One of the first things my trainer taught me about my horse is that horses are prey animals. It’s in their DNA to constantly be on the lookout for the coyote looking for a mouthful of their delicate lower legs, a mountain lion pouncing on their back to rip out their throat or who knows what reaching up out of a puddle of water to harrass them. Now, my mostly trained horse Avalancha is no longer as skittish as perhaps her wild cousins running the canyons of the wild west but she certainly has spooked a time or two. Both times I was standing beside her holding her lead line while she quietly grazed. Both times I suddenly found myself on the ground having held too tightly to the line as she reared in fear. These experiences have taught me to pay attention at all times, hold loosely to the line and stay at least arms length away from her. That way, she learns she can’t try to jump into my lap when she’s afraid. Speaking calmly and reassuringly to her when I sense her unrest, also helps to calm her and ward off an “incident”. It’s been a process for me to learn that such a beautiful and powerful animal can be so easily frightened. She is learning to trust my need to keep some distance between us on the ground and I am learning to be consistently reassuring with boundaries. I wonder if God sometimes tests me by holding the line loosely between us to see if I will dwell on problems or be calmed by His presence. Do I really believe He sees me as His beautiful and talented creation? Am I willing to submit to His loving direction with obedience?
