What is the purpose of horsemanship? Why do we spend the time and exert such energy, let alone invest such great costs into an animal which rarely returns the monetary value we place upon them? Do we play with horses merely as a show of our great ability to train another being and prove our superiority? I would argue to the contrary.
Perhaps our estimation of value in the horse is not measurable amongst fair market. Is this why equestrians are often coupled with the term “crazy”? That we should place so much of our heart and hope into a creature which does not speak our language or even react in the manner to which our nature provides. The complete opposite, actually.
That when we look into the face and eyes of these wondrous animals we do not see merely coarse hair and nervous energy. We see potential. We see the promise of something greater than ourselves, greater even than the summation of parts as we desperately attempt to impress natural talents while interacting with them.
And still, despite all of the sweat and exhaustion that can threaten to consume any dedicated horse person… in the end the horse provides comfort to our hearts when we feel most lost. He gives us wings to fly with as the sky crumbles downwards and pulls us up through the mud stuck to our boots. Perhaps most gratifying however are the times when they throw humor in our face, prove time and again that we are only trying to conquer ourselves when picking a fight with an untamable beast standing upon four hooves, and give us a grand mirror to look into and see ourselves – highlights and faults equally.
So when I am standing in the arena wondering why a horse is tense all I need to do is ask myself why I am tense. When he is nervous, again I ask myself where is my anxiety hiding. And when happiness overtakes my heart I can find no greater gift than to share that joy with my horse – with my partner.
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Very well said!
Thank you Seth! 🙂