Heartfelt Gratitude: Living a Magical Life

Photo by Author's husband. 

The weather has been very warm, for February, in our part of the world. I have had many opportunities to play with my horses over the last few weeks. So many that I have been living life, rather than writing! 

I felt called to play with my horses, a lot, while the temperatures were unseasonably warm. The arena has been dragged several times, which is not normal for this time of year. Usually I don't get to drag the arena until mid April or play like this until after the bugs appear in April or May. I am not a fan of biting bugs, LO, so, I have been taking full advantage of the weather and loving life. 

Onyx offered to pick up the cone. I rewarded it, knowing that I may have created a cone eating monster, LOL. My coach mentioned that she taught one of her horses to stack them up. That might be in Onyx's future, as he loves to help with closing gates, he may enjoy picking up and stacking cones, too!

Finding what our horses, dogs or loved ones are passionate about, is so important. It isn't really about what I love to do, when it comes to my horses, as much as it is about what they love to do? How can I shape what they love, into something we both love? 

I was playing with Ollie yesterday, before a cold front came in last night. It was another absolutely beautiful day. It was close to 70 degrees, today it is 8 degrees F. It was his first time in the arena for maybe a year and a half. We had been playing together a lot in the hoop building before we moved him to a new stall in the main part of the barn last fall. This new spot is next to the outdoor arena, so it is easy to bring him into this space to play. 

Photo by Dan, my hubby!

Ollie has been watching me play with Onyx a lot. In fact, I always give him attention when I am close to his fence line while playing with Onyx. With a little nudge from my husband, I decided to bring Ollie out yesterday! At first Ollie was disappointed because he could not get to the grass on the other side of the fence lines. OOPS! He ran and ran, snorted, and showed off for Onyx... If he could have put his thumbs in his ears and waved his fingers with his tongue sticking out at Onyx, he would have. 

I was laughing at him while I waited for him to ask me a question or notice that I might be fun to play with, since I had treats!!! It took him about 10 minutes, maybe more before he was all sweaty and breathing hard. I thought, "I wonder if I can shape this exuberant energy?" I started to steer him from a distance. I looked at his tail and asked him to trot to the left. When he noticed me, he trotted to the right, OK, we can go right. My arena is huge, but he knew I was playing with him, now. We were doing what he wanted to do, but then it changed. The look, the snort and the question came shortly after that. 

He connected to my heart and came to me from across the 200 foot plus square arena. I smiled when he did. He was on adrenaline, so we played with walking into the round pen at liberty. We played with walking together, backing up together and figure 8's together. 

When I asked him to move on a circle, he left me. He went to the gate to his barn, all by himself. He didn't bolt fast, but he bolted just the same. He let me know that he needed me to stay closer to him. I needed to stay connected. He was unconfident and I had a choice to make. Do I work through his lack of confidence online, or do I stay at liberty? 

I chose to stay at liberty. My body has been struggling with back spasms, so I knew if I got into trouble online, I wouldn't be able to move and help him through it, the way I might need to, so we stayed at liberty. Dan, my husband, offered to video us, which was perfect. I am so grateful, because what happened next was lovely. 

I went to Ollie at his gate. I knew he was asking to return to the barn, so I told him, we would return to the barn together, but first, will you come with me to the round pen? He came with me, he trusted me not to push him past his threshold, because I told him that I would respect him. We walked together to do the figure 8's. We walked both ways together in a circle. I did not ask for a trot, we just walked. We danced together. It was beautiful, it was magical and it was magnificent. Our connection was strong. 

As I had promised, we walked side by side, back to the barn. We were one. On our way back we passed through the trees. I had set up several white barrels under the trees a few days ago. I asked Ollie if he would be OK with doing figure 8's with me around the barrels. He agreed, he could do that, so we did.  Each time I changed directions, I asked him to back up, so I could switch sides. He stayed with me the whole time we danced around the barrels. It was sweet and special. 

We walked together again. This time back to his gate. The one he went to alone when I asked for more than he could do earlier.  I thanked him for trusting me, to only ask him to do what he was comfortable doing. Next time, we may be able to do liberty circles or we may not, but I promise, I will only ask him to do what I believe he is ready and able to do. If he isn't, I will back off a little bit, until he is. 

It was a magical dance between hearts. I am grateful that I can feel him and respect his ideas, as much as I respect my own. 

Can you feel and respect the ideas of another, while also respecting your own ideas, too?  

Are your hearts magically connected while you dance together? 

When a loved one lacks confidence, can you adjust your expectations, connect with your heart while you do something together that restores and builds confidence instead?

Manifest a magical day!