One thing is for certain in life and that is horses are great teachers. Regardless of age, ability or circumstance, by spending time around horses, you’ll learn many important life lessons. You might even burn some calories!
From learning that understanding, forgiveness and calmness get better results than roaring and punishment. To discovering that the pursuit of mastery is destructive to both parties.
Let’s looks at a few of the many ways horses improve our life.
Horses can help humans develop trust
Horses are willing to follow once they have gained respect and trust in a human. Just like us, horses don’t just trust just anyone, it has to be earnt. And it’s a massive accomplishment if we can earn the trust of a large animal.
For example, if you are in the round pen with a loose horse and the horse willingly approaches you, that is trust. Horses are really great at protecting themselves and if they don’t have trust, they will retreat.
Finding the right balance
When you’re first learning to ride, finding the correct balance takes time and perseverance. However, once you have started to master balance, things flow more smoothly, riding becomes easier, and your horse becomes happier!
Life is quite like this. When you can find right balance in your life between work and play, everything seem to become easier. And your happiness starts to improve!
More aware of non-verbal communication
Many of us do not realize how we display our non-verbal communication, let alone to horses. Horses have the ability to literally “mirror” how we are. If you are in a bad mood, your horse is likely to behave the same.
If you ever wondered, why is the horse turning away from me when I approach? or why does he/she have their ears back, its like he’s ignoring me? Then, it’s because they pick up on our emotional state.
Horses can teach us to relax
Horses are very quick to change from alert to relaxed. On the other hand, humans, get easily upset about something and it can take a while for us to calm down and relax.
For example, a horse reacts to threat quickly, yet returns to grazing within seconds of feeling safe.
If a barking dog on the other side of a fence approaches a horse. The horse runs initially from the threat. It will then, slowly approach the dog to get a better look and to asses if it’s safe. Once sure it returns to eating grass.
Horses teach us to keep good boundaries
When a new horse arrives into a herd, they establishes themself in the pecking order by their ability to hold firm to their boundaries and stand up to others. A horse feels secure when they know where they stands in the pecking order.
This understanding comes by testing boundaries and outsmarting other herd members. When we engage with horses we enter into the herd. And naturally the horse wants to know who will be in charge of the herd of two.
What lessons have horses taught you?
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