What's with women and horses?
Like a lot of women, a lot of horses have felt the confinement of a life that feels too small for so much power and beauty.
Like lots of little girls, I dreamed about having a horse of my own, but the closest I ever got was being plopped on a pony to ride in a Fourth of July parade with my dad.
Looking back, I’m still left with a feeling of close-but-no-cigar. To get a taste of your heart’s desire and then go back to a life that feels… small in comparison?
Talk about disappointing.
It wasn’t until right before my 30th birthday, when my mom started dating a bonafide cowboy, that I decided maybe it wasn’t too late. He put me up on Apache Moon (Mooney for short), an Arabian/Quarter Horse cross, and the shit eating grin on my face said it all. I was IN.
Within the year, I’d signed up for riding lessons and purchased a horse of my own.
Everything about inviting horses into my life woke me up, brought me alive.
I went from a feeling of being too confined, like my life was missing something, to learning and expanding and tuning in to brand new possibilities (one being selling our house in town and moving to the acreage we’re on now!).
It’s not a big jump to imagine how a horse feels when they’re stuck in a stall that’s too small for so much beauty and power… Their little window to the outside world definitely close-but-no-cigar—longing for something just out of reach.
There’s a reason we’re drawn to the cliche image of the horse running through the field with its mane flying in the wind. It can feel like a symbol for everything we long for but can’t quite reach. That freedom, spaciousness, untamed self-expression.
So what’s up with women and horses? A lot of that 👆🏼 I think. And lots more, depending on the person (you have anything to add in the comments? 👇🏼).
That place where we’re feeling like our lives are too small, like we want more (even if we’re not sure what that “more” is yet), like something wants to move in us, in our lives… That’s where I meet many of my clients.
I’ve seen women transform by engaging with horses and beginning to let the potential and beauty and power they feel deep inside be seen.
Even simply being in the presence of a horse can help slow our heart rate and connect us to something bigger than our everyday lives, something sacred. It can widen our perspective of what’s possible.
Sometimes that comes with a slice of grief, a sadness about finding ourselves in a place where life feels too small.
But in that case, there’s usually a kernel of hope that arises around what can happen from here. A moment of honesty and a gathering of courage to move forward.
Talk about beautiful. 🥰
So I’m curious… What is it for you? What draws you to horses? If not in real life, then in your imagination?
You can reply via email or post in the comments below. I’d love to know!
xo,
Hannah
Being around them invites me into a communication beyond words, reminding me to speak in and through my body. Riding centers me, reminding me that the subtlest cues matter, my breath, the shift of my weight. It's orgasmic to slip into that zone of fluid balance, even if it only lasts for a few moments, it keeps me coming back.
Horses don’t care what you look like or the clothes you wear. They don’t place any value in the color of your hair or the shape of your body. They judge you based on your actions: are you trustworthy? are you kind? are you consistent? Do you show up day in and day out, in sun or rain or snow and give what you can? They show us how to enjoy the simple things: green grass and a trough full of water, a good scratch and easy companionship. They know who their friends are.