Lessons Horses Teach Us

Emily de la Iglesia | Writer

Photo by Kelly de la Iglesia

You can learn so many valuable lessons from a horse.

You may be thinking, "What could an animal possibly have to teach me?" Well, they'll teach you to have patience, humility, kindness, love, trust, resilience, and so much more. 

A partnership between a horse and a rider is similar to a sports team. You have to work together to accomplish your goals. You have to get to know each other's strengths and weaknesses. Not just individually, but as a team.

Sometimes, the weakness may be you as a rider. Although most horses are patient with you while you learn, others may try and test you. On the other hand, if the horse is the issue, you have to be patient with them.

Humility comes with the territory. If you get too cocky when riding, that's when things can go wrong. Equine accidents are not always as simple as broken bones or some mean bruising: there have been reports of death. You need to be extremely cautious— wear a helmet, maintain your focus, and lastly, be mindful of the fact that you are working with a 1200 pound animal with a mind of their own. They can be saints one moment, then get spooked by nothing and become dangerous the next.

Anything can happen at any moment. Humbleness and caution are key. 

I've definitely learned a lot of lessons from the horses I've ridden over the years. Maybe someday you will, too.