Humility and the Horse: Life Lessons Learned from Horses
It is very ironic how true horsemanship puts humility in the human being. Most people may think that humility is a bad thing, like they are humiliated. Humility in its simplest form just means modesty or respect. Horses have taught me many things about being a better person. A horse can almost instantly forgive a transgression, but it will not forget. That makes a horse a perfect companion.
That’s one thing that makes the horse the perfect lesson in humility. An average horse usually weighs around 1,200 pounds. They are fast and strong. They have hooves and teeth, and do not eat meat. They speak a different language than the verbal one we humans speak. Now we have to convince a 1200 pound animal to do things that he normally wouldn’t do. Like getting into a trailer, being mounted and shod as some examples. We have two options when working with a horse, getting frustrated which usually results in getting angry or giving up. Then we have the other option, to learn what works with little effort on our part. That usually leads to admitting we don’t know and seeking help.
It’s an old truism, a horse can never lie. But they use their emotions on his body for the world to see if you know what you’re looking at. A horse can read your emotions very quickly. He can instantly see if you are shy, aggressive or ignorant of the horse’s ways. The way horses are naturally is one way the horse can teach you about yourself. A horse can find your weakness in minutes, sometimes seconds. This can lead to your frustration that he is not listening to you. He is listening to you, but you may not be listening. He is telling you about your weakness that no human being has the guts to tell you about. May he lead you on the path of truth and the last dose of humility. If you can’t take large doses of truth and humility, then a horse is something to stay away from. When you except humility you are one step closer to being a rider or an Amazon and a better person.
You have to realize your mistakes and be honest with yourself. A horse will become a mirror of you. If you don’t like what’s in the mirror, don’t look at the horse. that should humble you. You see that to be truly successful you have to listen to the horse, be firm and fair enough for the horse to do its job smoothly. Being pushy and bossy won’t get you the horse you want, and neither will being a push.
They say that the dog is man’s best friend. That must mean that the horse is man’s best companion. A horse requires three components for a successful relationship. You must earn each one with sincerity. They are TLC. Trust, Leadership and Communication. Every interaction should be spoken eloquently, like you mean it.
