“With even mind: calmly”.

Horses are natural teachers of mindfulness.

In order to best communicate with the horse I need to be in a neutral emotional mind set. Any excitement, nervousness, anger, trepidation will pass on to various parts of my body and these messages will then pass through to the horse - interfering with the conversation you are intending to have. They teach you to become aware of what effect your mind has on your body and visa versa e.g. am I carrying my shoulders high, forward, tucked up into my neck in response to a nervous mind set I am currently in? In making a conscious effort to breath into my shoulders, dropping them down and back, I not only ensure I don’t miscommunicate with my horse I also start to find my nervous mindset subsides.

They help you learn to see your mind and body as one entity, linked intrinsically to one another.

You learn that the only way to successfully communicate and form a relationship with your horse is aequo animo.

Oil on Canvas, using beeswax and glaze to create layers of textures.

First, I mixed the paint with Beesewax and loosely sketched the composition, colour & shading - using a spatular to make thick rich layers of paint & using colour at random on impulse. I then waited a couple of weeks for this to dry.

Once mostly dry, I started painting more texture and detail, this time with a paint brush in a more controlled manner - using paint mixed with glaze.

Once again I waited for this to dry - I then used the spatular to chip & scrape away the glaze layer in places - revealing the textures underneath.

I repeated this process multiple times, creating a final image rich in layers of texture, grit, strength and with an eery depth - which speaks of my relationship with The Horse that in many ways my emotional survival has depended on; I’ve whispered my secrets and they’ve kept them for me without judgement, during sadness or stress their smell and their texture brings on an immediate sense of tranquility, setting a psychological landscape in which I start to feel safe, strong and better equipped.