I just read a article written by Linda Paterson (We know her as Linda Parelli). Called My Journey to Becoming a Natural Horseman. It was issued back in 1995! She talks about her journey into natural horsemanship, also how horses are kind of like a mirror of ourselves.
Just last month I had the privilege to work/addict at a Trevor Carter 3/4 clinic! It was a awesome experience! Also since I had all this time to just sit, watch, and listen. I started to notice how the horses look/act like their humans. Like I'm for real! It was like watching a hundred and one dalmatians again. Where in the beginning of the movie they show all the people and their dogs and they all look alike.
All this made me take a step back and look at me and my horses. Both of my horses look pretty much the same...
They act different. But different in the same way.. if that makes any since haha! When I first got my mare back it 2008 she was crazy! But now she is a awesome horse. I take naps on her back and let little girls ride her. All that good stuff. Its the same with my gelding. I just bought him not to long ago. He's crazy. Its the same kind of crazy that my mare had and the same kind of crazy I fell in love with. It gives me hope to see my mare doing so good now. Because I don't always know what I'm doing or if I'm doing it right. But I must be doing something right if she is turning out alright! I'm not done learning. I will never be done. One of my goals about horsemanship is to never think i know.. I want to always be learning.
So... reading Linda's article and what I saw at the clinic. If my horses are more a mirror of me. What do I see? Is is good or is it bad? I don't know about you but looking into a mirror can be kind of scary thing. The first thing you see are your flaws right? Unless you don't have any ;) Honestly though...
Sometimes its so easy to blind yourself from the truth or not listen to certain people in your life because you know they will just speak truth to you.
Its so good for us to have friends in our lives that love you but aren't impressed with you. That speak truth to you in a loving way. Especially as Christians. We need to find a good christian friends like that.
For me tho... Next time I go out with my horses not only will I be watching and listening to them. But as I watch them I know in a mirrored way I will see myself. And this is awesome because I'll be able to see what I need to work on. How I can be more clear in communication in my relationship with them. Something els though I can take is that in that mirrored view I will be able to see my flaws as a person. Things that in a normal mirror wouldn't be able to see. And I could take that into my relationship with others right? With God, family, friends.
Horses for me are more then just something I do because I love it. God gave me horses to learn more about Him and to bring glory to Him. Most of my best quit times I've had with God has been out riding or just out with the horses.
"being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;"
Philippians 1:6
"for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure."
Philippians 2:13
