Alabama and West Georgia area. Please visit her website at jillvaughanrealestate.com.
Fought, Emily. “The Rare Medicine Hat Horse.” COWGIRL Magazine, Cowgirl Magazine, 30 Dec. 2020, cowgirlmagazine.com/medicine-hat-horse/. Accessed 3 May 2021.
Living Arrow Horseback Archery. “THE CIRCULAR METHOD.” YouTube, 1 July 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=svlCU9XGv4c. Accessed 2 May 2021.
Projectimready. “Noel Grayson.” YouTube, 31 July 2014, www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpbbcoVlHZI. Accessed 2 May 2021.
A Cherokee Treasure
A Spirtual Man: Noel Grayson
Paul Revere and that Other Guy
Heather Miller
“The British are Coming.”
In his non-fiction book, The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell discusses how small cultural hype and trends build relationships and opportunities. He opens with an anecdotal story about silversmith, Paul Revere, tasked with warning the Continentals, “the British were coming.” However, Paul shared the task with another man. His name? No one remembers. Why is that?
Everyone Knows Paul
Gladwell proposes history forgets the other man’s name who shouted the same infamous warning was because no one knew him. Everyone knew Paul. He shoed horses, crafted tableware, and metal goods. Many local citizens bought household trumpery from his shop. They knew Paul to be a sane, good friend, and a businessman. Why would he lie to them? He’d never let them down before. But the other man, who woke families shouting in the middle of the night about the British Navy must have been a raging drunk or a lunatic.
How does this connect to publishing?
Publishing prides itself on trendsetting: Twitter hashtags and pitching events and book blog tours, links to reviews, and podcasts. It would be a shame for an author to finally be “invited to the trending publishing party,” and arrive with nothing to say and without a date, metaphorically speaking. “…it can still be helpful to speak the language of larger literary convention, in order to communicate more broadly about stories and how they’re constructed and what contributes to their impact” (llbarkat, “10 Ways to Be a Totally Epic Literary Citizen”).
Doing so teaches one’s literary and genre community that the new author has done his or her homework and that what the rookie contributes is relevant, like Paul Revere.
Some think that to find a readership one needs a book to sell. Others believe that to build a readership, the author and not the book need to shake hands with potential readers. One component of social media friendships is a commonality within literary communities, not just arbitrary follows.
Being a Good Literary Citizen
Last week, I read a “fictional biography,” of a historical Cherokee leader, Major Ridge (a character in my novel too). I plowed through Oblivion’s Altar in two days. Through Facebook, I reached out to the author, David Marion Wilkinson, and arranged to interview him. My intention was to share a conversation with him regarding a common passion for the Cherokee people and for writing itself.
He and I were on the phone for two hours. Without Facebook, I never could have found him. Now, he has another faithful reader, and I have another branch to support my feet on the tree of publication.
As Jane Friedman says, “Plant the kernel,” and see what grows. Authors need to be well-versed in what E. D. Hirsch (literary critic and author) coined “Cultural Literacy” and understand publishing trends from sites like Publisher’s Lunch. There are many websites like this.
Connections and networking give writers relationships and relevance with friends who arrive at the party just before new authors do and mingle with those who’ve attended for years. “So, while the treasures of history’s literature deepen our literary citizenship, because they connect us to what came before (giving us a sense of belonging to something that transcends us), they can also, if we are writers, give us more to work with than whatever the current trends are serving up.” (llbarkat, “10 Ways to Be a Totally Epic Literary Citizen”).
Fellow Writers, What’s On Your Social Media Feed?
Our craft is our commonality, but without relationships, my social media feed is filled with agent’s wish lists, book covers and blog links, and political rants.
“When we inspire others, we don’t have to rely on compulsion or moralizing. And, if we can’t manage to inspire, it’s a good moment to ask ourselves why.” It’s about relationships as well as relevance. “One proven way to inspire is to demonstrate your own curiosity and delight. Another is to ask beautiful questions.” (llbarkat, “10 Ways to Be a Totally Epic Literary Citizen”).
Merriam Webster defines relevance as, “having a significant and demonstrable bearing on the matter at hand.” It would follow then that remaining relevant with publishing professionals and other writers is to study current, worldwide events in politics and culture and fiction and engage in respectful conversation.
Relevance comes with respect, and one has to offer it regularly to others without expecting anything in return. Building relationships with peers and professionals, speaking from an educated viewpoint, and offering helpful content regularly builds one’s respect and therefore relevance. Then, when new authors shout, they believe us.
“10 Ways to Be a Totally Epic Literary Citizen.” Tweetspeakpoetry.Com, 3 Aug. 2020, www.tweetspeakpoetry.com/2020/08/03/10-ways-to-be-a-totally-epic-literary-citizen/. Accessed 4 Nov. 2020.