We asked some of our friends that work with or own horses, to tell us how HORSES bring JOY to them. Here are their stories:
Humans have been connected to the spirit of the horse for centuries. We see ourselves in their behavior and our world in their eyes. A horse’s joy is boundless. When turning out my horse in an empty arena with some of his friends (or even by himself) He will buck and prance and run around for no reason other than for a resounding WOOHOO, THIS IS AWESOME!! His tail perks up, head held high, he’ll jump and twist and kick. Then he’ll drop to the ground and roll all the way over on either side, jump up and run around again. Just happy to be alive in that moment. It cracks me up every time and his joy then becomes my joy.
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When riding into a canter or a gallop there’s a moment when you ask to go a little faster and you feel a 1500lb animal underneath you listen to what you are communicating, and then they go. It literally feels like flying, like anything is possible. We’re both in the moment, focused on each other’s rhythm, deciding together almost telepathically what do next. It can only be described as pure joy. To be on the back of something so powerful and to feel the energy and excitement from both of us is the ultimate feeling of freedom.
The other moment in this conversation is when you ask to slow down and again the message is received, understood and we both come out of it, the energy shifts down and we’re back to a walk. A bridge is built, a language understood between worlds and a connection happens. But most importantly, trust has been built. This freedom to fly, essentially, to speak without words and connect with that kind of energy and trust is a joy like no other.
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The joy I feel from horses is the connection. When the communication gap has been bridged with trust and understanding my heart soars. I feel the same way when I see it happen with other people.
As a trail guide I’ve seen it over and over again how a guest would get on the horse for the first time and they become paralyzed with fear. They can’t see where the horse’s feet are and are forced to trust that they won’t “accidentally fall off a cliff” or something. This a lot for anybody to go through.
What inevitably would happen is that, after some time together, the rider would start to realize their horse was doing just fine – not a care in the world, certainly not afraid of the cliff’s edge. And they would begin to discover that they could communicate with the horse & that the horse will listen to them. Once that bridge is built, with trust being the foundation, then horse and human are connected. By the end of the ride, more often than not, the guests who were scared the most felt the most exhilarated and happy. They were so proud of themselves for getting over their fears. They were joyous about their experience, uplifted, and truly happy.
The joy people get from horses happens organically. People are able to connect with their joy because they truly feel connected to something, being in relation with another. They feel that they have been heard and understood. That despite their fears and inexperience as a rider, the horse never judged them for it or took it personally that they didn’t speak the same language – they just carried them on the edge of a cliff safely, “faults” and all.
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Horses teach us the joy of connection. When communication is achieved or understood, a feeling of accomplishment happens, we are both being heard and listened to.
Horses teach us the joy of simple pleasures. That sometimes a good roll in the dirt with an awesome buck-fart while racing around with a friend is enough to make a difference in a day. Or that every carrot is like the first carrot they’ve ever had.
Horses teach us about the joy of freedom and being in relation with one another through trust and acceptance without judgment.
They remind us that joy can happen at any given moment.
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