Mindfulness for animal lovers – transforming chaos into peace
Being fully present with our animals brings awareness to the feelings we share with them and by understanding them on an emotional level we can form closer relationships and create the space for change in behaviour, without the need for dominance, escalating pressure or force. I work with all animals including horses and domestic pets.
There is a huge shift which is taking place right now in the world of horses, animal training and the way we interact with others generally, as we move away from the dominance hierarchy which has been prevalent in recent years towards a desire to build peaceful connections with ease and grace.
The “unwanted” behaviours that our animals display are an expression of their emotional state – fear, anxiety, frustration, stress etc. This can be rooted in a general feeling of anxiety or insecurity about their current situation, deeply held trauma from past experiences or triggers in their every day environment.
When an animal is in a high emotional state, they are unable to respond to us appropriately and learning cannot take place. This is why training solutions may be ineffective, until we can first support them in finding emotional balance.
External pressures also play a part; when we are no longer doing what is expected or seen as normal by others we are standing out from the crowd, feeling isolated and vulnerable. In our effort to fit in, we can stop attending to our own or our animals’ needs by allowing ourselves to be pressured by others’ opinions and social norms, even though in our heart of hearts it just doesn’t feel right.
When our animals are struggling it is not unusual for us to find that we then have an emotional response to their emotional response, leading to our own feelings of worry, frustration, embarrassment, sadness or something else. Once we bring some awareness to our own thoughts, feelings, actions and reactions we can begin to change our perspective and the way we feel and behave, enabling us to create a safe environment for our animals and model a more balanced response to challenging situations.
We know how difficult it can be to change habits that we have been practicing for many years and yet we somehow expect our animal companions to change just because we want them to. We cannot train away fear or worry, we can only demonstrate that there is nothing to fear and that we can be trusted to take care of them and make good choices (in their opinion).
Presence – Focus your mind on the here and now and create a mindset that is supportive to yourself and your animal
Self-Awareness – Notice how your own reactions and judgments feed unwanted behaviour
Listening Skills – Become a better listener by observing behaviour closely
Communication – Pay Attention to your animals’ responses and let them guide your choices
Intuition – Trust what you already know
Authenticity – Know and Believe in who you are
Advocacy – Stand in your own power and don’t allow others opinions to hold you back
If you are ready to take the next steps towards developing a more peaceful relationship with your horse, dog or other animal then please get in touch. I offer a free introductory call so you can decide if this is the right path for you.
I offer in person coaching within travelling distance of Marlborough, Wiltshire, UK or video coaching with/without your animal. sally@gracefulhorsemanship.co.uk