This I believe

Just something to think about. What do you believe in? This is what I believe.

Danger is around every corner. What would the point life be if we didn’t put ourselves out there? What if we didn’t take risks in order to make ourselves happy?  I take giant leaps of faith every day when I climb on the backs of my beloved horses. Every time I climb on board of this magnificent animal, I do so knowing that they too have minds of their own and that they can choose to do whatever they wish despite the fact that I am on their back, and yet they don’t.  So, I believe in an unspoken connection between the horse and its rider. The horse trusts me and I trust the horse. When we are together we become one body. It’s almost as if we make a pact. When I put my foot in that stirrup, I promise the horse that I won’t put them in danger. In return, they promise me that they will protect me even if I make a mistake.

 It is for this reason that I also believe that every rider needs to have a connection and a relationship with their horse. My horses are my other half. It goes beyond a feeling of companionship. I stare into my horse’s eyes and I can see the love that we have for each other. I believe in a language that is unique to each couple. Only the horse and rider will ever be able to understand this unique language. It is through this language that I communicate with my horse and our bond grows every time we encounter each other’s gaze.

This unspoken connection is the most important thing in my life. It is what keeps me sane when everything else in my life going wrong. All it takes is one look into those big brown eyes and I instantly feel better. I believe that a horse can make any sad moment special. In each of these curing moments, our connection grows even stronger despite all odds.

What does this all mean? In the end I don’t understand why I share such a strong love for these stunning animals. Ever since I was a young girl, I have had a natural inclination towards these amazing creatures. It is a natural fire that will always burn inside of me. I will always do anything for my horses because a certain, unique love emerges between two souls when they trust each other with their lives every day. I know that my horses will always protect me and I know that my horses understand that I will do anything for them. Even when I am not riding, my horses and I share an unspoken connection that is unexplainable to the outside world. I think that such a connection is special and is the most important thing in the world. I think people should search the world for that one thing that means the world to them, but they can’t explain to anyone else. It is funny because when I try to explain to people who do not understand my sport, how much I love horses and how they make my life whole, they always look at me with a perplexed gaze. In the end I don’t feel the need to explain to these people why I love these animals because the only thing that matters is how I feel about my love.

In the book of Corinthians, the bible says, “Love is patient, love is kind”.  Throughout the world, the entire human race is on the hunt for love like a bumblebee looking for a flower to land on. We are constantly on the search for something that will fuel their entire life. I am lucky enough to have found that something. I feel like the connection I have with my horses embodies this quote from the bible. There is patience when we work through struggles together. Patience when we practice together in order to achieve that harmony between horse and rider. Our love is kind because I could never say anything negative about a horse. Equitation is the phrase that defines a person riding a horse. The term comes from the Spanish word equitación, which means harmony between horse and rider. I am constantly striving for this harmony. I feel like this harmony is representative of the constant strive for harmony between people. Sometimes we fall off. Sometimes we have the perfect round. The struggles that occur through the ups and downs of life are the reason why we build relationships. So, I do not only believe in horses and their connection with the rider, but I believe in love.