I assume that each of you has your own definition of the word "dignity". I believe that horses embody the very essence of dignity which by definition is "the quality or state of being worthy". As you well know, I am attracted to horses and feel awestruck by their beauty. When banded together, a herd of horses embodies dignity in motion. Ultimately, horses are natural teachers. They continue to gently nudge me as I work to cultivate my own sense of dignity. What better role model could there possibly be? As I seek connection with a horse, I strive to identify his core essence. When I succeed in reading him correctly, he demonstrates a responsiveness in numerous ways but mostly he exhibits a brightness, a curiosity and a willingness to engage.

For me personally, the search for balance has always been a challenge. I continually strive to learn from the modeling that horses so willingly provide. With the passage of time, I have begun to realize the importance of centering myself first. If I don’t feel centered, I will not attempt to connect with a horse. Finding my center lies in letting go of all distractions and finding the flow of being in the present moment. I make it a point to spend time "just being" with a horse before I attempt to interact with him. I do this to center myself and feel who I am in this particular moment. I also want to "tune in" to the core essence of the horse that I will be interacting with to get a sense of what he is bringing to the present moment as well. Within our silence, a dialogue begins and any concerns about time in the normal temporal sense disappears.

I feel that honoring a horse’s dignity is crucial in forming the connections and relationships that I desire. I strive to set horses up for success. Thus, I don’t put a horse in a situation where he doesn't want to be. As I find qualities in a horse that I admire, I work to build upon his strengths. Dignity, along with the horse's ability to be present in the moment, are my guiding forces. A true horseman knows that the quality of a relationship is more important than any preconceived agenda. Women seem to have an inherent understanding of the importance of connection and I applaud their vision.

Horsemanship begins with YOU, not with the horse. "Tune in" to what you are bringing to the table. Self-knowledge is the key component in this process. Horses are noble and majestic creatures. If you simply listen to them, horses most definitely will bring out the best in you. Shedding your outer layers of negativity and resistance is not easy. Much like peeling the layers of an onion, you eventually reach the good stuff. Let go and embrace yourself!

Do you want to learn more about who you are and what you bring to your relationship with horses? Do you want to feel your own dignity as well as that of the horse? I encourage you to come to one of my clinics this year. If you are not satisfied on day one, I offer a full refund. Horsemanship is as much about learning about yourself as it is learning about horses. The goal in all of my clinics is to inspire you to "dance" with a horse. Can you remember the last time you danced at all? A new year has begun and it’s the perfect time to take a leap of faith as we discover the horseman in YOU.

Let's all awaken to the music within ourselves and begin to DANCE! A magical connection is just beyond the horizon!

Linda & the herd of 8

HORSEMANSHIP BEGINS WITH YOU...NOT YOUR HORSE