‘If the ruler’s temper rises against you, do not abandon your position, because composure allays great offenses. ‘ Ecclesiastes 10:4
A little over a year ago, I returned to raising quarter horses after a 30+ year hiatus. I grew up with them and getting back to it was something I always wanted to do. So I finally did. There’s something mystical about a horse. It’s not the riding, the working, competing. It’s not the tangibles, but the intangibles that makes having them so attractive. It’s the way you feel when you’re in their presence and how they make you feel when you’re working with them. They’ll bring out the best in you or the worst if you allow yourself to go there.
The thing about them is, they won’t let you get away with being emotionally or mentally out of sorts. They won’t allow you to bring temper and attitude into your interactions. If you want positive results, you must maintain your composure. Horses can feel the slightest touch, the smallest insect land on their skin. They can also sense and feel everything you think and feel. Whatever you bring into the interaction, they are keenly aware of.
If there’s one key thing that I’ve learned from these horses is, you get what you give. What a foundational truth. It literally applies to every single relationship we’ll ever have. I’ve been doing a great deal of comparison contrast between how I conduct myself around the horses, what I do, how I feel and what the results look like. When I’m off, they’re off. When I’m anxious and impatient, they are too. When I’m negative and lose my temper, things usually get a little western. Thinking about situations with other people, regardless of the type of relationship or the context of the situation, the outcomes are often the same. The thing about a horse is, their sensitivity to things is significantly amplified, so as a result they are teaching me to better control my emotions and maintain composure when things aren’t necessarily going as I’d like. Then consequently, the results I’d like to see more often than not begin to materialize.
As a result of this introspection, I’m trying to be more intentional with how I respond to the people in my life. I’ve tried to be more prayerful throughout interactions and seeking God’s guidance and peace to steer it. When are focus is on the Lord, and His peace resides with us, others will always sense that. How attractive is that?! Have a blessed weekend.
In full pursuit of the greatest Trophy
