Horse Partnership During the Coronavirus Pandemic

To all of us who struggle to maintain our horse partnerships during the Coronavirus Pandemic:

Spring breezes chase clouds above my head, letting the sun warm my face for brief moments, while I walk out to the pastures this morning. I spot my horse at the very end of his paddock grazing, and when I reach the gate, I lean on it and wait for him to notice me. Buttercups like miniature yellow sundrops are sprinkled across the carpet of green. Horses happily graze in their paddocks. When my horse notices me, he trots up to the gate, which I open to greet him. For a moment, I stand with my cheek against his, inhaling that addictive perfume of horse, sunshine, and grass. He snuggles his head into my side, and I exhale . . .

There are those of us who fell in love with horses as soon as we could toddle and reach up to touch an inquisitive muzzle, blowing warm breathes on our upturned faces. We imprinted, something in the core of our being knew that we belonged to the horse. Some of us grew up with horses, laying on them bareback in the field while they grazed, cleaning stalls, lugging haybales, trudging through snow drifts to bring them in out of the winter storm, standing with horse head and neck wrapped around us in an equine hug, we learned the language of horse and how to communicate without words. Some of us fell in love later in life and had a crash course in equine care and training, learning that saddle fit does make a difference, and that owning a horse can be like caring for small children, sometimes staying up all night with them and the vet. But no matter when it was that horses came into your life, at some point horses became a vital and essential part of your life. At some point you reached up and a horse head came down to blow gently on your face.

When your world becomes too complicated to navigate, when you are hurt, when uncertainty fills you, when you are stretched thin from responsibilities, when you are stressed, and when you are depressed, you go to the barn and find your horse. And it is your horse who simplifies life, heals you, provides you with certainty, gives you responsibilities you can handle, eases the tension, and lifts you up. When you want to celebrate because the sun is shining, when you want to dance, when you want to share the happiness bubbling up inside you, or just to be content in the quiet spaces of life, you go to the barn and find your horse. It is your horse who walks with you in the sunshine, who is your dance partner, reflects your happiness, and fills you with contentment.

Maybe your horse is your athletic partner, competing in the sport of your choice, maybe you like to amble out on trail rides, or maybe you work on becoming a more skilled rider. Whatever your discipline and purpose, it is your relationship with your horse that brings you joy and centers you in this life.

So when you walk out to the pasture today, halter and lead in your hand, take a minute. Feel the sun warm your face as the spring breezes chase the clouds away, see the buttercups sprinkled like sundrops over the field, and when your horse comes to greet you, stand still for a minute and simply be. Lift your face and inhale the sweet fragrance of horse, sunshine, and grass. And then, exhale . . .