TALKING HORSES

‘A Horse’s Prayer’

Finding treasure in the closet

Posted

Like so many people over the past year of living life mostly at home, we’ve been staring at a closet full of boxes that seem to have been there forever. In our case, these boxes date back to 2006, the day the moving van delivered our household from the northwest. With no obvious place to put the boxes based on what the contents were labeled to be, they were hidden away for future examination after we were settled. Who knew that would take 14 years!

I didn’t think I’d find any horse gems in the pile. As is the case with most horse owners, I unpacked all of that as soon as we arrived. I wanted to make sure all the knowledge and sources I’d accumulated during my horse journey over the past 25 years were handy as I planned to re-start my training business here in Silver City as soon as my horses arrived and adjusted to their new environment, one that was so different from their previous home with views of the ocean, lush surroundings and barely a few feet above sea level.

A single sheet of paper fell out of an old photo album that had pictures from my first exposure to natural horsemanship, way back in the late 1980’s at a ranch in Colorado. This ranch eventually became the Colorado Center for Equestrian Learning, and we would visit it eight more times to study and develop our skills after we decided to make horses our primary interest and eventually our life’s work.

The owner of the ranch was a master horseman who admitted that even though he’d been riding as long as he’d been walking, he was just beginning to understand the true nature of horses and how to teach them in better ways. I knew less than nothing at that point, and was really only there because my wife loved horses and it seemed like a beautiful place to spend a week of vacation time. Nevertheless, I spent a lot of time talking to him about horses and what made them so special for so many people.

Maybe he sensed that horses would become more important in my life down the road. For whatever reason, he handed me this sheet of paper and said it had always been a guiding light in his pursuit of better horsemanship, and that it made even more sense as he went deeper into the philosophies of natural horsemanship. He didn’t know where it came from or who wrote it. He felt at the time, and I agree years later after finding this again, that virtually every important aspect of good horsemanship applied in natural ways and responsible horse ownership are contained in these words.

I missed the January edition of this paper, and I’m sorry I didn’t stumble on this piece in time as it would have been a good way to start the New Year. I’m a month late, but horses don’t know that, so for all horse owners and lovers here is “A Horse’s Prayer,” a wonderful way to start ’21 with your equine partner.

Give me time to know what you want of me. I don’t understand your words.

Don’t be angry with me when I do not understand. I have only you to explain things to me.

Talk to me. Even if I don’t understand your words, I understand your voice.

Be aware that however you treat me, I will not forget it.

Keep me safe from harm, because I am no longer wild and able to know my enemies.

Before you hit me, remember that I have teeth that could crush the bones in your hand and hooves that could kill you. But I choose not to use them, unless I feel my life depends on it.

Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if I am well of if something may be bothering me.

My life is likely to last 20 to 30 years. Please make sure that I am taken care of because I cannot take care of myself.

Go with me on difficult journeys. Don’t say “I can’t stand to watch it” or “let it happen in my absence.” Everything is easier for me if you are there.

Place your trust in me, and I will trust you.

(mug) Scott Thomson lives in Silver City and teaches natural horsemanship and foundation training. You can contact him at hsthomson@msn.com of 575-388-1830.

Like so many people over the past year of living life mostly at home, we’ve been staring at a closet full of boxes that seem to have been there forever. In our case, these boxes date back to 2006, the day the moving van delivered our household from the northwest. With no obvious place to put the boxes based on what the contents were labeled to be, they were hidden away for future examination after we were settled. Who knew that would take 14 years!

I didn’t think I’d find any horse gems in the pile. As is the case with most horse owners, I unpacked all of that as soon as we arrived. I wanted to make sure all the knowledge and sources I’d accumulated during my horse journey over the past 25 years were handy as I planned to re-start my training business here in Silver City as soon as my horses arrived and adjusted to their new environment, one that was so different from their previous home with views of the ocean, lush surroundings and barely a few feet above sea level.

A single sheet of paper fell out of an old photo album that had pictures from my first exposure to natural horsemanship, way back in the late 1980’s at a ranch in Colorado. This ranch eventually became the Colorado Center for Equestrian Learning, and we would visit it eight more times to study and develop our skills after we decided to make horses our primary interest and eventually our life’s work.

The owner of the ranch was a master horseman who admitted that even though he’d been riding as long as he’d been walking, he was just beginning to understand the true nature of horses and how to teach them in better ways. I knew less than nothing at that point, and was really only there because my wife loved horses and it seemed like a beautiful place to spend a week of vacation time. Nevertheless, I spent a lot of time talking to him about horses and what made them so special for so many people.

Maybe he sensed that horses would become more important in my life down the road. For whatever reason, he handed me this sheet of paper and said it had always been a guiding light in his pursuit of better horsemanship, and that it made even more sense as he went deeper into the philosophies of natural horsemanship. He didn’t know where it came from or who wrote it. He felt at the time, and I agree years later after finding this again, that virtually every important aspect of good horsemanship applied in natural ways and responsible horse ownership are contained in these words.

I missed the January edition of this paper, and I’m sorry I didn’t stumble on this piece in time as it would have been a good way to start the New Year. I’m a month late, but horses don’t know that, so for all horse owners and lovers here is “A Horse’s Prayer,” a wonderful way to start ’21 with your equine partner.

Give me time to know what you want of me. I don’t understand your words.

Don’t be angry with me when I do not understand. I have only you to explain things to me.

Talk to me. Even if I don’t understand your words, I understand your voice.

Be aware that however you treat me, I will not forget it.

Keep me safe from harm, because I am no longer wild and able to know my enemies.

Before you hit me, remember that I have teeth that could crush the bones in your hand and hooves that could kill you. But I choose not to use them, unless I feel my life depends on it.

Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if I am well of if something may be bothering me.

My life is likely to last 20 to 30 years. Please make sure that I am taken care of because I cannot take care of myself.

Go with me on difficult journeys. Don’t say “I can’t stand to watch it” or “let it happen in my absence.” Everything is easier for me if you are there.

Place your trust in me, and I will trust you.

Scott Thomson lives in Silver City and teaches natural horsemanship and foundation training. You can contact him at hsthomson@msn.com of 575-388-1830.


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