Invaluable Pause

When I think of making progress I think of forward momentum and action. When I evaluate my progress with Satin I often feel as if we are not moving fast enough, and sometimes I even feel stuck. I usually get down on myself for being stagnant which often results in a lack of positivity.

Something I have realized recently, partly due to my deepening understanding and practice of yoga and partly due to my expanding savvy from PNH, is that an integral part of progress is pause. Just like yoga is founded on the breath, in and out, deep and allowing, our horsemanship journey needs to breathe. We benefit from a pause -- a full inhale and a deep exhale – to clear our mind. As it relates to PNH, I find it so important to take those moments often to remember how far we have come and all that awaits us. A moment spent playing the friendly game is invaluable. Friendly moments are the foundation of our relationship.

Put your heart in your hand and touch your horse with your heart. – Pat Parelli

Take the time it takes, and it will take less time. – Pat Parelli

Yoga doesn't take time, it gives time.  -Ganga White

Follow the Leader

Horses, by nature, follow a leader. The core reason of their dominance games is to establish hierarchy and test their leadership. Some horses seem to be more gracious leaders than others, and some appear to really have a knack for it. All horses want leadership – but not just from anyone who puts on a hat that says, “Alpha.” Some horses will absolutely put your leadership to the test because they dang sure are not going to follow an inferior leader! They have standards!

I think each horse, depending on many factors, including horsenality, have their own set of standards for who they will follow. 

Satin is, according to her Horsenality Report, a Left-brained Introvert on the cusp of left-brained extrovert. She easily swings across that introvert/extrovert line depending on the situation and environment. My goal is to help her balance mentally, emotionally, and physically. What I have learned, however, is it really has a lot less to do with her balance and a whole lot more to do with my own. 

The Humanality Report, to my surprise, pegs me a right-brain introvert. After pouring through the details (and getting over my initial shock with a splash of denial), I realized that indeed I am a RBI.

As I have developed my savvy, Satin has improved. I thought Satin improved because she was learning patterns, growing more confident in learning situations, and trusting my leadership more and more. That was all true, but I was missing a critical point. Satin chooses to follow me deeper into our relationship as I develop. Satin is learning to balance mentally, emotionally, and physically because I have gained the tools, the knowledge, the understanding, and the savvy to help her! 

I spent the last 14 years with Satin. Why only now, in the past 2 years, would she begin to follow me as her leader? Because I am becoming a leader! She improves because I improve. She learns because I have learned. 

The more balanced a leader you become, the more deeply your horse will follow you. I need to spend less time thinking about “How can I help Satin grow?” and more time thinking, “How can I grow as a leader?”

Pat has demonstrated this concept time and time again with a horse he has never met before – that horse doesn’t know Pat from Adam, but Pat behaves like a leader in a language the horse understands and that horse chooses to follow the leader. 

“The horse doesn’t care how much you know…”

It’s not that I have known Satin for 14 years that makes me a good leader….

“… Until they know how much you care.”

It’s that I care enough to be the leader she needs.