As you get off the plane in a strange and new environment you feel a little nervous because you’re not sure what is in store for you. This was a mystery vacation set up by your loving husband. You came along at his demand and even though you didn’t feel like leaving the comforts of home you loaded into the plane without physical resistance on the outside. On the inside you are churning with mixed feelings of excitement, curiosity and at the same time insecurities.
As your equipment is unloaded you meet your guide. Your first impression of him is very disturbing, as he appears quite lacking in confidence. You think to yourself, this can't possible be the head guide who will be leading this hiking expedition through the Amazon. Isn’t there someone else, with bigger and stronger muscles that carry a big knife and bazooka for protection? Perhaps someone like Bruce Willis in “Die Hard” or Crocodile Dundee.
Not only does your scrawny, weaponless guide appear to lack confidence he apparently has no plan. He informs you that we will be going on a walk-about through the jungle to just enjoy the day. As your backpack, which seems way to heavy is being loaded upon your back, you wonder if this will be the last day that you will be ever be able to enjoy. You dream of being back at home in the safety of your kitchen, sipping your favorite coffee while eating a delicious donut. Your husband tries to reassure you, but you can see that he doesn’t have much confidence in the leadership abilities of this guide either.
Against your better judgment you try to put your trust in a leader lacking confidence and a plan. To compound your fears every time you jump at a moving vine or spider the guide yells at you. “What are you doing? Stop that, it’s just a ...”
It doesn’t matter how many times he yells at you because everything is so new to you. You’re just not sure what is dangerous and what is not. As a result everything apparently give you a fright. The leader cannot understand your uncertainty nor does he want to, which is obvious by his impatience and yelling.
The next thing you encounter is a huge snake which of course you are deathly afraid of. However, the guide makes you stop and look at it, trying to explain to you that it is totally harmless. However, the adrenaline is flowing so fast through your veins that you don’t hear a single word that comes out of his mouth.
The next snake that you come upon looks less harmful to you. You are starting to become a little relaxed and feel like you might be able to enjoy a small portion of this experience. However your guide is now freaking out and is much more afraid than you. Now you’re so mixed up, because you don’t know when you are suppose to be afraid and when you are not. However, you are convinced that if the guide is afraid of this snake, that you should be also.
As the day continues your guide works hard trying to get you to like him. He tells some jokes, but you don’t get them as they are from a different culture. You just can’t shake the fact that you have no faith in his abilities. So no matter how hard he tries a trusting relationship is not established.
I hope that by imagining what it would feel like to be a prey animal that is totally dependant on another’s leadership while experiencing a new environment will allow you to feel what your horse feels on many occasions.
I know that without a competent, knowledgeable, understanding, relaxed yet strong and confident leader with a plan of action, my fears of being in a new environment with real predators would be magnified tenfold.
Whether it is real or imagined, we must realize that prey animals must be on the lookout for danger because their lives depend on it. It is only when they find a good leader and develop trust for that leader that they are able to finally relax and enjoy the day.
So the next time you are going on a walk-about tour with your horse, seek to understand him, especially if he is acting with fright. There is a reason for his fright in his mind, even if you don’t see it right away. Determine to be a good leader for your horse; because it is what he needs more than anything else!
Happy Trails,
Sherry
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