If you have ever had any experiences with horses, you will most likely understand just how extraordinary our relationships with them can be. It's simply amazing -- the way a huge, potentially terrifying animal can turn out to be the most beautiful, wonderful creature. These animals can also teach us so much and really help us build character for so many reasons. Here are just a few of the things that we can learn from them.
1. The Effects of Our Emotions
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We know that horses understand our emotions and can tell when we are sad, angry, happy, etc.- and it affects them. Their reactions change according to your emotions. For example, if you are nervous, they may notice and get nervous too. If you're mad, they may get worried. If you're happy and calm, chances are this will relax your horse. This is all so amazing, but also very helpful because it causes you to be more self-aware and understand how easily you can affect others.
2. Trust
This one may seem pretty obvious, but it's highly significant. To be successful with any horse, you need to be able to trust him or her -- and to some people, trusting a 2,000-pound animal that can take off at 30 mph definitely doesn't come easy. You know that this animal has the potential to seriously injure or even kill you, but you learn to trust them anyway. This is character.
3. Perseverance
We've all heard the phrase "get back in the saddle." Horse riders commonly hear this and are reminded that if you fall you should get back up and try again (unless you're really injured of course). We know that we need to keep trying, and we can't give up on not only ourselves, but our horse.
4. Humility
We cannot have total control or power over horses -- nor should we. Horses are bigger, stronger and faster than us, and this forces us to be humble. We cannot be conceited when it comes to these beautiful animals -- we need to keep our minds open and be thankful for everything they bring into our lives.
5. Responsibility
Caring for a horse comes with a lot of responsibility. We know you have to meet basic needs -- food, water, shelter -- but caring for a horse is much more than that. Horses deserve much love and attention, and making sure your horse is always content can really help you grow as a person.
6. Teamwork and Patience
Horseback riding is nothing like basketball, baseball, football, soccer or any other sport, really. You are not working with a ball or a hockey stick -- you are working with a living breathing animal. Through horseback riding, you learn to cooperate and work alongside another being. This also requires patience, because you need to be able to stay by your horse's side and keep with them even when things aren't easy.
These are only a few things that horses help us to learn in order to grow, but they are all extremely important and significant, not only to the relationship with our horses but to many of the relationships of our everyday lives.
