By: Deb Kitchenmaster
Our horsemanship journey is a reflection of numerous unnamed people who you may never hear of but have been significant in who and how we are with our horses and each other. It is with these invaluable individuals in mind that I write this November article with thanksgiving.
Emily and I were warming our horses up after getting them settled in their stalls awaiting the Memorial weekend Kandi Klassic Morgan/Open Horse Show. Emily was showing in a Morgan Hunter Pleasure Amateur class the next day, and I was showing in a Morgan Western Pleasure class. It had been years since I had shown my own horse; but Meadow Run Annie and I had worked hard and we were ready. I had big time butterflies inside and Annie was instinctively aware of my emotional state. She, being a forward horse (meaning she liked to move out and could be considered hot, meaning fast and intense) mirrored my inner world when Emily rode up beside me and smiled. She told me I could slow Annie down and steady her with a song. She had my attention!
Emily encouraged me to select a song, set the tempo, and silently sing the song and experience the results while riding. “Thank you, Emily!” I did. I chose a ‘Gaither’ song “Something Beautiful”; my tempo was quite mellow and slow and guess what? Annie connected with my inner song and relaxed, and we enjoyed our time together with ease. Why? My inner world shifted to the beauty of the song away from the worries of performing and critical voices, and Annie simply mirrored the shift. We placed the next day in our class as the ribbons were handed out. Annie and I received a yellow (third place) ribbon.
This morning I awakened to a song going off inside me by Bethel Music called “Take Courage.” Here are the beautiful lyrics:
Slow down, take time
“Breathe in,” He said
He’d reveal what’s to come
The thoughts in His mind
Always higher than mine
He’ll reveal all to come
Take courage my heart
Stay steadfast my soul
He’s in the waiting
He’s in the waiting
Hold onto your hope
As your triumph unfolds
He’s never failing
He’s never failing
Sing praise my soul
Find strength in joy
Let His Words lead you on
Do not forget
His great faithfulness
He’ll finish all He’s begun
So take courage my heart
Stay steadfast my soul
He’s in the waiting
He’s in the waiting
Hold onto your hope
As your triumph unfolds
He’s never failing
He’s never failing
Take courage my heart
Stay steadfast my soul
He’s in the waiting
He’s in the waiting
Hold onto your hope
As your triumph unfolds
He’s never failing
He’s never failing
And You who hold the stars
Who call them each by name
Will surely keep, Your promise to me
That I will rise, in Your victory
And You who hold the stars
Who call them each by name
Will surely keep, Your promise to me
That I will rise, in Your victory!
So take courage my heart
Stay steadfast my soul
He’s in the waiting
He’s in the waiting
And hold onto your hope
Watch your triumph unfold
He’s never failing
He’s never failing
So take courage my heart
Stay steadfast my soul
He’s in the waiting
He’s in the waiting
And hold onto your hope
Watch your triumph unfold
He’s never failing
He’s never failing!
He’s in the waiting
He’s in the waiting
He’s in the waiting
He’s in the waiting
He’s in the waiting.
Five times He’s in the waiting is sung…the number for GRACE!
The word ‘wait’ means to pause or hold your fire. When we are with our horses and when we are with each other, we hit the pause button over and over again. Why? Because we understand and know that if our intention is for healthy connections we will practice waiting. We wait for a horse to lower its head so we can respectfully put on a halter or bridle. We wait for our horse to complete ‘lick-and-chew’ moments knowing quite well our communication is moving in the direction we want it to go. We wait for a horse to give us an eye or for an ear to tip our direction. We wait for a horse to shift weight in willingly giving us a hoof. We wait for a horse to bend its head without moving a hoof. We wait for the shoulders to move away from us while the hind legs have little to any movement. We wait to mount our horse without a clear communication to do so. We wait for transitions to become smoother and smoother. We wait for gaits to be more rhythmic and consistent. It’s in the waiting.
We as a nation are waiting for the revealing of the President of the United States of America. Tell your heart to take courage. Tell your soul to stay steadfast and hold onto your hope as our triumph through perfect, unfailing love unfolds!
By: Deb Kitchenmaster
