Horse Logic Relaxation Is Contagious

by Nicole Birkholzer

If you ride a horse, you know that one of the biggest worries is having one horse set the next one off — especially when you’re on board.

During a recent barn call, my client was faced with precisely that situation. She and her warmblood mare, often a bit spicy, were trotting around the arena when a horse at the other end of the

Of course, the extra bonus was that the other horse and his rider benefited as well.

This vignette shows two important things. First, that we are in it together. There is no question that our energy affects others and vice versa. Second, it shows us that we have a profound positive impact when we take the relaxation route: arena had a near meltdown. My client, aware of the energy that was building, inhaled deeply and exhaled fully. Her mare followed suit, releasing a big shuddering breath out her nostrils. The horse on the other end of the arena promptly responded with a big snorty exhale. when we choose to expand rather than contract; when we become aware that we hold our breath and then change that pattern by fully releasing so others can too.

What a thrill! Instead of tensing up and holding her breath, a default for most of us, my client had done the exact opposite. She exhaled; she released and relaxed. Her exhale softened her spine, softened her arms and seat, and softened the connection to her horse. The horse realized her person was not concerned; therefore, she could also relax and focus on her person again instead of the other horse.

Relaxation is also a gateway to healing. My mare, Shana, recently injured one of her legs and needed surgery and hospital care. It was my third visit with Shana since she’d been hospitalized. I walked down the rubber-matted aisle keeping an eye out to the left. There she was, in stall number three. I took a deep breath as I entered Shana’s stall; she was finishing up her hay. I told Shana we had permission to go outside and eat grass, but I wanted to check in with her before we headed out.

As I stood on Shana’s right side, I watched the large warmblood diagonally across from us. The horse was in a sling, held with chains that were hooked to an apparatus hanging from the ceiling. I had admired the horse on my last visit. He was calm despite the giant hammock under his belly. He couldn’t move. Like a statue, he was always in the same spot in the middle of the stall.

While I was watching the other horse, Shana stepped closer to me and turned her head, asking me to scratch her face and around the ears where her coat was stuck together. She had a thick winter coat in a building set to 65 degrees Fahrenheit. She was sweating during the day, and her coat stuck together during the night when temperatures fell.

After a few rubs, Shana stepped back and shook her head, releasing some tension. Excellent, I thought. Accustomed to living outdoors and roaming free, staying in a hospital was a different world for her. Plus, with all the procedures and interactions with strangers, as friendly as they were, I felt the tension throughout Shana’s body.

After her quick release, Shana came back for more. Again, I scratched as Shana moved her head this way and that way. And again, she stepped back and shook her head and, this time, her neck.

Shana returned a third time, asking me to scratch, now also down her neck and chest. And after that rubdown, she initiated a three-quarter body shake. Her belly went left and right as she blew out through her nose. I exhaled loudly as I felt the tension drop off my mare.

Next, Shana walked off to the left and stopped at the door. Now she was ready to go outside. Checking in with Shana had been the right thing to do. After three releases, she was undoubtedly less tense and more relaxed for our adventure outdoors.

I followed Shana to the door and told her we had to put the halter on before getting the vet tech to help us get outside. As I reached for the halter, I heard a loud banging and clanking of chains.

Clattering and more chain-rattling noises followed. I looked around to see where the noise was coming from. My eyes fell on the warmblood across the aisle, who was now wiggling, hopping, and moving oddly around while his sling swayed.

What was happening? Was he having a meltdown? Did I need to let the staff know?

Suddenly, the giant horse shuddered from his head, down the spine, to his tail in a humongous release. An instant later, he was once again perfectly still, in his sling, eating hay.

I exhaled.

This was remarkable. Shana’s releases had triggered the warmblood into a release as well, a full, head-to-tail release. While Shana did not yet trust her injured leg to hold a full release, she did get three-quarters of the way; the warmblood brought it home for the team.

Isn’t it fantastic to know how everything is interrelated? To witness how herd dynamics work, and to understand that we are part of the herd?

I was the grounder on that day. As I helped Shana to ground herself, she grounded more and more to the point that she was ready to go outside. Her grounding helped the warmblood to ground as well.

It’s genius. We have so much to offer if we focus on ourselves first. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.

My client’s breath inspired her horse to exhale, and as a result, her horse encouraged the other horse in the arena to exhale.

My calm and rooted energy inspired Shana to release. In turn, the warmblood felt the tingles and jingles, creating an opportunity for his release.

Trust that your breath will be contagious because it is. The best thing you have to offer is bringing your most embodied self to the barn. Take three deep conscious breaths as you step out of the car or out of your house. Creating this tiny mindful moment to be with yourself is powerful. Focus on your inhale and release tension with your exhale. Say “hi” to your body. Allow your body to respond. It will soften and become more receptive. As your relaxed, embodied self walks up to your horse, your horse will also relax. And who knows who you might positively affect along the way?

All you need to know is that your relaxed self is — for sure — contagious.

Nicole Birkholzer professionally and telepathically communicates with animals across the world. In her phone sessions and workshops, she helps you discover the secret to communicating with your animals successfully. Nicole shares the world through your animal’s eyes in her podcast, Let’s Have a Chat! She’s the author of Pet Logic and Horse Logic. To learn more, visit mindful-connections.com.