Most of us don’t really like to think about it, but when you share your life with horses there is a big possibility you are confronted with their passing.
"The passing of your best friend or family/herd member can immensely impact your life."
It is not a subject all humans feel comfortable about. So we want to soften this conversation.
First of all, a lot of horses feel more connected to (their) nature, the seasons and cycles. In nature life and death are really closely connected.
This may be seem surprising when you grew up in a more western oriented culture. For it can seem like the two of them are separated from each other or even opposites. But every cell in the body of the horse, every season, every shedding of coats is connected to the ever changing form of the life experience and manifestation of the embodied being of the horse. Death is part of another change and transformation.
Challenges
There is however a big difference in the “natural living” and the modern herds and ways of living with horses.
"For decisions about the life and death of a horse may end up in your hands, and this can feel extremely unnatural."
One of the most powerful realizations is that your decisions in the life of the horse matter.
When you live together with horses in most cases you may already decide for the horse where to live, what to eat, how to spend time or even who will become their friends. But the decisions about the passing from life to death will always feel different.
Here are a few thing you can do to support you and the horse in this proces:
Emotionally:
- Prepare yourself emotionally for this moment by going trough it every year in your imagination and your emotions. This may seem strange or uncomfortable at first but it is a powerful practice of love. This way you will be able to be present in a different way when the time comes.
- When the time comes tell the horse what you appreciate about the time you spend together. You can also imagine a slide show of your greatest moments together, for horses are great visual and telepathic communicators. Take time to thank the horse.
- Imagine the horse is going on a vacation or beautiful journey. When you say goodbye it will feel more like: I wish you a beautiful journey. I love it for you that you will have new adventures or beautiful moments in an other way. This will make it easier for you and the horse.
- Let the horse know he/she/it is loved and it is okay to go.
Practical
-If possible try to arrange the ritual of passing at the place where the horse feels most at home.
-Explain to the horse and the herd (this can also mean other beings besides horses) that the horse will be passing.
- Take time for goodbyes.
- For horses it is can be a very vulnerable process to pass therefore it will be easier for the horse when he or she is close to other members of the herd.
-When the horse passes on the same or an other location the other horses and beings connected to their life experience can feel this. However horses and herds know grief and goodbyes. If possible let the other members of the herd see or be with the body of the horse. This way they can let go of the spirit of the horse and the physical place the horse embodied on earth.
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