Becoming Grounded Through Horsemanship

In the last few years I have really dived into liberty work with my horses. In part because I love the relationship and connection that can be built through liberty work as well as how in tune it makes me with my own body language and aids. I was pretty terrible at it when I began and would easily become frustrated with myself when things were not going as I hoped. One of the concepts that I have become very mindful of is the need to stay grounded or centered, both in my mind and body. So what does that mean and why is it important?

 I’m sure you might get slightly different answers to what it means to be grounded, but I will share with you my insights of what grounded means to me and how it relates to work with horses. To be grounded means to embody and live in the present moment. There is a sense of clarity and awareness in my body, my breathing, my thoughts and my movement. My mind may be acute and active, but it is not distracted by extraneous thoughts or worries. There is an emotional self-mastery that happens.  In an emergency or disaster situation someone who is grounded will always keep calm and handle things in an admirable way. When I move with grounded steps I feel a connection to the earth beneath me. There is both a softness to my step, but also a confidence as I move with clarity and certainty. I must fully embrace my authentic self and be content with who I am in that moment to be truly grounded.  At liberty my goal is to connect with the horse in a way that feels as if it is a partnership. Yes, of course I want my horse to stay with me, but I also want my horse to have the choice to leave. There is information to be gained here and my horses should have the ability to express how they feel. I have found that the stronger the partnership develops, the better I also become at mastering my emotions and keeping truly grounded in all that I do and in turn the more my horses choose to be with me and be a part of the dialogue even when I ask them for more difficult, gymnastic work.

 Here is the fascinating part for me. Horses have abilities to both help us become more grounded as well as make us very aware when we are not. Since horses are such energy sensitive beings and are acutely aware of our energy and our body language and they will resonate off of us. Some horses are more forgiving than others of our negative or inconsistent energy, but all of them are in tune with it. It in part depends on their own state of wellness and their natural sensitivity, just like humans.  If I am not in a grounded state and I try to work with one of my horses he/she will immediately let me know, often by leaving me. Rogue is my most sensitive to this and if he has any feeling that my energy is in a tempestuous state he is quickly gone or will become a bit confrontational. With him it’s not out of fear, but he’s a very proud and independent horse and he will only truly work with me at liberty if I am totally open, calm, and am willing to have a conversation. He must be an equal partner in the dialogue. There is no telling Rogue what to do. It must be an open and two way discussion with him.

 So how do you learn to overcome these times when our body and mind are not in a grounded place? We all have difficult times in our life that bring about emotions of anger or sadness. Even happiness can put us out of balance if we end up in a manic state.  Being self-aware when we are out of balance is the first step. If I allow myself to just to be with the animals in this time it can help me become more grounded. I love grooming my horses and for me this can become a meditative or zen-like practice. Sometimes just spending time with them, focusing on what I am thankful for and enjoying the presence and calm of my horses is enough. It is important to do this before attempting to work with them because if you are not able to quickly ground yourself, your work will not be productive and it’s not fair to bring that energy into the training relationship. I made that mistake many times in my youth. It’s so very interesting because it works both ways. If we allow ourselves to find peace and let the presence of our horses help us become grounded then they can play a major role in helping us towards becoming a more centered and balanced human. At the same time if you try to train or ride when you are not in a grounded place or are emotionally fragile you will negatively influence your horse and can even become more frustrated or imbalanced in the process as so many of us seek time with our horses as a sort of therapy. When things are not going well, we often take it personally. Unless you are acutely aware of using the training time and interaction with your horse to help you become more calm and centered, it often is a better idea not to ride or train when we are upset. I do know that it is possible to use the training to return to a grounded place, but you have to self-aware enough in the moment and focus on your breathing, positive mindset, and time with your horse as a gift. You can never let the emotion from other situations in your life come into your training time as your horse will quickly pick up on your negative energy.  Other practices outside of time with our horses such as yoga, meditation, or even just some calm, down time with a book and hot tea can be enough to bring ourselves into a better place. The more you are able to have control over your mind and be aware of your body, the easier it becomes to return to a centered state when the turmoil of life disrupts the balance.

 Really, in the end it all comes back to balance. Good horsemanship is always about balance. Both horse and rider must be balanced in the physical body, mind, and spirit for their to be true synchronicity in the work and true connection at liberty where the horse and human have a dialogue and both are choosing to be equal partners. Unfortunately, so many horses have some sort of physical pain or are mentally a bit tuned out or even in a state of fear or aggression when with humans. Often horses are being very obedient but lack the ability to be a part of the dialogue. These are horses that have lost their spirit, at least in part, and have lost touch with their own authentic self. It is our duty to heal these horses through good care, proper nutrition, and helping them to use their body in a biomechanically healthy way so that both physically and mentally they can return to a grounded state as well.  We must strive to keep the learning and training a place where we heighten their motivation and interest, not create obedient robots. In my eyes there is nothing more beautiful than a horse that is full of spirit, but relaxed and in a calm, yet motivated psychological state. Only then can horse and human, both grounded and centered have a conversation and truly dance together.