Mindful Horsemanship with Jennuine Horse

From across the indoor I sat on the fence and watched as they walked a diagonal line to the mounting block. Like most horses who came to the indoor for the first time, her horse was distracted by the 900lb hay bales that were stacked twenty feet high immediately upon entering. The horse reached out to grab a bite as they walked by. The lesson had not started yet, she was here but mentally she was somewhere else. I watched while they strolled across the freshly dragged arena footing. Her steps were deliberate, right on track and held a rhythm yet, her mind was fussing with something else, with her eyes focused down at her hands.

Her horse trailed behind her connected to the rein she had draped through the crook of her elbow. As she approached the mounting block we exchanged hello, how are you’s. She was a loyal client for the barn, had great horsemanship, always asked the right questions and attended clinics. I had been wondering why she agreed to a lesson with me. I had worked for this barn for about 2 years and was barely into my 20s. Frankly, I am not even sure how she ended up here with me, maybe no one else was available. Surely there was someone much more suitable then I, someone with more to offer. I desperately tried to not come off as intimidated or nervous so I had brought patterns/exercises with me and figured I would give them a creative cardio lesson, if nothing else.

As they got to the mounting block I couldn’t help but notice their tracks across the arena. Hers were straight, evenly spaced and full of intention. The horses tracks weaved in and out of hers like a snake traveling up stream. Though, the horse never once pulled on her rein that was so casually draped over her arm, the horse was completely lost. Its mind was on the hay, out the window overlooking the foggy cow pasture, through the big gate at the top of the arena, the horse was smelling the air looking for other horses near by. They were both here, with me in the arena, but we were not together.

(Photo featuring my stepson who gave it a good cowboy try but decided horses are not for him. I imagine this is what I looked like sitting on the fence watching them)

I don’t say a word as she walked him up to the mounting block and prepared to mount. The horse struggled to stand quietly. She tried to correct the horse but the horse was worried. He looked over his shoulders so she shortened her reins. The horse stopped his feet but started to chew the bit. He would tip forward any time she attempted to step in the stirrup. She paused and looked at me and expressed that she did not like the way the horse felt when she standing on the mounting block. She went on to say that once she is on the horse, the horses uncomfortable and worried feelings go away. Meanwhile the horse anxiously chewed on the bit.

I took a quick moment to check her tack and equipment and looked up at her and said, “He’s been worried from the moment you walked into this arena. It didn't start here." I said that as I pointed to their tracks across the arena. It was apparent that the horse was not with her while they had walked, why would that change when she went to mount?

The horses mind was never taken into consideration until she attempted to get on. “The horse didn’t just start to get bothered when you attempted to mount. The horse had been bothered from the moment you had stepped into the arena.” It was cold enough that I watched her breath be taken as she looked down at me stunned.

  She then stood on the mounting block while we talked about how to be more aware and waited for the horse to soften its body, quiet its mouth and we proceeded to the lesson. What was the solution? We waited, we acknowledged and began to soften. She acknowledged that she was distracted and had barely thought about her horse upon finishing saddling.

There is this notion that as long as the horse is quiet, doesn’t push and doesn’t pull then they are content. There is so much more to the horse than that. The ability to be in the present moment and so in tune with surroundings is something most people can learn from a horse. A still horse is not always a comfortable horse and a horse can’t be comfortable if it is being constrained to be still.

I hadn’t thought much else about that discussion until she had approached me sometime later. She expressed that her lesson with me was revolutionary. That it has changed the rides she had with her horses from that moment forward. She was more attentive, present and her horse was better for it.

I have taught many lessons and I probably would have never remembered that particular one if she had not expressed the impact it had on her. Selfishly I love that I made her be better for her horse. There are a few seemingly small things that can change the way you think about horses and when I see someone suddenly see the change, better yet, understand the 'why' to the change it is the most rewarding feeling.

I am limited to being just one of me but if I can help others change their perspectives through growing their horsemanship I can have a bigger impact on the equine community. RHR is happy to announce that Emotional Horsemanship will be coming to Cave Creek in 2025! So, if you've enjoyed this writing check out Lockie's work with Emotional Horsemanship.