Ready…set… Breathe
The world feels a little bit out of control right now, doesn’t it. I know personally I’ve had a huge weight in my chest, this feeling of things not being “right”. So I wanted to reach out today and give you (and myself!!) something- here it is. Breathe. Look away from the screen and take ten, deep, cleansing breaths. Actually feel your diaphragm fill up, the oxygen saturating your lungs. Done? Good, now carry on reading.
Have you ever paid attention to the way your horse breathes ? Aria tends to hold her breath when she’s getting worked up about something. It’s as if she thinks she can control the situation MORE if she’s not breathing. So lately we’ve been working on finding ways to “blow out” {breathe heavily, aka relax!!}. This is a pretty common technique in natural horsemanship, as it generally serves as a good indicator that the horse is “coming down”. After a stressful or eustress situation we look for our horses to breathe out, telling us that their brains are calming down.
Blowing out is obviously on the more extreme end of the spectrum, it’s a big reaction, and one I specifically am looking for. But there is power in the “everyday” breath as well. Horses often use breath to communicate with one another, as a form of greeting. If we pay attention to these small details in our horses everyday lives we are becoming more in tune and in touch with their ‘systems’. Systems such as breathing are the building blocks of our horses’ lives, and often give us better insight into our own lives as well!
I’ve also found that when we’re really in sync, truly connected, I can often communicate with her using only my breath. An inhale = increase in energy, go forward, expand. Exhale = let it go, slow down, relax. Has anyone else tried this? It’s something I really enjoy playing around with when I’m lungeing, or even just hanging out in the paddock with the horses. It also works when it’s just you— walking into an exam? Inhale deeply, feel your own energy increase… getting into bed ? Exhale as long & fully as you can, let your brain relax. It’s amazing the tools our body has already given us, if we choose to tap into them!
Have a safe & happy week~ if you need support there’s space for you here.
