Living in the Past

Happy... and I'm smiling... with apologies to Ian Anderson, I find myself reviewing so much of my life with horses and the lessons they have taught.


As a riding instructor, I often quote old instructors from my own past and even more often, tell the tales of horses (also teachers) from my past experiences.

When working in Equine Assisted Psychotherapy, I saw the deep learning that occurred with equine contact and felt it myself, as well. The past might be, at times, a lingering vision of dreams not realized or a small voice drawing one into regret - but it need not be. Just as we choose our focus in the moment, we can choose the things remembered.

I have had riding instructors ask me to dismount and tell me that I had "no idea how to put a horse on the aids". What I chose at that moment was to learn how to do so!

I have had instructors teach me how to breathe properly; how to understand gravity; how to calm and center myself and how to raise my energy and my vibration. These things have served me well beyond the riding - they have kept me safe in bus stations; helped me find strength when I needed it (when loading hay or changing a tire) and allowed me to feel grace and peace most of the time. I draw these positives from my past.

The horses set examples beyond my expectations year after year by being the greatest friends anyone could have. They always have shown me the energy I was projecting by reflecting it honestly back to me. That has been a valuable gift.

When I talk and teach about the "Well of Experiences", those drops that have filled it (both positive and negative) actually are subjective in a way. At least for us as humans - we can choose to learn from every experience and therefore make them positive in their end results.

Your horse's experiences are like drops of water in a vessel. If his well is filled with mostly positive experiences, he will expect positive things in new situations. If his well is filled with negative "drops" - negative experiences, he will expect negative things in new situations. Just as you can over fill a vessel with drops of water, replacing what was held within it; you can also add positive "drops" to your horse's "well" until the negatives have been replaced. Unfortunately, negative experiences are also drops in his well of experiences and even the most positively, lovingly handled horse can be changed by brutality. Be fully aware always of the types of signals you give to your horse.