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Our emotions...impossible to control with conscious thought because they don't come from the logical part of our brain. They can't be reasoned with or reasoned away.
Must we then be 'ruled' by our emotions? Thankfully, the answer is no!!!
In my one-week horsemanship sessions, we have the opportunity to look at these issues with more depth. In the meantime, I hope these ideas might be of some benefit.
First of all, don't 'kid' yourself that you can 'kid' your horse!! They will see thru any attempt to ignore or hide what we are truly feeling.
Second, beating yourself up is self-defeating. Our concerns and fears are wonderful mechanisms that insure our survival, if we listen to them.
It is stressed that, as horsemen/women, we must acknowledge horses' fears. we need to be compassionate and understanding of them before we can be successful in working with them.
Well, why wouldn't we offer ourselves the same acceptance and patience?
What I have found to be beneficial is to identify what I am feeling.
"It is windy and to get to the trail, I have to ride by horses in the nearby pasture and they are running wildly around. I am tense because I know my horse will get excited and nervous."
You have identified the emotion and why. It is a legitimate concern for you and your horse.
Next, ask yourself...what would be the best course of action for me to take? You might decide to come back another day. Or take the opportunity to do ground work, ride in the arena or round pen. Or you might notice that there is no longer the tenseness and fear.
Often fear comes up when, at some level, we know that we are missing some tools...knowledge or experience.
Just take a deep breath and gratefully view it as an opportunity for growth!!
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