Horses, world’s mute psychologists, provide life-long lessons

Those involved with the equine species learn to think, get bucked off

Millions of people interact with horses daily. They are a hobby, a career, a lifeline, a food source, and a psychologist. Owning, riding, showing, and training my own horses has taught me endless lessons, comforted me in times of strife, provided quiet in order to think, and created difficult situations that made me work through a process.

Because of horses, I have met many famous people, humbling my small self and learning from their thoughts that sometimes didn’t even deal directly with horses.

Ray Hunt taught me a lot about handling my horse with respect, proper timing and courtesy. His biggest lesson was to “think.”

Whenever someone would get in a pickle with his or her horse, Hunt just told them to think—think like your horse, think about what he is thinking about.

In order to fully succeed as a horseman, you must have patience, the ability to think through a sticky situation, and openness so that you can learn and succeed.

These are life lessons that apply to every job I have ever had, every organization I have dealt with and every relationship I have been in.

Working on a ranch is typically a man’s job. Yet I know many women who work right alongside the best of hands, sometimes outshining them.

Many women, much like in the ranch setting, outshine in horsemanship.

This offers such a level of pride when a man tells another man, “She’s quite a hand.” Horses offer this pride, and also modesty.

For those of you who don’t know exactly what horsemanship is, by my understanding, it is the way in which the horseman interacts with the horse, how they maneuver through situations, working together to accomplish a goal.

There is something amazing about a horse and rider in complete harmony, as cheesy as that sounds. This is possible, but so difficult to achieve.

I have seen probably five horsemen in my 11 years of riding who have reached the point of a completely “finished,” perfect horse.

This is the end goal for all true horseman, including myself, yet many will never reach that point. It is reserved for the thinkers, the compassionate, and the hard workers.

Horses are more than just animals, they have offered their hearts to us, as undeserving as we often are.

My greatest life accomplishments would not have occurred had I not been astride a thousand pound equine. If not for horses and the people I know through horses, I would not be with the person I am with.

If not for horses, I would not be as able to pay for schooling.

If not for horses, I would not know the people I know; I would not live in Nebraska; and I would not be writing this column.

Many people think a horse is just another animal; however, for many people, a horse is everything, the only thing.

On the lighter side, horses helped me with a high school relationship. I was riding one of my family’s horses, Wonder, a huge sorrel Haflinger pony who was rarely ridden, making him cantankerous.

On this particular day, my (now ex-) boyfriend pulled up to the riding arena looking to pick a fight.

After the brief fight, he continued to drive up and around the loop driveway only to drive past my arena again.

Lucky me, my crabby blonde oversized pony decided to have a bronc show to top any seasoned rodeo mare, probably because of my now foul mood.

I quickly cranked Wonder’s head around to prohibit bucking as I had been taught, but changed my mind just as fast and bailed off, faking a fall. I know, dishonest of me, but what else could I do?

Well, ol’ SuperDave fell for it, and I insistently told him I was okay and got back on.
The argument went away and I had grumpy old Wonder to thank, and a long hot bath ahead of me. After all, it did hurt a little.

For all those horsemen out there, those striving to be a horsemen, or just the hobbyist, you know what I’m talking about when I say horses are God’s gift to us.

Whoever said you can’t buy happiness didn’t know where to buy a horse. Thanks again, Wonder.