Subversively today’s article about Liberation and finding out one’s Natural Path I will start from speaking a little bit about the boundaries. Liberty without boundaries is not liberty, it is abandonment. The Broken Window theory was introduced in a 1982 article by social scientists James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling. The Broken Window Theory states that “maintaining and monitoring urban environments to prevent small crimes such as vandalism, public drinking (…) helps to create an atmosphere of order and lawfulness, thereby preventing more serious crimes from happening.”
It’s very well known fact, that we adapt to the environment. The same person can be quite a hooligan at school, and wear a white collar to church and behave perfectly well there. The same horse can behave like a rebellious youngster with one person, and like a perfect partner with another one.
We act differently depending on where we are, and with whom we are.
Our actions change depending on what are the accepted behaviors in the given place.
Internet offers a wonderful place to exchange information and inspirations. At the same time, misunderstood freedom of speech is leading to verbal skirmishes, insinuations, ugly behaviors and in effect to very open attacks. OVER WHAT?
If someone told people today that the Sun is hot because it takes all the heat from Earth and then sends it back, many people would COME TO A BOILING POINT. Over what? Do we really know the truth? Do we really know the reality? Or do we want others to believe in and do what we do, just for the sake of that everyone does and thinks the same?
Broken Windows Theory says that if we don’t allow the minor acts of aggression, and if we keep our environment clean, the big acts of aggression won’t be happening. And this is what we cultivate here at OneHorseLife and on our Facebook profiles: Anna’s Facebook profile (click to visit) and OneHorseLife Facebook fun page (like and follow us!)
Here at www.OneHorseLife.com and on our Facebook profiles we share our discoveries and findings to inspire you and to support you on Your Path.
At the same time, you can have yours discoveries and findings. They do not have to be aligned with one another, what is more: they do not have to agree with one another, either! But they can be inspirational to one another, and leading people to broaden their horizons and think outside the box. And we can embrace this inspirational diversity, and grow together.
At the same time, we have zero tolerance for negativity, offense and spamming. Simply because there is just too much of this in the Internet. There are too many “Friendship-oriented” groups and blogs where people are scamming one another, judging and fighting for who is in the truer and purer relationship with their horses, and whether it happened because of the presence of these or that external factors, like pieces of the equipment, treats, special training techniques or absolute lack of them. It makes my head spin!
Let me share with you a secret…
You are in a good relationship with your horse because of WHO YOU ARE, and not because of WHAT YOU DO, what you hold in your hand, and which book you have read.
This is such a simple concept, and at the same time the one that is so true and powerful. Your horses are with you not by accident either! They have chosen you, and you have chosen them for a purpose. Although it may feel that your Life with this or that horse happened by “accident” and you met because your Life paths crossed in the most unexpected ways and times, trust me that there was a deeper sense in that, and I am sure that many horse owners and horse people feel this truth deeply in their hearts. Your horse came to you to support you in the same way as you have chosen him to support him, you are together to express and explore who you really are to the fullness. This expression is not oriented towards traveling to one destination that is seen as “GOOD” or popular now; this expression is oriented towards finding out what is your Natural Path, the Path of Life and being with horses that serves your Life, and allows you to fulfill your destiny. Only from this place you can fulfill the destiny of your horse as well. Only by being true to yourself you can express the truth in all your actions and decisions, and by doing so creating space for all animals and people in your Life to do the same.
People are afraid to follow their true desires, simply because it requires them to take the full responsibility for their actions, decisions, failures and successes. It requires them to take responsibility for their happiness and their horses’ happiness. And they are afraid to do that.
It’s so much easier to follow the mainstream of doing this or that, dropping the pieces of the equipment, putting away the treats, and abandoning everything that was causing tensions in us (instead of exploring these tensions, learning about their root cause and letting it go), and letting go of everything that others say is bad too, because then the responsibly for us, our Life and our horse’s Life is on somebody’s else, it is on something else. And is not on us. Our hands are clean. And no-one will come and judge us for that we didn’t do enough for our horses. People are afraid of being judged. People are afraid of not doing enough. People are afraid of not doing the right things. Simply because they do not know what to do!!! When I don’t know what I am doing, I am afraid of acting. I want to hide behind the routines, traditions and other’s people believes. Because I want to be accepted, and not judged. I want to belong in the wave of “good”.
But the thing that works for one person, doesn’t have to be right for you, and it may not only not enrich your life, it may also disunite your life, and in effect, the lives of your horses.
“- I am doing everything right, and yet I feel so trapped and sad.” – I read in NEARLY EVERY SINGLE APPLICATION that you have sent for the OneHorseLife’s #BreakingFree project. Yes, this feeling of being trapped and sad is because the mainstream “right” is simply wrong for you, your Life, your horses and not aligned with Your Natural Path.
People push themselves, challenge themselves and question themselves all the time. The Broken Window Theory applies also here. If you don’t stop to push yourself in small things, everyday life things, you won’t stop doing it when with your horse.
In my Smile to the Future Book I call this syndrome the Inner Whip — You may put down the outer whip, the real whip, but if you start to use treats instead of the whip to MAKE your horse do things, because YOU are convinced that otherwise they won’t happen — nothing will change, you will still be making things happen, instead of allowing them to come. In the same way, if you now put away the treats, being convinced that they are the problem of the lack of the connection with your horse, but YOUR Inner Whip stays present, nothing will change, you will be still “whipping” your horse or yourself and pushing to the edges of reason (to see if the horse loves you, or will do this or that without the treats for you). The question should not be to check if your horse loves you, but the ultimate question should be: Do you love yourself, in the first place?
Why do you push yourself? Why do you question yourself? Who gave you the right to challenge and question your relationship with your horse? Why do you think that only by pressing yourself you will improve and broaden your horizons? Do you really believe that progress is impossible without tension?
At the end, one can come to a conclusion that we have to cut out arms off before we go to the horses, because the scratches are also form of a bribery. Yes they can be, if our Inner Whips are there, we will be whipping and bribing no matter with which horse and in what a context we are. Simply because it will be in us.
At the same time, the moment our Inner Whip dissolves – we will enter the true field of liberty: being us, following our Natural Path, embracing our destiny with horses who chose us to help us on this task. They are true experts, and to see the level of expertise one has to allow the experts to enter their fields. Your horses can help you only when you are following your path. With treats, without treats, riding, doing groundwork – it does not matter – simply because “Liberation = LIFE + LOVE – FEAR” (quote by OneHorseLife #LiberationMonth participant Annamaija Ahtiainen, OneHorseLife follower from Finland)
We don’t care who is right and who is wrong. We care that we all are brave enough to find out and follow our Natural Paths. And this place is meant to help you in this.
This is why we will be stopping all expressions of hostility. So people finally have a place where they are welcomed to BE THEMSELVES, and they know that being themselves is safe, and that they can in a nice and pleasant atmosphere explore it to the fullness. With the gentle support of OneHorseLife :)
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What’s New @OneHorseLife?
BodyMarc Live Stream Session: Releasing Tensions from the Stomach: 23rd of March 7PM (Warsaw Time)Â Book your seat for the Session here:Â https://onehorselife.com/product/bodymarc-live-sessions/
Tensed stomach not only stripps you away from taste, and being able to judge what you want to eat, and what you don’t want to eat. It hugely affects your breathing patterns, relaxation of the jaw muscles, tongue relaxation and your riding. Horses pacing, clenching their teeth and tensing jaw muscles, fighting against the rider hand and not engaging their bodies properly into the movement are all signs of that the rider has problems with relaxation of the stomach while in the saddle.
BodyMarc is an effortless technique that expands awareness of the body and brings you the exact tools to increase relaxation and release tensions from your body, and life.
@JoinAnna Self-Study Course in OneHorseLife Anna explains how we can use Model/Rival with young or fearful horses to peacefully encourage them to explore the new or previously scary situations with the help of the Model-horse:
This week Wiwien, Anna’s 12 yo Mare (Aalborg x Worldly) offers a beautiful early piaffer (just after two days of preparation from under the saddle) and first experience of terre-a-terre under the saddle:
You can learn more about OneHorseLife’s way of expanding horses Balance and Body Awareness through Calmness and self-awareness through our two Self-Study Courses:
Finding and Extending the Natural Balance of the Horse:Â https://onehorselife.com/product/natural-balance/
Expanding Body Awareness for Horses:Â https://onehorselife.com/product/expanding-body-awareness-horses/
