Cowgirl to the Core
Every person is born with a calling to do something. Some people are naturally good at doing math and working with numbers. I am definitely not one of those people. I have always been better at creating. I love to craft the perfect story or draw a pretty picture. I am constantly thinking about what to form next. My mind naturally wonders to that place. Horse training allows me to be imaginative as well. I try to let myself to see the beauty underneath, even when some people might only see the ugly aspects of the animal.
I recently participated in an Equine Myofascial Release I seminar. The therapy is a hands-on treatment that is not meant to be forceful and treats the cause of pain in the animal rather than the symptom. Before we even placed our hands on a horse, the instructor encouraged us to let it be easy. She said so many people who go through the seminar try to make it harder. They believe it is must be difficult and question whether they are performing the treatment correctly. People get so caught up in their mind, they don't realize the horse's body is communicating with them.
When it finally came time for me to assess the tissues, I was anxious. I worried that I wouldn't be able to find any tightness in the horse's body. As soon as I touched the horses back my worries subsided. Nothing mattered but the feeling under my palm and the sensations it created in the tissues. I soon realized how simple it was to find the tightness by focusing all my attention on the horse's reaction. I let him tell me where he needed to be treated.
I get a similar feeling while training horses. There are times when I become anxious, wondering if I am doing the right thing as a trainer. When the owner comes to pick up their horse, I always ride to show what they have learned. Before I get on the horse, I worry that I will look like I don't know what I'm doing or they will judge the way that I ride. Once I'm in the saddle, my nerves calm and I let my instinct be the guide.
When I calm myself and let things come naturally, I get much better results than when I try to force it. Our mentality shapes what we are able or unable to accomplish. If you believe something will be difficult, it will.
For the longest time, I have been drilled with the idea that something has to be difficult to be rewarding. In a sense, I believe that is correct. Training horses is challenging, but there is nothing more rewarding than sending home a well-trained horse. They push my buttons, but I love finding ways to overcome their stubborn side. At the same time, training horses feels natural to me. When I'm in the saddle I feel more confident and alive. Sometimes I react to the horse without thinking.
In college, I struggled with any math or science class that I took. I kept telling myself that when I finally conquered this class I would feel so accomplished after the struggle that I endured. When I finally scraped by and passed the class, all I felt was relief that I never had to take that class again, and dread that I would have to endure the next level. I tried to deny what I really felt called to do because I thought I was on a path to greater success. Nothing about the subject felt natural to me. I forced myself through it believing that I would feel accomplished, but it left me feeling empty in the end.
Whatever it is that you are drawn to, pursue it. Just because it seems easy doesn't mean it isn't fulfilling. Don't let yourself make life more difficult than it needs to be. If you can trust your intuition the results will be so rewarding in the end. Listen to what your environment and gut are telling you because instinct is stronger than you realize. There will be struggle. There will be difficulty. Just quiet your mind and let it be easy.