I continue to come back to this understanding of horsemanship, equitation, riding, etc. Whatever you want to call our relationship with the horse, it is superficial. There is something much deeper than simple maneuvering the horse from point A to point B.
Horsemanship is often based on a failing foundation of conditional love.
Fortunately and unfortunately, we recognize our relationship with the horse only on the same level with which we recognize the rest of our interactions and connections in the world. What this means is that whatever we are dealing with in our day to day lives will also show up in our interactions with the horse. The horse is an excellent mirror for us. Only occasionally are we able to see this mirror however, only rarely do we get a glimpse of something much grander.
It is easy for me to see how horses can be a vehicle of meditation for riders, if only we were able to realize just such an option. Usually we get stuck on the little things of no importance, we fight with the horse over imagined disagreements. We do all the things with our horse that we do with other people. We forget about being loving and find ourselves stuck in the rut of having to be right, of wanting to take, take, take, all that the horse is willing to give, while refusing to give freely back to the horse; or doing so only on condition.
I invite you to join me this Sunday, February 1, at noon (cst) during my first Live Online Radio Broadcast! I will be talking more about our relationship with the horse, there will be opportunities for listeners to call in or email any questions they might have, and more!
Link : AIR Radio Channel
Join Erica K. Frei February 1st before the Super Bowl for her live online radio broadcast about our relationship with horses!