Let Your Horse Slow You Down"

Howdy Folks,

In your busy life let your horse slow you down. They'll do it, if you listen. They have many subtle, and sometimes not so subtle, ways of cutting through the fog of hurry-up-go-mode to help us focus on the moment. To see the world as it can be seen. The glory and beauty of it. The peacefulness and rewards it can offer us, if we slow down and process the moment.

The Coffee Clutch bunch

Our Coffee Clutch family knows I start each day in the barn enjoying the finest brew Folgers decaff has to offer, (I'm a connoisseur of fine coffee blends) and the quiet company of my mare Kessy, as well as Saturday, Tigger and Miss Kitty. It's a time of gentle reflection and absorption of goodness, peace. I watch the birds at the feeders and chicken scratch, listen to Saturday snore, Kitty purr and Kessy munch her hay. I thank God each morning for a beautiful day, sun, rain, wind or snow, they're all beautiful. The anchor of our morning meditation is Kessy. Her spirit welcomes us to live in the moment with no worries or anxieties. 

Sure not everyone has an hour or so to spend just sitting with their horse in the morning. But what if you had ten minutes, sometime each day when you could sit with your horse and slow down your thoughts? Try it, you'll feel the slowing. Your horse will feel it too.

When your horse stops to snare a nibble of grass as you ride along and you ask her to walk on, pause and wait. Many times a horse will happily walk on, after they grab two or three more mouthfuls. But if we yank on the reins, kick and demand, they'll probably still grab those extra mouthfuls, but your teaching her resistance, rather than allowing her to teach you, to slow down, enjoy the moment. So in this case simply ask her to walk on with a kiss or cluck, and perhaps a gentle heel touch, and wait. When she takes that extra bite, she'll raise her head and walk on softly. If she knows she can rely on your patience, you can rely on her harmony.

In fact whenever you ask something of your horse, allow the pause. It's for you, more than the horse. We humans are too often wired to go quickly. Instant results. How many times have you seen and heard friends say, "Whoa, whoa, whoa?" when one "whoa" is all that's really required. Asking once, allowing the pause, then seeing the result will slow you down, and in the long run, shorten the time needed for response. And you'll both be softer, more in the moment. And because you're in the moment, in tune with your horse, you'll see, feel and hear your horse on an all new level. True harmony.

Another great way to allow your horse to teach you to slow down is by doing the little exercises I spoke about here - PRE-RIDE EXERCISES FOR YOUR HORSE

And here- RECONNECTING YOUR HORSE TO HER FEET

While doing any of these exercises for your horse it is very important to pause, allow her to process the information, at the same time you will be too ... and you'll be slowing down.

So if you haven't already, go ahead, let your horse slow you down.

Gitty Up ~ Dutch Henry