The Mane Event

On Sunday my sister phoned me.

She lives out of town and she was checking in on her little sister as she had heard of a disturbing event very close to where I live.  I had to ask what she was talking about and she told me the details of the situation.

I was happy to tell her I was oblivious to that event as I had been on a Fieldtrip. In fact, I was at a horseshow, the Mane Event, learning  about “pedagogical relationality”. She balked at this, knowing that I am the biggest dog lover in the world, but horses? She is  aware that I have ridden three horses and fallen, or been thrown, off of three horses.

For the next 20 minutes I shared with her my experience of the Mane Event. What it is, why we went, and despite my initial (perplexing) thoughts, how I had grown to appreciate the experience. I had the pleasure of witnessing Horsemanship at it’s finest, observing three trainers using methods of “natural horsemanship” while training young horses.

Despite the crowd pleasing of some of the trainers my heart and head went out to  Kade Mills. I loved the connection and connectedness that he demonstrated. Rarely, did his eyes leave his horse, and, you could see the unfolding of “Training Thru Trust”. I loved the calm,  the encouragement to ‘Try’, the patience, and his caring confidence of self and horse. I loved Kade’s wisdom knowing the boundaries of when to stop, when to let things settle. Not only was there a calm in the training ring, there was a serenity in the audience. I could palpate the stillness and the intrigue. The audience was captured and caught up in the moment of silent signals, postures, expression, touch, movement and collaboration. There was no condescension, no inequality; animal and trainer were working together. The most subtle nuances of motion and emotion allowing the shedding of  layers to create Unity.

During another session with Trainer Jonathon Fields, I was fascinated with the subtle motions of energy flowing.  To watch him at work and play with his stallion was a feast for the eyes and the soul. He spoke of the relationship akin to a  flock birds with their innate sense of flying in harmony. That moment took me back to the exercise we had done the previous class mimicking and following the hand movements of my partner, and the vibrations shared as our motions were no longer directed, but in synchronicity, charged and flowing.

In my practises of nursing, coaching, and counselling, achieving the pedagogical relationship has been of greatest importance whether teaching or being taught. Being in tune, in touch, responsive to and aware that we truly all are co- creators in living and learning. The walls are down, and there is an open flow of energy back and forth, to and fro, creating the lived and learned experience.  It is those moments of connection that I strive for and cherish. Call it a teachable moment, Flow, In-Sync, it is the establishment of a foundation for greater learning and greater being.

I can hardly wait for the next field trip!