Horses instinctively know how to move stress and discomfort through their body. Of course this doesn’t mean that we need to stop looking for discomfort or not treat them, but when they are in a stressful situation, such as dealing with a higher member of the herd pecking order, they will often use different movements to release tension. Some of these including yawning, or licking and chewing. (It’s important to note that licking and chewing is a complex response and more information can be found here: https://equusoma.com/why-horses-lick-and-chew/). What these behaviors often indicate is that the horse is responding to a stressful situation or transitioning through levels of stress within their window of tolerance. And this is something we can learn from.
I don’t know about you, but when I am in a tense or stressful situation, such as dealing with a difficult situation, I tense up. I curl in on myself. My muscles tense. And I turn inward, sometimes even hunching my shoulders or curling up in my chair. Actively lowering the shoulders and opening the chest by bringing my shoulders (now lowered) back, helps to shift my body into a position that feels more relaxing. A big sigh. Sometimes even using a long “AHHHHHH” as I do so, moves the stress from my body. And if it’s really stressful, I might utilize paranyama or breathing exercises, physical motion like focusing on grounding or checking in with various parts of my body, or even get up, go outside, and do horse chores or just walk around, to move the stress through my body.
In order to do this, I need to be aware of my body. I need to be able to check in with it, and recognize when I am in a situation where my sympathetic nervous system is activated. In short, I need to know when I am disregulated.
This is why I do work with yoga, yoga nidra, and meditation, so that I can be aware of the changes in my body and be willing to react by moving the stress through my system. Horses are intuitively connected to their bodies. They live in the now, which means they’re in the moment and able to react. Some of this is because they are prey animals and some of it is merely the innate ways that animals live in the moment, unlike us humans who try to stay in the past or the worry about the future. Connecting with our bodies keeps us in the moment and is a good way to help move stress through the body.
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