Horse Therapy

November 21, 2009

Dr. Tank, Horse Therapist
I indulged in some horse therapy yesterday. I spent several hours with my dream-come-true horse, Tank, and took a riding lesson where we made several small breakthroughs on things we’ve been working on. (Canter leads and cantering through cavaletti with no reins for any of you who are horse people.)

Tank greets me with a whinny when I come to take him from his paddock—and my spirits lift immediately. Horses don’t seem to have the same type of emotions or express love the way dogs do, but they do know who “their people” are. I think Tank greets me because he knows something nice is going to happen: he’s going to get carrots and a good grooming, or we’re going to do something interesting, like go for a ride, learn something new, or find a juicy patch of grass to graze on—sometimes all of those things. For my part, it gives me a lot of pleasure simply to look at him, inhale his scent, or lean my head on his shoulder. It does me good to be around him!

I hope you all have something you can do that cheers you up when you feel a little down. What do you love to do, what always lifts your spirits? Is it painting therapy? Reading therapy? Take-a-walk-in-nature therapy? Whatever it is, I wish you time to indulge today.

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7 comments

  1. Ohhhhh....I LOVE horses. I used to take riding lessons. Some day I'd like to get back into riding. And....I want to get my camera around a horse too. They are so gorgeous. Dr. Tank, Horse Therapist, looks like a wonderful horse and the way you write about him tells me how special he is. Is that sand in the background? Lucky you to be able to ride him on the beach! (My therapy is photographing and writing about birds, the woods, prairies, meadows...and painting now that I'm getting back into it under Laure's tutelage.)

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  2. He is a wonderful horse--very sweet and friendly. I am so lucky to have him.

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  3. Laure (painted thoughts blog) pointed us your way. Great idea we seem to share a love for the same things in life: horses, dogs, chocolate and life itself. Look forward to reading more. Best :)

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  4. It's wonderful to meet Mr. Horse, now to be known as Dr. Tank! He's gorgeous! Lucky you and lucky Dr. Tank - seems a perfect match to me!

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  5. Sheona--welcome, and I hope we find more things in common. Laure--I think he's pretty gorgeous myself, but better yet, he's my horsey "soul mate."

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  6. What a beautiful, touching love story! Tank sounds like a sweetheart.

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  7. He's a real sweetie. More like a dog than a horse.

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