Southern Indiana Living - Jan / Feb 2021

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22 • Jan/Feb 2021 • Southern Indiana Living Local Author Following Your Dreams Janet Wolanin Alexander New Albany horse owner shares tips in book Story by Julie Engelhardt Photo by Letha Cupp We all have dreams, hopes and aspirations — whether they have to do with careers, relationships or personal goals — but we often have to let them pass by due to circumstances that get in the way. We may not have the time to pursue them or be in the right place to make them happen, meaning we might have to wait until later in life for them to occur. Such is the case of former science teacher and nature enthusiast Janet Wolanin Alexander, who lives in New Albany. She is the author of the book “At Home on a Horse in the Woods: A Journey into Living Your Ultimate Dream,” an inspiring collection of essays and poems. The book gives the reader insight into her quest to become a full-time horse owner, how she accomplished that goal in her 40s, her deep connection with her four-legged companions, and her personal and spiritual growth along the trail. While this book connects deeply with horse owners and equestrian enthusiasts, it is also for those who are searching for ways to attain their goals and follow their dreams, regardless of age or circumstance. Alexander, who’s now 68, has had a deep fascination with horses ever since she was a child. She grew up in the city, near Cleveland, Ohio, but never lived in close proximity to stables. “My parents weren’t horse people themselves and didn’t quite relate to or understand the whole thing,” she explained. “They probably thought it was a typical girl fancy, a passing stage that would go away when puberty and boys came along, but it never did.” In chapter 51 of her book, titled “A Range Horse,” Alexander ruminates on where her love for horses stemmed from. She writes, “Perhaps part of my horse craziness can be attributed to growing up in the 1950s and ’60s, when Westerns abounded on television.” She cites shows that were popular during that time period, which include “Big Valley,” “Cheyenne,” “Bonanza,” “Death Valley Days,” “Gunsmoke,” “The Lone Ranger,” “Maverick” and “The Rifleman.” These were shows where horses were as prominent as the human players. “I just fell in love with watching the horses,” Alexander said. “I had such a fascination with them.” Alexander’s love for horses increased when she was able to finally go on rides through her involvement
with area youth groups, like Campfire Girls, and local church organizations. “We’d go on field trips, and I enjoyed the outings where we got to ride horses,” she said. Also, near Cleveland, there was a stable where they could rent a horse for an hour and take guided rides. Her father also knew a professor through Case Western Reserve University who had opened a summer camp, which included riding. When she was old enough to drive, Alexander began leasing a horse and would head out to go on rides. “I’d take any opportunity I could get to go riding.” After high school, Alexander enrolled in the University of Dayton, where she majored in education with an emphasis in biology and English. She began teaching, and it was during this time that she was able to become seriously involved with horses. She began providing evening care for an Appaloosa gelding named Geronimo, and along with that, she was granted riding privileges. Eventually, Geronimo was for sale, so Alexander bought him. She began taking dressage lessons with Geronimo, and they began going on trail rides, which is an activity Alexander greatly enjoys to this day. When she was in her later 20s, Alexander decided that she wanted to return to college to earn her master’s degree. In order to pay for her schooling, she had to take out student loans, but she also reluctantly sold Geronimo. In chapter 49, “My Worst Nightmare,” Alexander tells of her agony over selling the horse, something she thinks about to this day. When Alexander was in her early 40s, she met and married her husband, who was also an educator. She and her husband had different religious backgrounds, so in order to have a better understanding of his faith, she enrolled in a class at his church. One of the assignments she received was to schedule a private The book gives the reader insight into her quest to become a full-time horse owner, how she accomplished that goal in her 40s, her deep connection with her four-legged companions, and her personal and spiritual growth along the trail. meeting with a minister, a woman named Reverend Judy. Judy invited Alexander to discuss anything she wanted. “I had no idea what I was going to talk about,” Alexander explained. She eventually opened up to Judy about her passion, her burning desire to have a horse, and how she felt tortured when she drove past horse farms or saw owners in their riding garb. Alexander also expressed how angry she was at God. Right there, in front of Judy, Alexander said she “put God on notice.” In her book she writes, “I informed the big bully that I was no longer going to play the enabling victim in this game because I no longer wanted a horse. ‘So there,’ I told God, ‘you can’t hurt me any longer.’” Expecting that she would receive a dressing down from Judy, Alexander went on to tell how the next unexpected moment changed her life. “She wasn’t flustered or angry, and warmly looked at me and said, ‘Jan, don’t you get it? Who do you think put your love of horses into your being? It’s not going to go away, until you fully open your heart and accept it.’” Alexander said that she was floored by this response to her outburst. “It was just so — this idea was so different than I had expected, and so pleasant,” she admitted. “I felt like the room was spinning and overwhelming, and I immediately accepted it. What’s wrong with being happy? If you’re happy, then you can be a better servant.” This was the turning point that Alexander needed, and after talking openly about it with her husband, the opportunities to work with horses, leading to eventual long-term horse ownership, began to take place. Through various personal connections and friends, she was offered the chance to ride and exercise a horse named Dancer’s Streak, a registered Arabian who was a 5,000-mile endurance champion who had entered 100 endurance rides, including 13 oneday 100-milers. Through Dancer’s owners, Alexander met others who gave her the opportunity to ride their horses, eventually meeting the horse that she’s now owned for 20 years, Highlander, a Tennessee Walker- Arabian mix. “He has great breeding and he’s a good trail horse,” she said. “A trail horse is the best of all horses because basically, they have to do everything a horse has to do in the ring. In nature, they’re performing similar activities. They have to be aware of so many different things we might encounter — wild turkeys, horse traffic, bicycles, people on four-wheelers, an errant truck that gets lost, backpackers, thunderstorms — you name it.” For many years, Alexander was under the impression that she had to be quite wealthy to own a horse, but soon realized that her dream was attainable. “Horses are still an expense, but we moved to Indiana because it’s less expensive, housing is less expensive and horse keeping is less expensive,” she said. “I don’t take lessons, so I don’t have that expense, I only have one horse, I don’t compete in any discipline, so I don’t have entry fees for shows or fancy costumes for me or my horse, I don’t own a truck and I don’t own a trailer, and I board at a stable next to 80 to 100 miles of trails.” And even though it took her 20 years to realize that dream of fulltime horse ownership, Alexander made it happen. She found her home on the back of her horse. In the latter part of Alexander’s book, after sharing her stories and experiences that led her to horse ownership, she includes appendices to help guide the reader. The first includes safety riding tips, such as riding with someone if you can, items to carry while you’re on your ride, wearing a helmet and how to practice good trail etiquette. The second appendix is titled “Self-Study Discussion Questions.” In this chapter, readers will find 14 questions that will help them work through discovering how they can meet their goals. Her book gives readers an insight as to how they, too, can find their personal “home,” no matter what it is or where it may be. • Alexander’s book is available on Amazon at amazon.com/At-Home-Horse-Woods- Ultimate/dp/1640857850. Southern Indiana Living • Jan/Feb 2021 • 23
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