The Mirror Has Three Faces

Pat and Linda Parelli of Parelli Natural Horsemanship have several advertising campaigns out in national horse magazines. The ads encourage horse owners to unlock the full potential of their relationship with their horse, by participating in a Parelli clinic or some other instructional format.

My favorite is a picture of a Chinese fortune cookie. The fortune reads, “Your Horse is a Mirror of You.”

If Pat and Linda are right, my mirror has three faces. In a way they are right. Each of my horses mirrors some of my strengths and weaknesses.

John has boundless energy and he is always busy. He can get so tense that it is like sitting on an accordion. But that horse has a huge heart and he puts every fiber of his being into his work (and in some cases, to getting out of his work!)

Secret is the boss mare and she knows it. But underneath her tough exterior, she second guesses herself and me and needs to be reassured. The mare has tons of athletic ability and can be the reason for one of the coolest rides.

Remi is all personality. If I walk out into the field to get one of the three for a ride, Remi is always the first to greet me. If I’m not looking for her, she will walk next to me and wrap her head and neck around me so that I cannot move forward, away from her. There is nothing wrong with that girl’s ego. She also has tons of athletic ability and a huge heart. Probably what I love the most is that when I teach her something, she gets it the first time and we rarely have to repeat the lesson.

If my horses really are mirroring me, I hope that I can continue to improve and build on that image.

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