Horse Riding & Ethology
The freedom you want and the courage you need
The academic art of horse riding and everyday life lessons
Naraya Pierandrei
The relationship or bond created between a horse and a human is one of a kind. It is indeed this relationship that has taught me the most and has been my driving force since I was eight years old.
The amount of trust that goes for both partners, because yes it is a partnership, is not to be undervalued. The learning process becomes that of two parties, the horse and the human.
The relationship is defined by non verbal communication intertwined with an exchange of emotions.
The horse feels what you feel and vice versa.
If you are scared the horse perceives it and acts accordingly.
There are many benefits that come from practicing horse riding.
The physical benefits are important, but the mental benefits extend beyond what one can expect.
Mental benefits come both from the discipline of horse riding itself and the relationship with a horse.
The “discipline” teaches you rules and perseverance especially as a kid.
It helps develop patience and gentleness.
The capacity to love is a big part of it, as the love a horse can give is not measurable.
The interaction with such big and mostly unpredictable animals can also give you skills such as problem solving.
You can learn and practice non-verbal communication, and increase trust in yourself and others.
Another main benefit is learning to control and be more mindful of our own emotions through communication with horses.
The relationship with a horse can be both simple and complicated.
A horse can be your best friend, your teacher, your partner and your biggest fan.
They can trust you and you can trust them.
A horse can be a mirror to your deepest fears, the hand you need to jump from the insecurities into your best self. The freedom you want and the courage you need. You can fly and you can fall.
You can cry and you can smile. Growing up with the passion of horse riding can give you a safe space where you can always go.
It gives you best friends, strong emotions and freedom.
It teaches you to not give up and hard work.
It gives you lessons for life and a passion that does not go away. It teaches you kindness, teamwork and emotional intelligence.
Around the stables is a whole world.
A community and a home. You can learn how to collaborate, how to work and how to be responsible. Respect is one of the main principles you can learn, you have to respect the horses, the people and the stables. Time passes outside of time.
A home away from home where everything seems possible.
Dreams are the main food and joy is shared.
The horse has been a human companion since the beginning, they have accompanied us through wars, through countries, through hearts.
A relationship that deserves to be honored.
From the principles of the natural system, whereas the main concept explored is how it is the rider that should adjust to the horse and not vice versa and one of the principles that state how the rider movements should not work against the horse’s natural movement underlines one of the fundamental teachings in the academic art of riding.
Throughout history an important shift that can be noted when it comes to our relationship with horses, is that of not viewing horses as merely a tool, but understanding how they are actually a thinking and feeling being.
Bringing the wellbeing of the horse at the center of the equation.
At Enggaarden School of Academic Art of Riding, in Denmark, is possible to fully immerse oneself in an intense training period of three months in this discipline, under the guide of the trainer Michelle Wolf, trained by Bent Branderup, Grand master of the Academic Art of Riding.
During my internship I got to reflect on how all the teachings I had the honor of experiencing, can be applied to life in general.
Like stopping the training at the right time, for example after an accomplishment, however big or small. Recognizing a small win and knowing when to stop, something that can have a big impact in the long run.
The work starts from the ground where horsemanship is a first step at creating a dialogue with the horse, as we say in life before running you should learn how to walk.
Being aware of your own communication devices, how are you expressing yourself, a simple gesture of the hand done wrong could lead to confusion and misunderstanding.
You should never use too many riding aids together, this can overwhelm the communication channel; focus on one thing at the time, one step in front of the other.
Patience becomes a focal point, when horses are trained in this manner they don’t accept unclear communication.
It could be compared to how in life if we think too much about the future or are way too eager, life could throw a curveball.
Extending your awareness so that you are open to receive and ready to listen and perceive the horse, if you are too focused on your own inner world you might miss out on what is actually going on around you.
With this article I wanted to convey the connection between the teachings of the academic art of horse riding and their extension to everyday life, because horse riding and especially horses themselves can contribute so much to our lives, allowing us to enter their little universe, experience their wisdom and become a better version of ourselves.
