As we begin,
Find a quiet place to be present with your horse.
This can be in the paddock,
A stall,
Cross ties,
Barn,
Or anywhere you and your horse both feel calm and comfortable and are away from distractions.
Allow yourself to arrive fully here in this moment,
Standing beside your horse.
Feel the quiet presence of their body,
Their warmth,
Their breath,
And anything else that comes to your attention about their presence now.
Begin by taking a slow breath in through your nose,
And a long breath out of your mouth.
Unlike typical meditations,
Be sure to keep your eyes open the entire duration.
This way,
You can monitor your horse and their reactions as we go.
Take another slow inhale,
And soften your shoulders as you exhale.
Let the noise of your day fall away.
Let go of any stressors.
You don't need to carry them anymore.
Not here,
Not while you're here with your horse.
Now gently bring your awareness back to your horse.
Notice the rise and fall of each of their breaths,
And the way their energy settles naturally.
With your next inhale,
Aim to match their breathing pattern.
Your breath and theirs creating a soft,
Shared rhythm.
If your horse shifts or sighs,
Know that this is their energy moving as they respond to your presence.
Now place your hand lightly on their neck,
Shoulder,
Or withers.
Feel the connection beneath your palm,
The living,
Grounded strength of your horse.
Now imagine a warm,
Calming light flowing from your heart,
Down your arm,
And into your hand.
And your horse responding with their own quiet,
Steady energy,
Creating a loop between you.
A loop of calm,
A loop of trust,
A loop of connection.
With your next exhale,
Release anything heavy that you carried into the barn with you today.
Let your horse's grounded presence help you root into the energy of the earth,
Where things feel steady,
Calm,
And you feel supported.
Take one more slow inhale together,
Imagining your energy and your horse's energy settling into harmony.
You may become aware of things that your horse is wanting to convey to you.
Feelings,
Messages,
Or even thoughts.
Be sure to remember anything that comes into your awareness during this time together as you continue to breathe with your horse.
If you feel that you need more time,
Pause the meditation and return when you're ready.
On your next exhale,
Send gratitude to your horse for their honesty,
Their patience,
And the way that they meet you exactly as you are.
Thank them for holding space for you,
And their ability to help heal and ground you in the here and now.
When you're ready,
Gently lift your hand off of your horse and begin to bring yourself back into the present moment.
Shift your awareness back to the paddock,
Stall,
Cross-tie,
Barn,
Or wherever you currently are.
Carry this calm connection with you as you continue the rest of the time you spend at the barn with your horse,
And with the rest of your day.
