GETTING GROUNDED
Learning to ride and having a horse was a childhood dream, but before arriving in Montana I’d only ever been on horseback a handful of times. Now my main teacher is a horse named Belle.

This very new experience of working with horses has been like holding a mirror up to reflect some of my not-so-positive habitual patterns. For example, catching your horse is the first thing you have to do before anything else can happen, and there have been a few times where I wasn’t sure I was going to accomplish this seemingly simple first step (horses are not like dogs—they don’t come when you call them). One day I asked my riding instructor, Annie, how long it usually takes to catch a horse. She responded, “Horses don’t have a schedule.”

OK, I get it. But I kept coming back to what she said and reflecting on how I could apply this simple fact about horses to my life. With a young daughter, my own business, and a seemingly endless list of things to juggle, my life is meticulously scheduled. Otherwise, nothing gets accomplished. I’m used to viewing everything through the lens of how much time it takes. Clearly not what hanging out with a horse (or yoga for that matter) ought to be about, right? So Belle has taught me one of yoga’s many lessons—let go of habitual behavior patterns (in Sanskrit called samskaras) that we get stuck in.

RIDING HIGH
Learning to ride a horse felt like learning yoga all over again. Finding my breath and relaxing my muscles yet engaging them while coordinating new types of body movements atop Belle was nerve-wracking at first (especially when coupled with the fear of falling off). But I was able to tap the same internal resources I use in my yoga practice: ujayii breath (audible breath that builds body heat and focuses the mind, bringing it back to the present moment), body awareness and clearing mind clutter. When I practice these things, it’s much easier to move in harmony with Belle, which is one of the most incredible feelings ever—not unlike that feeling you get from a great yoga practice. There you have it; yoga on horseback.

Hundreds of hours in the saddle later, I’m past the shock of being a newbie rider and enjoying the process of discovery brought about by my learnings with Belle. I’ve been reading a lot about the horse-human relationship and its fascinating history, and evolving my yoga on horseback. Things evolved so beautifully that my riding instructor Annie (pictured on the right) and I are offering Cowgirl Yoga retreats this summer.

When we started our yoga for equestrians program, I was a bit nervous about assuming the role of teacher in the presence of my teachers, especially Belle. When I’m instructing how to use yoga on horseback to relax and connect with your horse, I can’t help but wonder if Belle is thinking to herself, why don’t you do that more?? I’ve learned that being the teacher doesn’t necessarily mean I know how to employ the lesson all the time. That in itself is a major lesson, and an ongoing reminder.

COWGIRL YOGA | Join Margaret and Annie this summer for a Cowgirl Yoga retreat. Explore how horses and yoga can put you in touch with your potential and teach you about yourself. You’ll practice yoga, spend time with horses, and kick up your heels in the cowgirl-friendly town of Bozeman, Montana. Best of all, you’ll experience the indescribable feeling of connecting with an awe-inspiring animal. Visit BigSkyYogaRetreats.com for dates and details.

AUTHENTIC COMMUNICATION
Learning to communicate with Belle has been amazing. Optimal horse-human communication is mostly silent, through body language and emotion. It’s a challenging thing to learn when we’re used to expressing ourselves with words, but it reminds me of yoga. Whether we know it or not, we become drawn to yoga for its ability to put us in touch with our bodies and what we’re truly feeling. It cultivates authenticity; are we being authentic to our true selves, or are we hiding behind an identity that isn’t a true reflection of our nature? Recognizing this can be a painful process that evolves along with our yoga practice. I’m sure most of you have had the experience of a yoga pose bringing on a sudden and unexpected flood of emotion. It may come as a surprise, but afterwards we feel that some real part of us has been revealed, and that can be a huge relief.

I recently read The Tao of Equus, a book that examines the horse-human relationship in detail, and how horses can awaken our intuition. It goes so far as to suggest we can’t establish a meaningful interspecies connection without first being “emotionally congruent.” In short, horses know when we’re lying to ourselves and they won’t tolerate it (similarly, we won’t grow in our yoga practice if we’re not open to the process of self-discovery). How wonderful to have another being as a mirror for our true selves. There are moments when I feel I’ve connected with Belle that have brought on powerful and pure emotion. These are moments where I am truly present and authentic, as when I’m able to be present in my yoga practice. The parallels continue to astonish me.

The following quote from The Tao of Equus could be applied to either horse or yoga experience: “Ultimately the willingness to relinquish accepted concepts and respond authentically in the moment [leads] to an increasing ability to navigate through the unknown, to become more fluid and adaptable, to embrace all experiences and emotions as meaningful information.”

I love the idea that my horseback riding is an extension of my yoga practice, and that Belle is my teacher. If you’re a practicing or aspiring cowgirl yogini, click here for my favorite poses to enhance your time in the saddle.

Namaste, Margaret
Photos © 2008 Larry Stanley

MARGARET BURNS VAP is the founder of Big Sky Yoga Retreats, combining yoga and outdoor fitness in Montana Big Sky country. Her relationship with yoga began almost a decade ago as a way to balance her hectic New York City lifestyle and a corporate career with cosmetics giant L'Oreal... {more»}

Related Chi: Breathe. Feel. Trust. Giddy Up. Cowgirl Yoga: Poses for Riders Cowgirl Yoga: Poses for Riders II Get Your Yoga On