The Horse Knows

If adults could access what they know in their hearts and instincts to be true, faster than what they’ve decided to be true in their heads, I think we’d have more to show for ourselves. While scientists are postulating, arguing and scratching their heads over the earth and our survival on it, I’m wondering if our pride in the very thing that “sets us apart from the animals” became our downfall. When we came to the fork in the attitude road over “taking dominion” or “becoming stewards,” we took the wrong trail. It’s hard to learn from something we assume dominion over.

The thinking portion of a horse’s brain is about the size of a large walnut and his reactive prey instincts are renown. Many people stop right there in their assessment of horses. Others respond to horses’ huge hearts (8.5 pounds to Secretariat’s 22 pounds), a phrase often used to describe their willingness in partnership, their honed instincts and their uncanny intuitions. They notice how horses have incredible memories yet remain fully present. And they learn to respect that horses will respond or react to the mood, energy, mindset and agenda people bring, whether intentionally or not. This is the gift horses provide: the fastest way to train humans to learn patience, recognize true partnership and create a bond and trust through authenticity and an open heart. Learning it on one’s own from a 1,000 pound animal is not for the faint of heart. It can be intimidating, challenging, confounding and frustrating. And sadly, some horse owners prefer exercising dominion over accepting the gift. Eventually horses will stop offering and the light and depth will go out of their eyes. That’s how it’s been for centuries.

Fortunately, within the last few years, there’s been a growing number of people–experienced in this connection–now partnering with horses to provide the safest way for others to experience it.

Between “equine assisted learning” and “equine facilitated learning” Google shows 70,200 results representing every benefit of this experience from corporate coaching to therapeutic physical, mental, and emotional growth. The process is fascinating regardless of the angle from which you approach it, and this site exists to provide the virtual spiritual ranch from which to go riding down those experiential trails.

We’ve got your childhood dream horse right here in our stables, and we’d really like you to come back often and ride those trails with us.

Michelle & Dodger