In the competitive equestrian world, there's a special magic in working with "green" horses
- those young or inexperienced equines who are just beginning their training journey. As
someone who grew up seeking out these partnerships, I've discovered that these raw,
authentic relationships offer profound lessons not just in horsemanship, but in how we
treat ourselves.
How Do Green Horses Help Us Learn Patience and Self-Acceptance?
As a young rider in
Louisiana's competitive hunter-jumper scene, I was drawn to the
challenge of working with green horses. What I didn't realize then was that these spirited
partners were teaching me the very lessons I needed most. As a perfectionist who could be
overly critical of myself, these horses showed me a different way of being - one that valued
progress over perfection, creativity over control.
Show-Ring Stories that Shape Personal Growth with Horses
In the show ring, where precision and perfection often seem paramount, green horses teach
you quickly that control is largely an illusion. One spook from your equine partner - a
natural response from a prey animal - can change the outcome of an entire class. This reality
forces you to embrace a profound truth: sometimes the journey matters more than the
destination.
Through countless training sessions, each as unique as the horse I was working with, I
learned that progress isn't linear. What works brilliantly one day might not work the next.
This unpredictability, which once frustrated my perfectionist tendencies, gradually became
my greatest teacher in flexibility and adaptability.
Meeting Yourself Where You Are in Equine-Assisted Therapy
Working with green horses demands complete presence and emotional attunement. There's
no room for yesterday's worries or tomorrow's plans when you're developing a partnership
with a young horse. This present-moment awareness became my gateway to self-
compassion. Just as I learned to accept each horse's unique timeline for development, I
began to extend that same patience to myself.
The
show ring became my laboratory for these lessons. When a green horse would spook at
a shadow or miss a lead change, I had a choice: I could react with frustration, or I could
embrace the moment as part of our journey together. Over time, I discovered that the riders
I admired most weren't those with the most ribbons, but those who had mastered this art of
graceful adaptation.
Transforming Mindsets Through Equine-Assisted Growth
These experiences profoundly influence my approach as
an equine therapist today. When
working with clients in Boulder and Golden, I share how
horses can teach us to be gentler
with ourselves during the learning process. Just as a green horse needs time and patience to
develop, our own growth follows its own organic timeline.
Why Equine Therapy Boosts Present-Moment Awareness
The beauty of working with green horses lies in their authenticity. They don't pretend to be
anything they're not, and they don't judge themselves for their mistakes. This raw honesty
creates a mirror for our own self-judgment and perfectionism. Through these partnerships,
we learn that true growth comes not from forcing or criticizing, but from accepting where
we are and building from there.
Key Lessons from Green Horses:
- Growth follows its own timeline
- Perfection is less important than presence
- Adaptability breeds resilience
- Self-compassion enhances performance
Top Benefits of Equine Therapy for Emotional Healing and Personal Development
What
many new riders (and therapy clients) initially struggle to understand is that at the
highest levels of both horsemanship and personal growth, the focus shifts from outcome to
experience. Just as a championship round isn't solely about the ribbons, therapy isn't just
about reaching a destination - it's about the transformation that happens along the way.
Ready to explore how equine therapy can help you develop greater self-compassion and
acceptance?
Contact me to learn more about
my practice in Boulder and Golden, Colorado,
where horses continue to teach us the art of gentle growth and authentic connection.
