Notice What You Notice written by guest blogger, Jessica Shannon
A strong sense of self-awareness is healthy, and it benefits us in countless ways. My
yoga instructor, Natasha from OM & The Equestrian, often encourages those taking her
classes to “notice what you notice.” I have decided to take that phrase all throughout my day,
including every moment, no matter the size, at the barn.
To notice what you notice, you’ll pay attention to how you feel physically and emotionally
for each step of the day. We can’t always control how we feel about a situation, but we can
control how we respond. Our horses are paying attention to how we feel, too. Imagine how you
feel when you’re anxious versus how you feel when you’re excited. I can be incredibly excited to
canter, but physically, that excitement manifests the same way as anxiety. My horse then can
think I’m anxious. He thinks I’m worried, and he wants to protect me. He also thinks we have
something to be anxious about, and, like any fight or flight animal, he has some choices to
make. If we start to notice how we feel about something, we can grow in how we handle the
situation. If I don’t have the energy for something, I tell myself that I’m doing it for my horse.
That encourages me. Let’s notice what we notice in order to be better for our horses.
Notice what you notice when you arrive at the barn. You scan the parking area for a spot
while also seeing who is there. You may feel excited when you see certain cars belonging to
close barn buddies. Notice how you feel or what you say to yourself as you park and grab your
things from your trunk. Maybe you’re thinking about work or what you hope to accomplish that
day with your horse while still being flexible with that goal. Maybe you’re running through a to-do
list in your head. Maybe you’re feeling calm and hopeful.
What’s the first thing you do when you arrive? I feel full of hope, joy, and excitement as I
turn into the barn driveway and type in the gate code. After parking, I grab my water bottle, and
whatever else is needed that’s in the trunk of my car, and go straight to my horse’s stall. I scan
his stall and his body after his night of turnout while talking to him. He gets a smooch. I notice
how he looks and feels. I notice my energy and emotions. Then it’s off to my tack trunk, the tack
room, and to set up my grooming supplies and tack at one of our cross-ties. I notice how I feel
when greeting barn buddies, choosing one of my saddle pads, digging through my trunk, and
getting my tack. It’s all routine, but it matters how we do it and how we feel while doing it. Notice
what you notice when you go about your pre-ride barn routine.
Notice what you notice when you get your sweet horse from his stall and head to the
cross-ties. What was he doing when you went to his stall? How did he react when his door slid
open to reveal you standing there with his halter? Pay attention to how you feel and what you
do. How fast do you move, and how calm and soft are you? My trainer often encourages me to
be soft in everything I do, with and without my horse. It needs to be part of who I am all the time.
Notice what your horse pays attention to as you walk to the cross-ties. Every step and move we
make near our horses matters as much as our transitions and ability to find a steady canter.
I am, by far, the slowest person when it comes to tacking up. I am learning to notice how
my horse responds when I do something too quickly or haphazardly. If I get distracted by a text,
he changes. Youngsters and horses who are deeply connected with the humans in their life are
even more responsive to subtle movements and energy. My boy checks off both of those boxes.
Notice what you notice when you tighten your horse’s girth. Notice what you notice when
you remove her halter and put on her bridle. Notice what you notice when you lead her to the
mounting block. Notice what you notice when you stand on the mounting block. Does your
horse stand still or wander a bit? How do you feel? How does your body respond as you step up
on the mounting block? All sorts of things can be running through your mind from hope for a
floaty trot to fear from a recent (or not so recent) fall. Notice what you notice.
Imagine this: your left foot is in the stirrup, you’re swinging your right leg over, and you’re
settling as softly as you can into the saddle. It might feel like your ride is starting, but it really
started the moment you got out of your car. It is okay if you feel utter joy and excitement to be
sitting on your horse. It is okay if you feel anxious or afraid. Once you’re aware of how you’re
feeling, you can develop skills to cope with them and use those feelings to be a stronger rider
and connect with your horse.
As you ride, continue to notice every little thing. What does your body do, both internally
and externally, when you ask for a canter? When you are heading towards an oxer, what do you
feel? How does your horse respond when you ask for a trot and then a canter? Does his body
tense? Does he ease into the transition? What are her ears doing? As you ask your horse for
different gaits, circles, and to soften, notice how you feel while noticing how she feels.
Paying attention to how we feel, and our horses feel, in each moment is hard. It takes
diligence, commitment, and vulnerability. The result of this self-awareness and awareness of
our horses is worth the reflection. It takes courage to be vulnerable, and that courage will pay
dividends. Notice what you notice.
Photo submitted by Jessica of her and Gunner.
Jessica Shannon resides in Texas, she is an OTTB owner & lover, she is a Board Certified Chaplain and the owner/founder of Strides of Hope (@hopeinamess). Strides of Hope is about giving people space to process heavy feelings and all type of grief, in and out of the horse world. Her clients get unique support from a broad certified chaplain. Chaplains follow your lead, they don’t diagnose, they listen, they don’t try to fix, instead they guide and empower.