01/11/2026
Well said
What You Water Grows
Did you ever notice what we spend our time, energy, and resources on are the things that tend to flourish or even multiply? Gardening is certainly a great example of this; it's really a whole process, not just the act of watering. It takes more than water to grow a garden. But the saying really points out that what we focus on will shape what happens, even through drought or weeds.
Allow me to bring this to horses. If we do nothing but fret about all the negative things our horses might do, or what might happen, we will actually become very reactive, thus making our horses even more reactive. Instead, if we focus on showing our horses where they can find peace, our horses will begin looking in those places. Remember, horses inevitably just do what they think is the best idea, or the best option that is available to them at the moment. If you don't believe this, I would encourage you to re-examine how horses think and spend some real time watching how horses interact with their environment, and see what I am referring to.
So, if you notice your horse seems to never relax, let me ask you, do you show them a reason that they can or should relax? If we are constantly watering the anxiety, it will grow. I would guess that at this point that many are asking how do I show my horse where they can find peace?
It all starts with me/us. If our brains are a chaotic mess, with thoughts swirling around without places to rest, we will be transferring that to our horses; it's just the way it is. The advice of fake it till you make it, does not work with horses. So I would encourage you to take a few steps I have found helpful to move forward in the solution.
1. Stop imagining that horses are trying to play an angle. That is a human condition that horses don't suffer from. They are motivated by peace, and that pretty much sums up what motivates a horse. If they are not at peace, they haven't been made aware of where to find it yet, but they are searching. If I can't show them, they will keep looking, and as they are looking, they may find the boogie man instead.
2. Make sure you can answer the question why. If you don't know the answer to all the questions you are asking your horse, define it before you go any further. This will help you be much clearer in not only your expectations but also in how you communicate the what to them.
3. I would really encourage anyone who may have traumatic situations that plague their mind to seek help to work through them. I would define traumatic as anything that constantly fills your thought process to the point that it alters what you do. I have spoken in depth about a wreck I had that forced me to re-look at things.
4. Take some time to really enjoy your journey with horses as you become a better version of yourself. If you have heard any of my story, you know how much I credit my time with horses as immensely impactful in helping me work through many of my issues. I'm sure not done yet, I definitely have more to work out, but I really appreciate the journey.
Life is certainly a journey, not a sprint. I have chosen to embrace it for what it is and be thankful for all of the experiences that were hard, quite frankly, but left me better than what I was before them. I hope this helps you and motivates you, versus makes you feel worse. Acknowledgment of a problem is the first step to solving it.
Pc Tracey Buyce Photography
