Everything I Learned about Life,
I Learned from Riding a Horse

"The outside of a horse is good for the inside of a human."

Many years ago when I was a serious equestrian student I learned that life is like riding a horse. At first I would concentrate so much on my form that I would forget to guide the horse as well. Fortunately this was at the walk so I had plenty of time to apply the left or right rein. I learned that by looking between the horses' ears I would see what he was seeing.

Then, after many circuits around the arena at the walk came many hours 'posting' to the walk. This was so that we could learn where the horses' legs were and what we as the rider were supposed to be doing. It is very difficult to 'post' the walk. We certainly built up our leg and inner thigh muscles. That is how I found out why the groin muscle is called the groin. That is the sound you make when you strain that muscle.

Finally, we were allowed to trot. There were many things to concentrate upon and things started happening a bit more quickly. Gone were the days at the walk when things were relaxed with plenty of time to make a correction. Posting was much, much easier for we were able to allow the momentum of the horses' hindquarters to slightly lift us out of the saddle.

After much fine tuning of our leg position and learning not to snatch at our horses' mouth we progressed on to the canter. More fine tuning and learning how to create room for our horse in an arena full of cantering horses. (It's riding deeply into the corners and circling if needed.) Now it was imperative to look where we were going and see the overall view, and think ahead.

The day finally came when we started our jumping training. We started off with ground poles and eventually we were sailing over small fences and standards. We continually were building upon the foundation of the basics. Those never changed.

The interesting thing about going over a fence is that the rider doesn't look directly at it. The first twenty or so fences are the hardest to learn this skill because the thrill of this feeling of soaring tends to make one look down to see what they have just sailed over. However, when the rider looks down their weight shifts slightly and can accidentally cue the horse to suddenly stop. As a consequence of this sudden stop the rider, who is off balance from looking down, either goes sailing over the fence without the horse or merely rolls down the horses shoulder. (The latter is a definitely the more preferable from a landing standpoint. I suppose one could say that it is gentler to the body.)

So what life lessons can one learn from riding a horse? Here they are, in no particular order.

1. Always look where you are going. If you must take a circuitous route, don't run over the instructor. They tend to get very upset when a thousand plus pound animal is coming at them out of control. This applies to the people you meet daily. Don't run over them out of control.
2. Keep in balance. Everything will flow together in harmony if you simply allow it.
3. Plan ahead. This means have respect for another's personal space. No one likes it when you run up behind them and stay there. They are moving at the pace that is comfortable for them. Make allowances. Honor their right to be right where they are. (Refer to number 1.)
4. Know your stride and be ready to adjust it if necessary. (This refers back to number 1 and 3.)
5. Forward! Always forward! This is a dressage term that means even when it is necessary to back up the momentum is still going forward.
6. When navigating any obstacle focus upon the next obstacle. Consider the obstacle as merely a step in the overall course.
7. When you fall off, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, understand the mistake you made that caused you to fall off and then get right back in the saddle.
8. Teach and train; not punish and blame. This is used in dog training. Prepare yourself through learning and understanding. Ultimately the choices you make are based on learning and understanding. Take responsibility for your actions and feelings. Should you find your understandings and actions no longer serve you, change them. Change your actions and thought and you will change your life and world.

May all your falls be gentle ones and your mistakes little ones. May you learn to walk in Balance and fly over obstacles.

Rev. Lucinda Schersing is a Usui and Karuna Reiki Master. She believes wholeheartedly in the Basic Precepts and in the many levels to the meaning of "We Are All Related". You may visit her website at: Turtle Zen.