Trotting along the Path of Horse and Mind Training
In the quiet open grassland forests that are known as Clear Sky Retreat Center, where nature abounds, I found myself invited into the world of horses. The Center, with its rich teachings on awakening and transformational growth of all types, became the setting for what I would come to understand as yet another opportunity for a transformative journey—this time with two specific horses.
I had never been horse crazy. That was a sentiment only a couple of us shared during our initial gathering with Yvonne, the Natural Horsemanship trainer. As we introduced ourselves and shared our histories with these striking creatures, I shared my sense of uncertainty. “I’ve never really understood horses, or spent much time with them and I’m here because it seems like a great opportunity. And I’m afraid of them.”
"I’ve never really understood horses, or spent much time with them and I’m here because it seems like a great opportunity. And I’m afraid of them.”
One thing I have learned on this personal growth path at Clear Sky is learning to be vulnerable and communicate what I am experiencing. My moment of sharing vulnerability was held by the group. The space was not filled with hurried reassurances or attempts to comfort me. Instead, my friends simply witnessed my fear, nodded knowingly, or offered a reassuring smile. I felt accepted and seen in my vulnerable bravery.
My relationship with fear has stemmed from a perspective learned in childhood that viewed experiences as burdens placed upon me—something I had little control over. However, under the guidance of my spiritual Teacher, Catherine Sensei, I began to unravel this belief. She embodies the Bodhisattva spirit. She has shown me time and again that with intention and effort, beings can indeed be trained. Her aspiration commits her, not only to human beings, but to all sentient life. Training our minds and therefore influencing our experiences of life and how we interact with all manifestations is a treasure, opportunity and our birth right. Suffering happens but we no longer need to be subject to suffering. Fear can be felt but it no longer has to dictate how I experience life.
One of the pivotal lessons I received came from Qapel, one of Clear Sky’s Founding Teachers. He said, “You must be willing to die, no matter what.” Initially, this statement struck me as theoretical. I had heard similar sentiments from books and movies particularly regarding Samurai warriors, for example. However, as I reflected more deeply, I realized it was an invitation to train my mind and my actions. Fear has often governed my actions, limited my experiences and increased my feelings of nervoursness not limited to the topic of horses. His teaching offered a possibility that there may be a way through to the other side where curiosity and investigation live.
As I undertook Natural Horsemanship lessons, I felt a shift within me. My friend’s observation—“You really look different when you approach the horses”—was telling. I realized that in recognizing, accepting and acknowledging fear, it had less control of my physiology, emotions, energy and actions. I learned that they have a different language than humans but I could be trained to communicate with them. It showed that we could understand each other. I experienced growth in my interactions with the horses that spread out and permeated into all aspects of my life. When I change everything is affected. Learning with the horses has increased my repertoire of approaches to numerous challenges. Fears started to dissolve, replaced by a resilience I hadn’t known before.
Catherine Sensei often emphasizes the connection between training horses and training ourselves. Through more understanding of these powerful beings, we not only learn empathy and communication but also cultivate skills that allow us to reduce suffering—both within ourselves and in our interactions with others. As I engage with the horses, I embrace the role of a student eager for growth. Each conscious interaction with all beings, becomes a way to train my mind, to align it with the compassionate goals we set as a community.
This journey itself brings up fears. Being witnessed during this training process can feel intimidating. It’s natural to seek solace in anonymity during moments of vulnerability, and to retreat into our shells. Yet, being witnessed is a kind of connection and we all long for connection. Where it be with other humans or with other consciousnesses, or both. Consciously connecting offers profound opportunities for growth. Lets share our fears, successes and experiences! Let’s create an environment of trust and support, and flourish together.
To become a wise trainer of people, as Sensei exemplifies, requires commitment to continuous learning, and a desire for transformation. Each interaction with the horses reflects my mind state at that moment. A mirror of my internal storm or calm. Thus, as spiritual seekers, we can embrace the wisdom that is our birthright, as offered through the horses, as we learn to train our own minds and hearts.
In this journey to “No Fear,” I grow into maturity. I ripen and find courage. I am also encouraging others to do the same. And together we create a space to grow together.
Embracing the opportunity with the horses has not only provided me with new skills and confidence; it has ignited a flame of compassion and understanding that I now wish to share with the world.
FAQs
Horses serve as powerful mirrors for our internal states, reflecting our emotions and energy levels. When you approach horses with fear, they sense this immediately through your body language, breathing, and energy. By learning to recognize, accept, and acknowledge your fear rather than suppressing it, you reduce its control over your physiology and actions. This process of mindful awareness around horses translates directly into everyday life, helping you build resilience and face challenges with greater courage. The practice teaches that fear can be felt without dictating how you experience life. As shared in the journey at Clear Sky, this transformation happens through continuous practice and vulnerability, where fears start to dissolve and are replaced by resilience you hadn’t known before.
Mind training is the Buddhist practice of working with thoughts, emotions, and habitual patterns to reduce suffering and increase wisdom and compassion. Horse training and mind training are intimately connected because both involve learning to work with natural instincts and energies rather than suppressing or fighting them. Just as a horse trainer learns to redirect a horse’s energy rather than break its spirit, a mind training practitioner learns to work skillfully with thoughts and emotions. Both practices require patience, consistency, and the willingness to be present with what arises. Catherine Sensei often emphasizes this connection, teaching that through understanding these powerful beings, we not only learn empathy and communication but also cultivate skills that allow us to reduce suffering—both within ourselves and in our interactions with others.
This teaching from Qapel, one of Clear Sky’s Founding Teachers, isn’t meant to be taken literally. Rather, it’s an invitation to release attachment to fear-based patterns that limit your experiences. It means being willing to let go of the ego’s need for control and safety, allowing yourself to be fully present in each moment. This doesn’t mean recklessness, but rather the courage to face experiences with curiosity and investigation rather than avoidance. It’s about dying to old patterns of behavior that no longer serve you, making space for transformation and growth. Initially this statement may strike you as theoretical, but upon deeper reflection, it reveals itself as an invitation to train your mind and actions, offering a pathway to where curiosity and investigation live beyond fear.
Vulnerability is essential for growth in both horse work and personal development. At Clear Sky, practitioners are encouraged to share their experiences openly, including their fears and uncertainties. This creates an environment of trust where transformation can occur. Being witnessed in your vulnerability—whether by other humans or by horses—creates powerful opportunities for connection and healing. Horses particularly value authenticity; they respond more positively to someone who is genuinely present with their emotions than to someone trying to appear confident while feeling fearful inside. As discovered through natural horsemanship training, when you communicate what you’re experiencing—including your fears—the space is not filled with hurried reassurances but with acceptance and witnessing. This conscious connection offers profound opportunities for growth and helps create an environment where we can flourish together.
Horses are incredibly sensitive to human emotions, energy, and intentions. They read body language, breathing patterns, heart rate, and even electromagnetic signals from the heart. A horse will respond differently to someone who is calm versus anxious, confident versus uncertain, present versus distracted. This makes horses powerful feedback mechanisms—they show you, in real-time, what’s happening in your internal landscape. Each conscious interaction with horses becomes a mirror of your mind state at that moment—a reflection of your internal storm or calm. Through natural horsemanship lessons, many practitioners experience a visible shift in how they approach horses, realizing that in recognizing and accepting fear, it has less control over their physiology, emotions, energy, and actions. This growth permeates into all aspects of life, as learning with horses increases your repertoire of approaches to numerous challenges.
One thought on “No Fear: Embracing the Journey of Horse and Mind Training”
Tashi Delek Maureen!
Namgyal Rinpoche, when speaking of Hayagriva’s nature, would refer to the horse galloping wild and free in mountainous meadows – neighing with abandon…
Below it says, “The neigh or cry of a wild horse on the Tibetan plains is known to have the loudest cry, but in this guise, it symbolizes the roar of Dharma carried by the wind.”
Hayagriva – https://pathways.samyeinstitute.org/wiki/hayagriva/
Hayagriva is a wrathful manifestation of Avalokiteshvara. Avalokiteshvara embodies the compassion of all the buddhas and connects to the enlightened mind. In the Hayagriva manifestation, he represents the enlightened speech of all buddhas. He is the Heruka of the Lotus (Padma) Buddha Family. Referred to as “Lotus-like Speech”, he is usually depicted as red in color with a dark-green horse head with a blazing red mane emerging from his fiery red crown. The fierceness of his speech is represented by the screaming or neighing horse head. The neigh or cry of a wild horse on the Tibetan plains is known to have the loudest cry, but in this guise, it symbolizes the roar of Dharma carried by the wind.