Curiosity before the cart

The world can be a wonderful place (and in big parenthesis, when I let it). Last Saturday when I arrived to prepare for a therapeutic riding lesson, these two horses in the paddock caught my attention. I almost missed it because I was rushed and felt I had limited time.

On this day, I stopped and took time to be curious. While I watched the two horses play, I realized they were not only playing, they were collaborating. Two spirits disguised in horse costumes letting their joy shine. They were having a good time. Note: children are excellent at making games with little to no materials, similar to horses.

A third horse wanted to join the fun but sometimes three is a crowd. He was pushed away by one of the horses with a simple and aggressive head gesture. Another note: 80 to 90 percent of human communication is non-verbal. Sending a message of “no” with an intention in the body can be as effective as saying “no.” Can you remember when you received only a look from a parent and you knew were busted?

No, horses are not people. This is obvious. These crazy and calm creatures have much to teach us. The beauty is that you have to pay attention and be curious! Second requirement is that you have to let go of old ideas about what you know.

I recently let go of the concept that there is one way to train a horse. Absolutely false. Just like children, all horses are wired differently. Some are highly anxious, while some are oblivious to the world. And some are jokers!

Call me weird, but I find more entertainment watching horses than any TV show. Fred Rogers often said, “it is good to be curious about many things.” Children can teach us adults because in general they are more curious. We lose our curiosity. Why? Because we know it all. This is a recipe for isolation and misery. Be curious.

Here is your assignment. Investigate one thing you know and study it with fresh eyes and ears. What don’t you know?

The more I know, the less I know. Be curious. Let the cart roll on by.