The Equine's Apprentice

I've directly experienced the benefits of mindfulness and yet I've found myself in the last couple of weeks going days at a time without taking the time for mindfulness.   When I catch myself, I'm a bit shocked to find the high levels of anxiousness and depression.   Then I say to myself, duh.   Catching myself does not always bring me back to mindfulness.   There have been several times when trying to go to mindfulness, there has been just too much resistance.   Other times catching myself and saying, "There is no better time than the present", opened the door to mindfulness. Even just a few moments of present moment awareness can bring down my anxiety and lift the depression.   The mindfulness in the presences of the horses remains the strongest.  I don't know why. It just is.   Some how, it  gives me a deep empathy with the ethereal timelessness of being through a strong connection with the natural world.   I am grateful for my horse companio

A couple of years ago I made the decision that I would not ride until I could ride with the horse at complete liberty.  I wanted to ride only a horse that was a willing and ready partner. If I was going to ride, I wanted my horse to get as much from the experience as I was getting.  Riding horses brings me immense pleasure but I just could not get over the fact that while I was enjoying the experience my horses were allowing it merely out of compliance from subjugation.  Put another way, I was getting pleasure from the coerced subjection and submission of another being.  The more I allowed that realization to sink into my consciousness, the more determined I became to ride only with the consent and willing cooperation of my horse. I began looking for liberty trainers and found a number who were doing amazing things.  They were riding without any tack.  No bridle or saddle and they had what appeared to be a willing and cooperative partner taking as much pleasure from