The Horse has 3 Eyes
I discovered the following post on Facebook and it really piqued my curiosity and interest. I am not sure who the author is, but on my feed it seems to suggest that the author/poster is a Will LeRoy - I thought I would share it with you today.
"It has been said that the Horse has 3 eyes.
There are practical and metaphysical (Spiritual) applications to this truth.
It begins with observation:
When a Horse has its head down the eyes are microscopic, seeing images very close up, and while there has very little peripheral vision.
When a Horse's head is centered and even with its body, its peripheral vision is dominate and that is approximately 340 degrees. (Hence the ability to execute expert level cow kick marksmanship.)
When the Horse holds its head upwards (slightly or exaggerated), the long-distance vision focus is predominantly engaged, (telescopic vision.)
IMPORTANT - Keep in mind that there is a significant time delay in the Horses ability to re-focus its lenses when confronted with a new situation at any given time. This is when the shift into flight mode will be at its most pronounced.
Understanding these simple facts will completely change your understanding (and reaction to) how the Horse reacts to you in any given moment.
Practically speaking, these facts should dominate our every interaction with the Horse both on the ground and in the saddle.
As Tom Dorrance said over and over again, "observation" is key. Because observation leads to understanding and understanding leads to empathy and ultimately to the enhancement of our "approach."
This truth should be allowed to affect every aspect of our lives, and interpersonal interactions. Hence Buck Brannaman's quote, "Horses and Life, it's all the same to me."
On a Spiritual level, the mere fact that the Horse can see on so many levels and so much better than we can, should at the very least open us up to the possibility that the Horses Spirit and "Presence" needs to be approached on the Horses terms ("Language.")
Everything about the Horse forces the Human to "Slow Down." It's the first step towards understanding, and the gateway to learning how to Live in the Moment.
Whether one chooses to believe in a spiritual connection between human and horse is an individual preference. Certainly, it’s possible to achieve a high level of horsemanship and riding ability without it.
I have found that once I allowed myself to accept the possibility that the invisible connected consciousness, I felt between me and my horses was real, our relationships improved, it went to a deeper level, and perhaps most importantly, I became more humble and more teachable.
For me, that is more than enough."
I'd love to hear how this resonates with you ..... if it does. In the meantime enjoy your day x
