She found it hard to bend. Her muscles held tight, keeping the joints from moving through their full range of movement. I held my hand gently behind her poll and breathed into the release. Working with my breath, I applied pressure and then eased off again. I felt the soft tissues lengthen slowly, gradually, in their own time. 

Her owner commented on how much patience is needed in my work. Sometimes, it can look to the outsider as though I’m doing nothing when I’m treating a horse. But to me, each moment is fascinating. I feel the change in muscle and fascia, a softening or a lengthening. I see the twitch of a nostril or the blink of an eye. There might be a subtle shift in posture, a lift through the withers, or more weight taken through the hindquarters. At times, the reaction can be more obvious, with a rolling of the eye, a yawn, or a lowering of the head and neck. It may seem as though I’m patiently waiting, but to me, there is change in every moment, and patience doesn’t come into it.

Your challenge today, should you wish to accept, is to consider what you could approach differently if you were able to focus on the now rather than the end goal. Might it take less energy to enjoy the moment than to summon the patience to wait to get to where you want to be?

If you’d like to know how to get started, my online course, ‘Horse Massage for Horse Owners,’ would be a great starting point. Using the skills taught in this course, you can learn how to create a softening in your horse to improve potential, partnership, and performance. As a member of team ‘Horses: Health and Happiness,’ you qualify for a 20% discount. If you’re not yet a member, join for FREE by signing up for my newsletter at The Horse Physio (you can unsubscribe at any time).

I’m Sue Palmer MCSP, aka The Horse Physio, an author, educator, and award-winning Chartered Physiotherapist. I specialise in understanding the links between equine pain and behaviour, caring deeply for my clients, and promoting calm, connection, courage and confidence through curiosity, compassion, clarity, and creativity. I’m registered with the RAMP, the ACPAT, the IHA, the CSP and the HCPC.

My popular books and online courses include:

Harmonious Horsemanship, co-authored with Dr Sue Dyson (book)

Understanding Horse Performance: Brain, Pain or Training? (book)

Horse Massage for Horse Owners (book)

Horse Massage for Horse Owners (evergreen online course)

Stretching Your Horse: A Guide to Keeping Your Equine Friend Happy and Healthy (evergreen online course)