Lessons From Meerah

<p>There is nothing like leading a horse through endless labyrinth-like circles or listening to the trickle of water running over swollen legs to place me into a state of contemplation. And this is how my story begins. Nursing my ten-year-old Arabian mare through a mysterious week-long illness while my mind and this book remembers the five years of work errors triumphs and tragedies that ultimately led to a true partnership with my dressage and trail horse.</p><p>Horseback riding is my passion part of my daily existence and happiness and when my riding horse unexpectedly died I needed to fill the void left in my emotional and social life. Enter Meerah a five-year-old rescued Arabian a horse that my ego assumed I could easily train to my liking. But Meerah had her own opinion of how our new relationship should function.</p><p>I should have known better than to apply the negative-reinforcement-style training that I had used on my old Western Pleasure mount... but I didn't. I was in my late fifties and for the past twenty years had grown spiritually in my everyday life however my equestrian-mind remained mired within dominance. It was Meerah who healed my wounded emotions and introduced me to a new way of thinking about horsemanship.</p><p>Lessons from Meerah is a memoir a five-year journey of my struggle to remember the simple path one needs to follow to form a successful relationship with a new horse and not to blindly adhere to a recipe for training that I learned when I was much younger. Yet ingrained habits are hard to recognize and even harder to break.</p><p>My recently deceased horse knew what I wanted and our invisible body language of a raised rein hand or a touch of the spur would easily catapult my old mare into the proper response. But Meerah was young inexperienced and did not understand my minuscule cues let alone being ridden. I was determined to lunge my new mare into submission or bit her head into the proper position or sit heavy and squeeze my legs into controlling her speed. I was determined to re-create the Western Pleasure and trail horse that I had lost and never considered my new horse could have an opinion let alone a different goal than I.</p><p>Meerah threw me off her back and into a fence bolted and nearly unseated one trainer and successfully wiggled her way out from under another. The beautiful Egyptian Arabian was a talented mover and had great potential IF I could figure out how to ride her.</p><p>Two steps forward and one step backwards was the progress we made together as I struggled to get her into the frame I desired. And ever so slowly the epiphany of common sense seeped into my blue ribbon seeking equestrian head.</p><p>I learned to accept Meerah's ability to move as a dressage horse and not as a pre-destined Western Pleasure horse. And as I learned the value of Centered Riding Liberty training and Natural Horsemanship I changed my perspective. Meerah was not the typical equine slave I could control. Quite the contrary she became a partner. And through all these lessons I met new people rekindled old friendships and grew into the horsewoman I am today.</p><p>I'll always treasure the memories and experiences of my youth it is acceptance of change or is it growth that I applaud throughout the contents of this book. I hope you find my words and our story inspirational for your own life's journey</p><p>Suzy and Meerah</p>