If you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time… But if you have come because your liberation is bound with mine, then let us work together. -Anonymous aboriginal woman in the Tao of Equus by Linda Kohanov
The partnership between the horse and human needs to be based on justice and equity. The horse may need help, but more often than not in the relationship it is the human that needs help, not just the horse. The mind of the horse and rider need to become one, only then can true liberation in the relationship be found.
The DOR has found, when she works with me with a mindset that together she and I will find the right spot to learn and develop a deeper understanding, what we can accomplish is almost magical. There is a connection that borders on mystical, it seems that, for a moment, together we are one. When she works with me with the intention of helping me, when things with her are perfect, and she is going to “show me how to fix things,” things get tight and go a bit sideways. I am not saying that humans shouldn’t help their horse by setting up things to work for them, but what we really need is to have things set up for us to be liberated to do the right thing – that way we remember the things we learned better, too. By striving for liberation for both of us the DOR builds a partnership based on justice and equity with me, not a relationship based on me being her “servant.”
Liberation for both of us while we are together is what the DOR strives to achieve whenever we are together. Pretty soon we will work together with one mind … I just hope it is mine because with the DOR getting older her mind isn’t as sharp as it used to be.
Enjoy your day and don’t forget to hug your DOR
