If you know me, you know that I don't blog often. Although, writing does help me formulate my thoughts when I have something I want to process.
This week, I was left struck by a conversation with a young man at our ranch. He couldn't have been more than 14 or 15 years old.
When passing him in the paddock aisle, I asked him a common question, "Hey, are you riding today?" His response? "No, I'm just here to talk to the horses." In the moment, I tried not to smirk and continued on my way.
In the days following I've thought a lot about that young man's reply. It has made me ask myself, "When was the last time I came out to the barn just to talk to the horses?"
For those of us who get to do this full-time or who have been around horses for many years, perhaps we can get so wrapped up in planning our lesson schedules, managing client expectations or dealing with the pressure of show season, that we forget to take opportunities to simply 'talk to the horses'.
Since that thought-provoking moment, on any given day, you might just see me taking a minute to sit on an occupied paddock's fence, to crouch in the grass at the end of a line, or to linger in a pen enjoying the company of an equine companion.
Take time to smell the roses, watch a butterfly, listen to the frogs, talk to the horses.