I’m reading a fascinating book Natural Horsemanship Explained from heart to hands by Robert M. Miller, D.V.M. in which he begins by describing the benefit of the horse’s flight response as a survival took. He talks about how an underdeveloped flight response, ignoring their natural instincts, he what leads to unwanted behaviors of shyness, bolting, rearing, bucking, sticky feet, etc. Of course, I look at this from a human stand point as well. When we can follow through with our natural instincts, negative responses arise as well just the same as the horse.
But there is hope because we are not all prey for the predators out there. We can be both predator and prey by following our instincts and standing our ground. Shortly after in the book, Dr. Miller discusses being in Africa and watching hippopotamus. All the hippos, but one young one, retreated to the river. This young one was Happy continuing to graze much to the delight of two lions stalking the hippo. As one lion ran toward the young hippo, the hippo opened his mouth and charged the lion. Instantly, the lion stopped, turned, and fled. Even the other lion ran away not even pursing the attack. Go hippo!
We all have it in us to be brave like the hippo and smart like the horse.
Listen to your natural instincts and respond as you need.
