Photograph by Gilles Dutrieux
Before we can enter the realm of the true self and connection we are looking at a mirror. To be able to step through the mirror’s reflection and see what is on the other side we are challenged in many ways. Not only by our horse, but rather by our own true self who speaks to us through our horse and life as a whole…
It is when we are able to step through the mirror, through our own rational mind and its projections, that we can understand our horse and what he is trying to tell us. Before that time we feel that they speak an unknown language… but once we are able to step into the realm of connection it becomes very transparent and meaningful.
The mirror
Reality is not as fixed as we think it is with our rational minds. When we realise that we are living in projections of the mind, we understand that our thoughts do shape our reality… What you think is what you will get. So whether you create a lovely experience or a dramatic experience it makes no difference to the universe, it will answer your call.
For instance if you see your horse as a dominant horse, you create this image in such a strong way that he will act out as dominant. This is because you are projecting this and acting in relation with your horse as if he were dominant. Your horse responds to your energy and will feel most probably that you try to boost yourself up to be able to approach this huge dominant horse. In response to this strong and dominant energy of yourself he will reflect the same and give you the confirmation that he is dominant.
The only way to step through the mirror is to let go of our preconceived thoughts and try to see the real horse.
Look in his eyes, dig deeper… feel his heart and find his true self. When we do this we will see our horse differently and will approach him in a different way, which will lead to a different experience for both…
The mind
Dominance and subordination… are in fact mental projections of the mind.
These descriptions of horses have helped us in the past to get a better understanding of how we can deal with horses, but it is a very human approach of horses. Horses do not think in these terms, they respond to our approach and go from there. The problem with perceiving our horses in this way is that we exclude many other possible responses and we end up seeing our horses as if we are dealing with a power struggle. Who is leading and who is following? Connecting with horses has many more possibilities than these two expressions.
It is more beneficial to perceive their expressions as strength that expresses itself in a certain way. This gives a more nuanced approach and enables us to approach them in another way: less mental, more in touch with our feel and more truthful… and very much in the moment. This does not exclude that our horse may be a horse that uses his strength to push, it rather helps us to see it for what it is…
When we see an expression as an expression it enables us to access our own strength to respond to a certain expression of energy. We do not start with a distance based upon our mental image, but we start from connection and go from there…
We are able to stay ‘soft’, because our rational mind does not intervene.
The rational mind and its mental constructions are harsh energetic layers that block a deeper connection with our horse. The rational mind can be accessed in a healthy way, when we use it as a tool to perceive rather than let it rule our whole perception. When we connect both the intuitive and rational mind, we feel – reflect – take a next step – feel again etc.
Always start an interaction in the moment, try to let go of the past and begin afresh. This opens us to unconditional love.
Strength in softness and softness in strength
The key to a harmonious connection with a strong horse is to be grounded and be soft at the same time. Softness opens us, it opens our heart and enables us to see our horse truly. Strength helps us to step through many challenges… When we use one without the other, we become unbalanced and so the interaction becomes unbalanced ending up in the power struggle. When you approach a strong horse with strength alone, you will fight. When you approach a strong horse with softness alone, you will dissolve and your horse doesn’t see you…
When we access these two qualities in ourselves, you could see it as accessing an earth connection and a spirit connection, we enter the realm of connection. The realm beyond the mirror…
The perspective of horses
I go to the horses in the spirit world and ask them what suggestions they have for us humans to approach a strong horse…
This time I meet with the Horse Spirit and see him as one being. He is not male nor female, rather all at once… He is of a silvery light and has this soft smile and open gaze and he has a very encouraging, curious and friendly expression… I feel so much peace coming over me….
I ask him my question and I see a horse passing me by… A massive horse, grey brown colours, thick manes… very beautiful… very baroque. He gallops powerfully and is quite fast for such a massive horse… I take a better look and I see that a rider is riding him, he whips him a lot to get him to move faster and faster… The horse gallops very quick, but I see that his massive expression becomes very harsh, harsher and harsher as this kind of riding goes on… When it is over the horse stops. He now is like a rock. Solid. Harsh. And will not move…
I am not sure what to do next, because the horse just stands there, silent, like a statue. First I think maybe I need to merge with him, I do this and I feel his solid energy. Wow. But still nothing happens. Then I think, maybe I need to ride him… So I jump on, but nothing happens, no movement. I get off and stand beside him… I take a couple of steps and I see that he started to follow me. I see his massive legs moving and coming toward me. So I decide to walk… Then I thought maybe I should stop him to see what happens. So I stop him, but with too much force and I feel that he disconnects from me. It was too harsh and quick. This created a major distance between us… I feel that this horse wants closeness… I try to figure out what to do… Then he pushes me aside with his nose… I realise we are at a gate of some sorts… and he wants to show me something… I cannot figure out what it is, but he is smelling something… I just look with him and try to figure it out, but I am very relaxed and patient. Then I just opened myself up to him and he pulled me on his back…
Oh I needed to open myself! Then I feel so much friendship, appreciation and respect between us… We are on our way, very relaxed, together…