Do you find yourself asking, “Is my horse happy?” Are you holding off from booking an animal communication session with them – or, tuning in more closely yourself – because you’re worried about what they might say?
You’re not alone – this is one of the most common reasons that people give!
I asked on my Facebook page this week –
“What would be the worst thing your horse could say to you? Is there something you’re scared to hear from them?”
The answers were interesting, and more varied than I expected.
People’s biggest concern was that their horse might be unhappy.
I expected that one; the number one question people ask in a session is ‘Is my horse happy?’.
The second biggest worry surprised me though –
a significant number of you were scared to hear that your horse might want a new mum!
(I’d love to know where that fear comes from – if this is you, let me know in the comments!)
Next was being told that they are in pain.
A few who were worried that their horse would tell them that THEY were causing them pain. (Another couple were scared to hear their horse say that they are too heavy to ride.)
And, a few were terrified to hear their animals tell them that the end of their life had come, it was time to say goodbye.
‘Love‘ came in to it too… you were worried that they might not feel loved.
Some were scared to hear that their horse might hate them, not like them, find them annoying, or even be afraid of them…
Okay, let me dispel some myths.
To be honest (in my experience), it’s pretty rare for animals to say that they dislike their owner. Some may not *love* their owner, but the majority do at least like and accept them. And let’s face it, if you’re the sort of person who cares enough to check how they are feeling, it’s highly unlikely they’re going to say that they don’t like you. (It’s those owners who don’t give a toss how their animals feel that may be disliked.)
And, here’s the thing – if you already have an inkling that, for instance, your horse doesn’t like its job, wouldn’t it be better to have that confirmed? So that you could do something about it?
Even if he doesn’t like where he’s living, and for whatever reason you can’t do anything about that right now – at least by hearing it directly from the horse’s mouth (lol, excuse the pun) you will know for sure what they dislike. Perhaps there is actually something you can tweak (which paddock they’re in, who their herd mates are, or who they come in contact with). And, at the very least you can reassure them that you are aware of their feelings, you are listening, you do care – and that as soon as you can do something about it you will.
Ignorance, ie sticking your fingers in your ears so that you can’t hear them, or don’t get clarity on what they actually think, feel, or want to share with you, is not bliss. It’s avoidance.
Whatever the situation is, do you really think that it’s better to stick your head in the sand and pretend everything’s fine, when deep down you know that it’s not?
That’s not fair to your horse – and, it’s not fair to you.
You’re delaying the inevitable – and, ultimately neither of you will be happy if you’re not on the same page.
The moral of the story?
If you’re wondering ‘is my horse happy’, the simple answer is, ask. Our animals genuinely appreciate us asking their opinion, and wanting clarity on how they are feeling. All they want to know is that we’re listening to them.
If you’re worried that he might not like or love you, or would prefer a different owner, ask yourself how valid that is. Why is it you think he might feel that way? What can you do about that? Do you tell him that you love him, that you appreciate his presence in your life? Or do you take him for granted, use him for your own ends, and ignore how he’s feeling? Again, if there are reasons why life isn’t perfect right now, just explain that to him, tell him you’re doing your best.
What about pain?
Ok, a bit of a rant now… if you’re scared to hear that your horse or pet is in pain… hello?! What are you thinking? Isn’t it better to know? If they are in pain, and you do nothing about it because you’re scared to hear it – well, yes, they’re going to keep being in pain. So, if you think there’s a chance they are in pain, do something about it, now. If you don’t want to ‘hear’ it via an animal communication session, then you need to take them to the vet, get a bodywork session, or something else that will help them feel better and give you the information you need.
End of life
You could say the same about those animals that are nearing the end of their life. You not wanting to live without them isn’t a good enough reason for not getting clear on what stage they are actually at, how they are feeling, and what their wishes are. You might want to check out my ‘End of Life Checklist‘ for some more guidance on this topic.
So, what are you scared to hear? Why? If, deep inside, you ‘know’ the answer, why aren’t you doing something about it?
Let’s face it, the worst that will happen is that you’ll get confirmation. Yes, that also means you will probably have to take some sort of action. But, you’ll benefit from letting your horse know you are actually listening, and do actually care how they’re feeling and what their opinions are.
Is your horse happy?
Keep connecting with your horses!
Trisha x
Grab my ‘Insider’s Guide to Animal Communication’ – a 12 page e-book to help you understand, and communicate better with your horse – here.
About Trisha
Trisha Wren has been an equine professional for most of her adult life. She rode, competed, and taught Western Riding for 15 years in Scotland, then taught horse and rider bio-mechanics in New Zealand and Australia for 10 years. She’s been a full time horse and animal communicator since April 2016. Find out more about Trisha here and sign up for her self paced Animal Communication course here.