06/17/2026
From our neighbor and friend at WildeWood Farm, Inc. Thank you for the beautiful message that we all need to take to heart! Hit the nail on the head this morning Ms Hannah Writes!
Communication
Last week during camp, several riders told me that their horse wasn't listening.
I smiled and called the group over. Then I began speaking to them in French. I explained what I wanted them to do and waited. The children stared at me. Finally, one of them said, "Ms. Hannah, we don't understand you."
So, I repeated myself. Only louder and still in French. The confused looks multiplied. "We still don't understand!"
I nodded. "Your horses feel exactly the same way." That got their attention.
"You see, your horse doesn't speak much English. Horses have their own language. When you pull harder on the reins, kick harder with your legs, or become frustrated, you're not actually helping them understand." I paused. "Imagine if I kept speaking French and simply got louder every time you didn't understand me. Would that help?"
The children laughed. "No!"
"Exactly."
The problem wasn't that they weren't listening. The problem was that I wasn't communicating in a language they understood.
The same thing is often true with horses. Many times, when a rider says, "My horse isn't listening," what they really mean is, "My horse doesn't understand what I'm asking."
Those are two very different things. A better response might be: "Ms. Hannah, can you help me tell my horse more clearly what I want them to do?"
That question opens the door to learning. The other one often leads only to frustration.
The lesson stayed with me long after camp ended because I realized how often we do the same thing with people.
How many hurt feelings, arguments, and misunderstandings begin because someone is speaking, but their audience doesn't understand?
How often do we repeat ourselves louder instead of communicating more clearly?
How often do we assume someone is ignoring us when they may simply be confused?
Good communication is a skill. It requires patience, humility, and to stop blaming the listener long enough to ask whether we are speaking in a way they can understand.
“A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh work stirs up anger.” Proverbs 15:1 ESV
Written for you by Hannah Campbell Zapletal 2026
Www.mshannahwrites.com
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