A stunning late fall afternoon. 9 year old has a riding
lesson. I decide to ride Java and grab a halter. The 3 boys in with him decide
to get rambunctious and everyone bolts from me like I am the boogeyman as soon
as I enter the paddock. Dammit. Horses run, stop, eye me suspiciously like they
have never seen me before, run again. I pause, try to approach again, then make
them run more (= work) when they turn their butts to me disrespectfully. Double
dammit. Ionlyhaveanhourtorideandneedtocatchmyhorse. The sound of pounding hooves stomps out any plan I may have had in mind.
lesson. I decide to ride Java and grab a halter. The 3 boys in with him decide
to get rambunctious and everyone bolts from me like I am the boogeyman as soon
as I enter the paddock. Dammit. Horses run, stop, eye me suspiciously like they
have never seen me before, run again. I pause, try to approach again, then make
them run more (= work) when they turn their butts to me disrespectfully. Double
dammit. Ionlyhaveanhourtorideandneedtocatchmyhorse. The sound of pounding hooves stomps out any plan I may have had in mind.
Stop. Breathe. Make myself less predator-like. Scan my body,
breathe out tension. Soften. Java and the horse he is shielding himself behind
are breathing heavily, in and out, in and out. I do the same, but in a calmer
manner. I keep my eyes down and walk towards them slowly. Nobody moves. There
is that moment I so want to act like a predator to speed things up, to throw
the halter around his neck in one fast sweeping movement. I resist that
temptation and talk softly to both horses. Horse breath, in and out, in and out.
It feels like slow motion as I gently halter my horse. He breathes. I breathe.
We walk together. Game over.
breathe out tension. Soften. Java and the horse he is shielding himself behind
are breathing heavily, in and out, in and out. I do the same, but in a calmer
manner. I keep my eyes down and walk towards them slowly. Nobody moves. There
is that moment I so want to act like a predator to speed things up, to throw
the halter around his neck in one fast sweeping movement. I resist that
temptation and talk softly to both horses. Horse breath, in and out, in and out.
It feels like slow motion as I gently halter my horse. He breathes. I breathe.
We walk together. Game over.
You know that feeling when you are rushing to get to a yoga class on time? It’s almost comical how stressed we can get
going to YOGA. We arrive in a frenzy and hurl our mats down, omg I have
to go to the bathroom before class starts, where is my water bottle did I leave
it in the car. Inevitably this frenzied state spills over into the first part
of class – we breathe too fast as we attempt to center and transition into yoga
mode, we race through the first few sun salutations. Then, something
clicks and we remember why we are on our mat.
going to YOGA. We arrive in a frenzy and hurl our mats down, omg I have
to go to the bathroom before class starts, where is my water bottle did I leave
it in the car. Inevitably this frenzied state spills over into the first part
of class – we breathe too fast as we attempt to center and transition into yoga
mode, we race through the first few sun salutations. Then, something
clicks and we remember why we are on our mat.
Why do I spend time with horses? Not just to ride them, but to learn from them. To be reminded to run, to breathe, to live in the moment. Yoga and horses – similar lessons. I am so grateful for both.
Namaste.
Photo of Java by 2014 Cowgirl Yogatographer Jana