Only Fifteen Minutes?

  "If you go at it like you've only got fifteen minutes, it'll take you all day. If you go at it like you've got all day, it'll only take you fifteen minutes."

  This is a pretty famous saying in the horse world; especially when it comes to training horses. Sometimes you can feel like the horse knows that your time is limited and they're not co-operating with you on purpose. The truth is, the saying is true because of how we portray our emotions.

  Have you ever been in a rush to get somewhere or get something done that you feel yourself tense up? Maybe you get angry or frustrated and nothing seems to go your way. Well, the horse feels that too. We all know that horses are sensitive animals. They pick up on our feelings so well that we can affect their behaviour without even knowing it.

  Have you ever gone for a ride and your horse is acting really strange? No matter how mad you get, the situations gets worse. It's only once you give up and relax again that things start to go better. You might have not realised it at the time, but you were probably tense, angry or stressed before you even got on your horse's back.

  Now obviously this saying doesn't mean that all horse problems could be fixed in fifteen minutes. Some may take years. That's not the true meaning of the saying. It's true meaning is to change the way we are. The reason why it may take only fifteen minutes is because we approach the problem like we have all the time in the world. If we have all the time in the world, chances are we aren't stressed at all. Instead we are relaxed, focused and calm; the same state that our horse responds the best to.

  Every time I am driving to the barn, I allow the drive to be the time that I release my emotions. I make sure that nothing is bothering me before I get there. It almost becomes like a form of meditation as I drive along. It not only makes you feel better, but it makes the drive more enjoyable too. By the time I drive down the stable's driveway, I feel at peace. You may be amazed at how much this will affect your horse. It'll give you the opportunity to grow your relationship with him as well because you will be communicating with him more clearly. The stable becomes almost like your escape from the world, a paradise if you will. It becomes the best place in the world because you've allowed yourself to get rid of all that negative energy.

  So the next time you head out to your stable and you are feeling a little tense, try to relax. Try to at least feel at peace while you are visiting your horse. You might even see things with a fresh pair of eyes once you leave the stable.

  Until next week, I wish you all of the best. Thank you for reading my blog. I hope that you enjoy your horse and the ride.