Trust A Change of Mind

Sometimes I think that gaining the trust of the horse can be overshadowed by my own interpretation of the horse’s intent. While I am reminded by myself that the horse’s past history doesn’t matter in the larger scheme of things, there are times that changing my own presumptions about it can change everything else. With one mare in particular, I discovered that she is willing to go to any lengths possible, including rearing up and throwing herself at the person handling her. Initially I responded with the thought that she had it in for people. This thought was not working for me, because it only made me feel upset and wanting to avoid handling her. So, I switched gears and changed my thought to one that could serve me better. How would I handle her if this was her learned reaction as a result of being abused? While I do not know anything about her previous history to speak of, this assumption served me much more than my first thought. Why? Because I was able to find compassion and sympathy for her when she felt anxious enough to elicit such a reaction.

Sometimes I need to find conviction in a thought so it not only supports my safety, but it gives room for the horse to become comfortable and confident.