We hear mindfulness in many places now. It is an important part of many mental health techniques. It is incorporated in schools and businesses. But what is it really about?
The Mayo clinic defines mindfulness as “ A type of meditation in which you focus on being intensely aware of what you’re sensing and feeling in the moment without interpretation or judgement. Practicing mindfulness involves breathing methods, guided imagery, and other practice to relax the body and mind and help reduce stress”.

Now for all my friends who hear meditation and think of different religions like Buddhism or Hinduism, mindfulness has no religious affiliations. So for example, if you are a Christian you can focus on scripture or religious images. The point being to relax the body and reduce stress. I think that the bible verse Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think about such things” is a perfect example of mindfulness! Often, for me personally, when I am with my horse, I am thankful to my God for allowing me to own them and (recently) thankful for the strength to ride them.
Now let’s move onto how horses are a perfect partner to teach these skills. Horses have the ability to be fully present in their bodies, their environment as well as in the moment. They give us a perfect example to follow and to focus on.

Being with horses make it easy to learn mindfulness. You cannot be riding or leading a 1000-pound animal around and thinking about what you are wearing tomorrow.
You must be aware of your body! If I am grooming my horse and thinking about my to-do list, I’m not thinking about where I’m stepping. If I’m riding, I need to be aware of my balance and sitting up straight. No one wants to get stepped on or fall off! This also includes how horses can read and sense your emotions. If you are tense, they will be tense. Often I have to have my riders do deep breathing and relaxation techniques before they ride. Horses feel and react to anger, excitement, tension, and other feelings.

You must be aware of your surroundings! No one wants to be riding a horse and run into the mare that kicks or not see the plastic Ingles bag shooting across the arena!

You must be aware of your horse’s emotions! Everyone that I have worked with are here because they love horses. Why would you not want to know when your horse is showing signs of relaxation and happiness? We all want to bond and create relationships with our horses. And on the flip side, why would you not want to notice signs that your horse is unhappy, confused or frustrated. No one wants to ride a buck because they didn’t notice their horse getting upset.

Mary Ann Simonds who provides equine coaching and education wrote in a blog about mindfulness and horse shared some of her thoughts
“Every good horsemen and horsewomen should be mindful when interacting with horses.” She goes on to explain, “The moments spent with horses, when you’re totally present and aware of the horse’s thoughts and feelings (as well as your own), allows you to “share awareness” with another creature and feel a harmonious bond.

For those of you that love “Yellowstone” and “The Last Cowboy”, I think that the creator Taylor Sheridan has perfect thoughts about this. He was recently quoted in the American Quarter Horse Journal as talking about his time with his horses:
“It is the one time I can really relax. Nobody wants anything from me. I’ve always said that (horseback riding ) is the only time I’m singulary focused on the present. It is the only time I’m not thinking about my job or what I’ve got to do, or did I pay the cable bill or this problem or that problem. When I’m on a horse, the only thing I think about is the horse. And so for me, it’s just freeing.”
One of the reasons I love working with kids and horses is that we are teaching them new skills in a hands-on, highly motivating environment. I get to see the best in kids. They forget everything but the joy of being with a horse! The troubles of the day are forgotten, and they are focused on now! This to me is how mindfulness and horses go together!

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