Acceptance

In my Readings, Horses speak a lot about Acceptance. And when we look at the life of the Horse down through history, we see why they are masters at Acceptance. Their survival depends on it. Chronic resistance brings them disastrous results.

My mare, Mystic, is a lovely example of Acceptance. Her perspective on Acceptance is that you must find your place of receptivity in whatever situation you are in. From there you can find contentment, or a way to cope, or a place of Acceptance until you have more choice. Acceptance for her is to avoid conflict, she hates conflict. She also does not see Acceptance as ‘forever’ but more as coping for the time being. She views Acceptance as a way of remaining intact.  

For Marley, his view on Acceptance was focused on Nora, his Human. He says, ‘When you align with acceptance, you become the dance of surrender, this is not the same as losing. Surrender becomes its own interpretation of individuality and power. It becomes a life of its own. And it is immune to outside influence. This is a safe place to be’.

Now, Marley did not always apply this to himself, he was definitely a Horse with his own opinions and agenda, and he defended those well. But he believed that Nora would benefit from Acceptance. He wished for her to find a softer way.

His take on Acceptance leading to Surrender is brilliant. And the perspective of Surrender being a place of power and being a safe place is equally genius.

Rose, a Waler mare has wisdom for Acceptance as well. She says, ‘Acceptance is not giving up, or giving in, it is giving over. It is being present with ‘what is’ and what is possible. It is acknowledging that you have heard, and you will answer. It is allowing a new way of living and being. Acceptance is a place of peaceful transformation.’

Again, these Horses do not look at Acceptance as losing, or a life sentence; they see it as actively becoming change. As ‘becoming’, not resignation.

These three examples alone offer tremendous insight into the beauty of and value of Acceptance. If we are wise as Humans, we will apply these principles within our own life.

It is essential that when we consider the idea of Acceptance with a Horse, we must remember that any Horse that complies out of self-preservation is not Accepting the situation, it is surviving. Pressuring a Horse with survival is not education for the Horse. As Humans it is our great responsibility and privilege to educate Horses and not dominate them. When we ask them with honor and education, they are far more likely to Accept what we are asking.