Our entire life is a road, and the destination is shrouded by a veil. Many of us have a picture in their mind of how they wish their life could be. Some may even know how to make it reality.
For me, the most difficult part is facing and accepting all the side effects and events that I have to come across on the way, and the possible obstacles that I have to overcome.
Life with a horse is at least equally difficult. My love for horses constantly sets challenges for me, and as result my own self comes under scrutiny time and time again. All these feelings from hope to disappointment and from joy to failure are a part of life. Without experiences and letdowns I wouldn’t know how success feels after desperation.
A few weeks ago I was taking part on a course, and as always before I participated without any expectations. I prefer being pleasantly surprised to being disappointed when my plans don’t quite work out. My biggest realization, however, had to do with how much my patience has improved. It is a virtue - I know - something I have not had before. When I see an objective or a goal in my mind, I focus all my energy into getting there. This doesn’t mean I’ll resort to any means possible, but rather that I’m ready to give it all I have when I believe in the cause.
I’ve found now that half is enough, or sometimes even just a fourth. When you learn to control yourself, you can save your strength and energy for many other things. There could, after all, be many different projects going on at the same time. But what does all this have to do with horses?
I have been quite disconcerted as I’ve followed people’s reactions to a note that I published a week ago. The text, which was about the well-being of race horses and the image of the sport, has inspired people in the social media to furiously mock and belittle my merits. I must admit I may have been too naïve when I believed that everyone who works with horses would sincerely love their horse. Childishly, I really imagined that the well-being of the horse and treating it without violence, even during competitions, would be a question of honor for anyone. But no, I must admit I was wrong.
I understand people’s expectations and feelings in this competitive world perfectly well. Still, there’s a small, cautious flame inside me, still believing and keeping up a slight hope that this world is not that evil, self-centered and calculating.
I hope that the day will come when even the most exacting of equestrians and the roughest of riders would look their horse deep in the eye and feel the sincerity with which the horse is ready to work with the human. Then maybe you could gently stroke the horse and tell it how important and precious it is.
Ei kommentteja:
Lähetä kommentti