It's not that my lives are run by my animals or anything, but my best moments lately seem to be related to the animals. First the dogs, then the horses, then the dogs again. Saturday was no exception; it's back to the horses. This was a totally different experience.
I've written before about the ups and downs of working with Chocolate. Most of that training and work has been physical, about movement. But there are more ways than one to establish connection with a horse. Many trainers suggest you spend time just sitting with your horse. Take a chair into the corral and just sit, no agenda, no plan, no objective. It's not feeding time, not exercise time, it's no time. Let your horse see you in a different circumstance and just see what he/she does.
We sometimes take this idea a little further using a sort of meditative technique called the "trust technique" (www.trust-technique,com).. I thought maybe after the physical sessions Chocolate and I have gone through lately that a quiet connection, just being mindful and present, might be a good idea. I put my chair in the corral, sat down, found my focus spot, and just sat.
Choco took a couple of steps but KTJ reached me first. She stopped in front of me and stood. And Choco stood. And I sat. After a bit, KT reached over and scratched her chin on the top of my hat, As she played with my hat, I could see Choco just standing, his head drooping toward his chest, his eyes heavy, licking his lips, totally relaxed.
And that's the why: first the connection as the meditative state (not really the right word but the closest I can come) reaches across space and species, and then the relaxation. This connection with another being is truly amazing and awe-inspiring. For Choco and me, after the sometimes rocky trail we've been on lately, the quiet,present, mindful connection was incredibly important. It felt amazing.
One more note: more that 40 minutes later Choco was still "yawning." For a horse, this yawning is actually a tension reliever called a "jaw release." That was a great connection!
1 comment:
Lovely, I do the Trust Technique myself and am truly humbled by the connection you can have with another animal. You're doing it right, just spend time with them in the present moment and you will find your friendship changing for the better on so many levels.
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