The Little Present Moments Run Together Toward Our Future

Living in the moment, I often write in my Blogs about this living in the moment experience.

I believe the horses are best suited to help me get to that present moment reality. The individual present moments I write about all run together toward the future, and I can experience it the whole way. Knowing I'm doing my best, for that moment, helps me with my attitude.

On a good training day, with help, all the horses can get some individual training on a lunge line, in addition to their daily care. Everything goes smoother if I remember I can partner with each of our equine individually for behavioral changes, do it together, set up success, give guidance, and depersonalize it. I don't start with a mindset that it will be difficult. I discovered a little catch phrase this week that I have said often. Pace don't race! 

Taking my time I transition from one of the horses to the mule. Refreshing lounging techniques in my mind triggers that catch phrase, pace don't race. Roosevelt is successful at the walk on, when he completes a circle around me without stopping, turning and looking as if to say,"why are we doing this" or "are we done yet?" I know we have had success, in one direction. 

Pace don't race, we have the other direction as if it's the first time all over again. I'll set boundaries, have reasonable goals, and begin fresh. Getting a completed uninterrupted circle around me, lots of praise and he's a bit more engaged, we're building confidence together.

When I've shared activity time with a participant at Prospect Riding Center that has an Autism Spectrum Disorder I'm aware how much engagement is going on, either between me and the participant or the participant and the horse. It's so encouraging to observe that connection when it happen with others.

From my own experience and education I believe at times the moments for someone with Autism can be either "all me"  or "all you." What I call the "all me"  looks like I am outside looking in, my voice inflection goes unnoticed, my requests get no response. When seeing the "all you" the person can be mimicking my actions in order to rotely follow directions even as to echoing my words and voice inflection, as if to say "I'm all you." My goal is to have there be a balance, if only for a moment, to see the present moment become all encompassing. The participant I am with responds in a way that shows expression from within, something can be felt, it's like time standing still, the "present moment"  When I am in it, there is confirmation that I know I'm doing what I love to do.

So the question to ask myself if it's really the time with the horses that generalizes to my everyday life and relationships: Are they teaching me or am I teaching them?