One of the things that continuously tripped me up in learning how to work with horses was that I would make a lot of progress and then one day it would seem like none of it mattered. The horse would suddenly regress, spooking at things they had accepted before, refusing things, getting fidgety, or outright ignoring me.
“What did I do wrong?” I would ask myself. “It feels like we did nothing.” We would return to basic things that the horse could do and end the session early. I would leave disappointed.
The following day, the horse would be back to doing the task normally. All my worrying about regression and doing things wrong evaporated. What we tend to forget, as humans, is that animals can also have bad days. When we visit an animal for an hour or so out of their entire day, we have no clue what the rest of their time has been like. Maybe they had an argument with another horse in their field. Maybe a tree crashed down in the woods nearby, causing a field-wide panic. In some cases they legitimately don’t feel well physically. They have a headache or a mild stomachache without obvious symptoms. Just as we have off days, so do the horses. I try to remember this when things aren’t going well, seemingly “for no reason.” I can offer more grace and patience if I’m not wrapped up in the idea that this change is permanent or somehow my fault. The horse has an easier time of it, and so do I.
I wanted to thank all those who have bought a copy of my eBook, Standing in a Field With Horses, during its launch week. For those who have bought it, I have a request. As a new author with no following yet, it’s difficult to get the book seen by others. If you enjoyed the book then please leave a review on Amazon. If you think others would benefit from the memoir, please spread the word on social media! I’m so grateful for all of your support, and so excited to have this book out in the wide world. It means a lot.
If you haven’t picked up a copy yet, the buttons on the main page will take you directly to the book on Amazon or SmashWords. I hope you enjoy the book!
Maeve Birch Home 