Back to Basics!

"We want an Essy Grandma!"

Since the arrival of my elderly mum onto the yard to keep Essy company while on box rest, we've all had a bit of a reminder of how easy it is to take things for granted about your horse and what he /s he offers you, especially the simple things.

If we are honest, most of us no longer feel joy and delight in the simple pleasures of our horse doing as we ask in hand, or around the stable - we just take it for granted and expect it.  Last night, watching my mum revel in the fact that Solar Sue walked backwards when I showed her how to ask for it - was both humbling and heart warming. 

 

As a 76 year old who has never before lead a horse, never mind put on its 'collar' - the last three weeks have been a revelation for anyone watching from the side lines.

I've had comments made to me about "how quiet my mum is with Essy" and how "gentle" and how "sweet to watch it is".  Comments like this remind me how rough, tough, boisterous and noisy we can be around horses - out of habit, our need for speed, or simply having an agenda to achieve.

Horse and Hound this week had a piece on the Equine sound system - "horses can hear commands spoken at low volume" does my mum know that already and it's only the horsey set that don't?

"Essy's Grandma visits" as they've become known have seen her sit with him outside his stable for up to 4 hours at a time, just "chatting"!   She gives his head a cool sponge down, offers him essential oils to smell, (noting down which he responds to).   She's now taken to leading him round the yard, to the front gate and back. Amazingly he behaviours superbly well!  Like all grandma's her handbag is packed with treats: carrot Julienne, Waitrose prunes, organic apple quarters and Johnsons wet wipes!

...She is religious at capturing the start of a runny nose! 

So it's become very obvious that sometimes our own learning and awareness is heightened by the actions of a 'newcomer' who go about 'being with horses', in a very different way!

Last night I caught myself brushing Grace's long thick mane.  I realised if this was my own head of hair no way would I be this rough.  I didn't mean to be rough.  It certainly isn't how my old mum would brush it though!  So, it seems I'm learning from a total novice how to 'be' with a horse in a way that is more in keeping with what Essy's teachings are about: 

• awareness
• softness
• healing touch
• peace

If horses are here to bring us peace its going to be hard for us to recognise that in amongst our noise and no nonsense way of doing stuff!

Watching Essy and my mum interact is an absolute joy.  They both seem to be exploring boundaries without a single moment of anxt, pressure, power, force or anger.  

There is a huge absence of expectation!

There is a peaceful quietness to their time together.

Essy continues to find new ways to teach me how to 'wake up' and be more 'aware' of what horses respond to, and how without appreciating the basics our horse offers us, it will be hard to move forward.
 
I watch with admiration and intrigue as their journey unfolds,  thrilled to be a part of it and learning vicariously as we go!

Now if only I could get her into some 'sensible', horse appropriate shoes!