Consciously Creating….How to avoid the Horse’s Behind Syndrome

Posted by admin on February 15, 2012

By Tina Colton

I’ve always envied people who are able to notice the subtlest cues and “nudges” to enhance their mindfulness in their day-to-day environment. For whatever reason, I’m one of those people who often require some sort of flashing beacon to become more aware of what I’m unconsciously creating in my life. And so it was fitting that Diamond, my 1000-pound horse, literally moved his hind end almost in my face for me to receive one of those obvious signs leading to some humbling insights.

It was a spectacular, sunny, crisp, February morning on the small ranch where I keep my horses in Central Arizona. I decided to work with Diamond using an exercise referred to as “being at liberty” in the natural horse world. “Being at liberty,” as the name suggests, involves literally freeing the horse to move without any ropes, halters, etc., and respond only to the handler’s cues through body language and energy. It is quite a powerful way to experience your energy and connection with a large animal – and ultimately with your Spirit or Source. It is cited as one of the greatest acts of partnering with a horse since it requires a high degree of trust and responsiveness on both sides.

Leading Diamond into the small round pen, I thought to myself, “What will it take to get us more in synch in order to better support people in our equine facilitated learning retreats?” While standing in the center of the ring and watching Diamond circle around me at a trot, my thoughts kept drifting back to a pressing issue with a client involving a delay in a large project. As if on cue, Diamond stopped and turned into me. Shifting my focus back on Diamond, I motioned for him to come toward me. As usual, he looked at me with those gorgeous brown eyes, ears perked forward, and then stood motionless. I thought to myself, “Ok – here he goes with his early, extensive, ground tying experience, confused on what I’m asking him to do…again!”

Deciding to abandon my normal mode of motioning faster, louder, I chose to instead affirm Diamond for simply trying. I continued praising him for listening, for looking, for being. He took the smallest step toward me. Encouraged, I continued complimenting him for all his good work, partnership and trust, he moved closer. After 2 to 3 minutes of continuous praise, Diamond stood directly in front of me – our personal best for this exercise. Amazed, I reached out and began stroking his neck and cooing words of praise. He began to lower his head, an act of submission and trust.

Feeling almost euphoric, I started to think about all we had both been through together over the last 8 years – him nearly dying two of those times and all of my struggles as a new, small business owner. I could feel myself shifting from joy toward anxiety. Once again, as if on cue, Diamond promptly moved forward stepping to his right, angling his body so that his hind end was located closer to me, and then stopped.

Talk about a humbling “billboard” for “mindfulness!” It quickly dawned on me, “He doesn’t like how it feels – this sense of anxiety – and neither do I! I’m creating old experiences from my past, fearing they will occur again, or something even worse!” He turned his head inward as if to say, “You’re onto something girl.”

I thought more about my client situation, realizing it was brand new and different from previous situations occurring earlier in my business life. I began to relax a bit and Diamond did too. I began focusing on all the valuable lessons and resources gained through my previous experiences and how well they’ve prepared me for this current client situation. Stepping closer to Diamond, I said to myself, “…and I may not know what the future looks like…” Diamond’s head abruptly rose up. “And, I need to know that I’ll be okay.“ This last idea caused me to exhale and relax even more. Diamond’s eye softened and he lowered his head a tiny bit.

In that instant, it became clear to me that relaxing was imperative to my success with any client situation or desired creation for that matter, both in my personal and business life. Trusting myself, my Source, and having faith and believing all would be well or okay is really my work, or place, for attaining better balance within myself. Even I could see how it could work right now.

Over the next week, I spent a great deal of time using meditation and other tools to reconnect myself to the part of me that trusts and knows all is well. Within a week, new clients came my way, new inspirations for product innovations came my way, and my key client situation began to open up and progress in a more expansive direction – one I could not have imagined!

I was fortunate to have Diamond present me with this opportunity to avoid what I’ll call the “Horse’s Behind Syndrome.” This syndrome involves unconsciously creating your life from what my esteemed colleagues in the personal change field refer to as the “unhelpful past” – that part of our history which feeds our present day concerns and in many cases stymies our progress on business and personal goals. The thing about the “horse’s behind syndrome” is we are blind to our role in creating or perpetuating circumstances and events in our lives through our fear filled perceptions and reactions.

I’m sure you have your own ways of avoiding this syndrome. We’d love to hear them. In the mean time, here are a few tips I’ve learned from Diamond:
• Be present to your current situation. Noticing how you feel is always a good place to start.
• Affirm and accept your current situation by affirming yourself and appreciating what is. Ask yourself, “How has this served me?” Genuine appreciation focuses us on what are often overlooked, valuable resources and broadens our perspective.
• Be open to receive insights and inspirations from this new, more expansive perspective.

Try them. Diamond and I know you will find these suggestions helpful at avoiding “Horse’s Behind Syndrome.”

Join us at our spring “Being Your Own Leader” retreat in beautiful Carefree, Arizona (April 13-15). Gain valuable tools for supporting your inner leader and maintaining balance in your life. You’ll get to meet Diamond, too!