Point of View

For me, there are two points-of-view that always make the world seem like a better place.  One is from the back of a horse.  I don’t care how bad my day was, what unpleasant chores are waiting for me, or how badly my head hurts, when I get on, it’s all good. 

I’ll be the first to admit that our rides never go as planned.  After all, I plan perfectly I plan for perfection, and that we never achieve.  Sometimes everything clicks and we get really close and sometimes we battle-it-out like four-year-olds fighting over who gets to be “mom” this time.  Regardless of the “success” of our ride, when the tack is hung-up, the horse groomed and turned out and I’m getting in the Cooper to drive home, I’m content.

I’d be a very well paid psychiatrist if I could place a finger on what it is about a horse that has such a calming effect.  To my knowledge, they don’t excrete any “happy” chemicals from their pores and their slobber is more likely to bring aggravation than good will.  Perhaps it isn’t the horse itself, but the cleansing of the brain that takes place when I take time to focus on nothing but the moment.  I’m not planning tomorrow’s menu while I trot a twenty-meter circle.  I’m not dwelling on that annoying client at work while I canter down a four stride line.  While I’m riding, I’m riding every step and that leaves little room for petty thoughts. 

Sure, the world is in a bit of a mess right now, but stressing out about things you have no control over won’t change anything.  And if you think about it, you have control over very little.  Horses are great at reminding you of that by the way.  What you can control are your thoughts and your focus.  So take a fresh perspective.  Focus on your thoughts and think about making each moment count.