Sage Advice from an Equine Friend
A wise horse relayed this message a while ago. A good friend was trying to follow the steps of a new technique she had read about to accomplish a task with her horse. It wasn’t working as she had hoped. In fact, it was not working at all. Through her frustration she heard her gelding say, “Screw the book and listen to me!” As my friend relayed the story to me, the gelding’s message resonated all the way to my core.
I was focusing on learning new bodywork techniques, reading, following the book, going down internet rabbit holes about asymmetry in horses, ways to help horses physically, energetic body work techniques, anatomy, connecting with horses, anything, and everything. The internet is rich with new theories or idess to help horses and our connection to them. I was fascinated but quickly becoming overwhelmed and dismayed.
Much of what I read focused on what was wrong, what deviated from the “norm.” Things seemed overanalyzed and over complicated. If a horse does not fit the picture of perfect conformation, behavior, and movement, they need to be fixed. All of the focus on what might be wrong with horses and little about what might be right left me feeling frustrated and sad.
The gelding’s words keep coming back to me – “Screw the book and listen to me!” I began to wonder – Is anyone truly listening to the horses? Is the fact that horses are sentient beings who respond to our words and energy being ignored? Do people realize how their words and perceptions affect the horse? Do they not believe that horses should have a say in things that affect them? Does the horse’s perspective have no value?
While we should be good guardians and advocates for our horses, we also need to recognize that perfection is in the eye of the beholder. Not everything that deviates from someone’s concept of normal is a problem. All horses, like humans, have their issues, their quirks, likes, and dislikes. It doesn’t always mean they need to be “fixed”. Sometimes it just is what it is, and the horse is ok with that. How do we know our horses are ok with something? We ask, of course, and listen to what they have to say!
I feel we should listen to our horses, not just when we are stumped about something, but in every aspect of our care for them. We should step back and ask them how they feel, how a physical issue affects them, their thoughts on what will best help them, how they feel about their work…the list goes on. Simply listening and acknowledging the horse’s feelings fosters trust and connection. Isn’t that what we all want? Sometimes we already know the answer and sometimes they surprise us.
Don’t rely on books, social media, and self-proclaimed experts to guide your thoughts and interactions with your horse. Find a good vet, trainer, and body worker who put the horse first. Learn everything you can from reliable sources. But, first, foremost, and always…LISTEN TO YOUR HORSE!
An animal communication session can help you understand your horse’s perspective on any aspect of their life, including how they feel in their body, what they need, their thoughts about their work and their relationship with you. Schedule your session at https://3cedarsreiki.com/schedule-a-session/ Or, if you are local to the Midlands of South Carolina and would like an in person session, contact me.
If you want to take it a step further and reawaken your innate ability to connect telepathically with animals, contact me about animal communication classes and mentorships.
Let’s all screw the book and listen to our horses more in 2025!
Laura