The Equine’s Apprentice
I grew up with a never-ending thirst for horses. Though my family was not wealthy nor were they ranchers or farms I had, as a child and youth, reoccurring opportunities for some interactions with horses. These were times of pleasure and meaningful to be sure but in retrospect they were at best, superficial engagements that only touched the surface of the equus spirit.
My real engagement with horses came late in life. I was 56 years old and had grudgingly but haltingly accepting the growing body of evidence that I wasn’t getting any younger. If I was going to have horses in my life, the time was now or never. So with that decision I jumped, head long, into a world of frustrations – contentment, disappointment – fulfillment, anger – calm, confusion – clarity, rejection – acceptance – in short, a roller-coaster ride that stirred the depths of a life time of unresolved emotional turmoil.
I didn’t expect the spirit of the equine to hold so much power. I was expecting rigorous but pleasurable physical activity with beings I had always admired and appreciated. I had no clue that the engagement would churn the depths of my soul and bring into being a relationship much more multifaceted than I could have imagined.
Most of my interactions with the equine spirit are, on the surface, not so dramatic but appear rather benign. It is only with contemplation and introspection that the connections reveal the realities of the more dramatic. Horses are, on the surface, basically easy going and seemingly simple beings who mostly want to be comfortable and left to the devices of their own herd dynamics. It is this perceived veneer that belies the depth of the spirit hidden within and the lessons they teach us about life, business, and investing . . . all we need are the hears to hear, the eyes to see, and the heart to feel.
I grew up with a never-ending thirst for horses. Though my family was not wealthy nor were they ranchers or farms I had, as a child and youth, reoccurring opportunities for some interactions with horses. These were times of pleasure and meaningful to be sure but in retrospect they were at best, superficial engagements that only touched the surface of the equus spirit.
My real engagement with horses came late in life. I was 56 years old and had grudgingly but haltingly accepting the growing body of evidence that I wasn’t getting any younger. If I was going to have horses in my life, the time was now or never. So with that decision I jumped, head long, into a world of frustrations – contentment, disappointment – fulfillment, anger – calm, confusion – clarity, rejection – acceptance – in short, a roller-coaster ride that stirred the depths of a life time of unresolved emotional turmoil.
I didn’t expect the spirit of the equine to hold so much power. I was expecting rigorous but pleasurable physical activity with beings I had always admired and appreciated. I had no clue that the engagement would churn the depths of my soul and bring into being a relationship much more multifaceted than I could have imagined.
Most of my interactions with the equine spirit are, on the surface, not so dramatic but appear rather benign. It is only with contemplation and introspection that the connections reveal the realities of the more dramatic. Horses are, on the surface, basically easy going and seemingly simple beings who mostly want to be comfortable and left to the devices of their own herd dynamics. It is this perceived veneer that belies the depth of the spirit hidden within and the lessons they teach us about life, business, and investing . . . all we need are the hears to hear, the eyes to see, and the heart to feel.
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