Cheryl Kimball, guardian of five horses, has been a student of natural horsemanship since 1991. She is a contributor to Western Horseman and The Equine Journal and the author of Mindful Horsemanship. In this spunky paperback, she pays tribute to these animals and the many lessons they have taught her over the years. Here is one: "People who have horses that give them problems often recount all the things that are wrong with the horse: he bucks, he's mean, she tries to kick me when I enter her stall, she's so flighty. But horses just live what they know. They do not stand around trying to think up ways to make our lives miserable to be spiteful — that lifestyle is strictly a human creation. Horses are reactive, not proactive. They don't plan far in advance; they live the moment." When a relationship with a horse is not going well, the human needs to make adjustments. This is true of other relationships as well.
Other lessons Kimball has learned include: sometimes the walk is faster than the trot; a routine isn't a rut; accept your limits but expand your limits; don't force things and be humble. By respecting the instincts of horses, such as the supreme concern with self-preservation, to flee perceived danger, and to avoid confusion and chaos as much as possible, Kimball has become more tolerant of the foibles and flaws of human beings who exhibit the same tendencies. This handy little paperback offers another worthwhile example of how animals can be incredible spiritual teachers.
