Sunday 31 August 2008

Power of thought tip 2

If we allow anxiety about the past or fear about the future to command our attention, we often mess up the present. Ride in THIS moment. It is what is happening NOW that counts!

If a horse is anxious, he's only anxious about what is happening in this moment. If you notice horses grazing, something might spook one and they run, but seconds later they are head down, back to their restful grazing state. They aren't dwelling on what spooked them, nor are they worrying about what might happen next. They are totally present with their mouthful of grass.

We can learn so much from our horses. If we stay totally present in this moment, with whatever is happening right now, accepting it as it is, all our anxieties drain away. Anxiety only exits because we dwell on it and lose our attention on 'now'.

Monday 25 August 2008

Power of thought tip 1

There is a saying that your energy flows where your attention goes. So whatever you are thinking about and putting attention on is likely to happen - whether or not it's what you want!

Have you noticed that horses only focus their attention on what is happening and what they need or want right now? They respond in the moment and to the moment. They don't plan for things they don't want. So let's take a leaf from their book.

If you dwell on what you don't want to happen, it is more likely to. Keep this thought in your head instead:

I focus on the good things I want from my riding.

It might help to write down five good things you are going to focus on this week.

And please share your thoughts and experiences, via comments, to help others.

Saturday 23 August 2008

First post


This is me snoozing on my dear penny while she munches, seemingly oblivious to me. Jester is munching away in the background. These two horses have been my saviours and my healers over the last few years. On days of despair when I would gladly have never come out from under the duvet, they kept me going and helped me through another day.
I always knew they came to me for a reason (I wasn't searching for either of them), and now I know why. Coming to live with me allowed them to just 'be' the horses they are, rather than the competition horses they were destined to be. And in their 'being' they have shown me how to 'be' myself too and taught me how to stop trying to be and do what I thought I should to please or prove myself to others. They have taught me the real power of 'now' and how to live in the present, sitting with pain or joy and allowing both to just be.
Horses are such phenomenal creatures. I hope that by sharing my thoughts, experiences, hopes and dreams on this blog, and I encourage you to comment and add your thoughts, experiences, hopes and dreams too, that we can bring to awareness just how important and special these creatures are in our lives. The world and humanity is richer for their presence, their teaching, their healing and their unconditional love for us. Horses rock!