The big ‘Y’

Why have horses?

It’s a question which has been popping up for a while now through my own genuine curiosity on the matter.

Without a specific purpose like a sanctuary / hospital / rescue centre / riding school / discipline etc and if you have horses who you don’t ride then why have them? It ‘s a brutal question to ask as most of us feel an inexplicable connection, love and loyalty towards the horses in our lives so when asked, the question itself doesn’t seem to have any context. Often the big ‘WHY’ comes up after a serious accident or a trauma which brings everything into stark contrast. However what if we closely evaluated ourselves in general? Why go through all the effort, energy, focus and money etc to make sure our horses are as well kept as possible, as balanced as possible and as provided for as possible. For some of you the answer(s) will be very obvious I am sure for others though, I wonder where on your journey you may have looked at this in the past or present?

I never questioned this point until recently when I began writing my book, which is filled with messages from the herd (taken from years of notebook sessions). Writing the book means I have stopped sitting with them to gather the content so that purpose has in essence been taken away. As I was so used to making this part of my daily routine with them I suddenly found myself at what felt like a purpose-less dead end! Which lead me to wonder, for the thousands of other women out there who also have non-ridden herds: What purpose do they receive out of being with them? Of course their purpose can simply be being with them! Which is more than enough, but being aware of that within us is what counts so that we can capitalise on the authenticity of it. There are a lot of actions we take in life which have an unconscious motive behind them, perfectly valid actions, just unconscious. This type of motivation means we are potentially only acting in our best interest. How about we bring those unconscious needs / desires to the surface and get really HONEST about why we choose to have horses in our lives in the first place.

It’s easy to flow through life without questioning things however the more we awaken, the depth of matters in our lives come through lines of enquiry. Here are some reasons why asking yourself the ‘why’ question can be helpful:

• Re-evaluation is important; in all areas of life.
• Clearly understanding who you are TO your horse and who your horse is TO YOU can enhance what you DO together in the future.
• As humans we are constantly changing and can often act out of self ONLY serving motives. Therefore to make sure we have horses FOR THE HORSE AS WELL I feel is a very important part of this.
• Our horses deserve as much love as possible, as much love as we do, so getting clear on how we can deliver that care / love  in a mutually beneficial way is a stem for great growth.
• Personal awareness & commitment is everything when it comes to excellent equine care & connection.

Over the last few days I have gone deep with this topic, following a thread within me which was searching for clarity on how I can become more conscious of my relationship with Horses in general not just my own. All of this speculation has lead me to these answers.

I wanted to be as honest as possible.

– I feel a sense of connection which I do not find anywhere else in my life. A uniquely powerful bond.

– I believe in the importance of creating freedom for other beings who may have (had) that freedom taken away.

– I get chills every time I see them, an excitement which comes from the Soul.

– Their individuality is important to me & I feel responsible for providing a space for them to cultivate that (as they are domesticated not wild)

– Touching them & working with them elicits peace.

– Habit, I have been with horses my entire life – they have become my additional heart beats.

– I learn A LOT about myself through our daily interactions, mediations, healing sessions, writing sessions, music sessions etc. This in turn helps me grow as an individual.

– They fill spaces in my life which need filling – emotional, mental and physical

– My life is genuinely enhanced in every way by their presence.

– They have helped me stay grounded & rooted in one place (something I find very hard)

– Their perspective offers me freedom.

Whether you feel pulled to ask yourself these types of questions or you already have a solid clear cut bunch of answers – the root of this conversation is to enhance our awareness of self as WE are with our horses everyday and by doing this inner work (if necessary) they get to be on the receiving end of authenticity and a different type of courage.