Equine wellness: ‘Horsing around’ good for the soul

Hear ye, hear ye! Horsehair is beneficial to some women’s overall wellness. If you’re one of those women, you likely already knew that. It was instinctive from a very young age.

That said, those of us who previously or currently have horses in our care understand it’s a huge commitment that doesn’t come without cost. Time and more than a little pocket jingle are needed to keep horses happy and healthy. Fresh water, quality feed, and shelter are just the beginning. Horses have veterinary and hoof care needs. They require grooming. Of course a massage is always nice, not to mention verbal strokes, sweet nothings, and liberal doses of affection. Hmm. Had I given that much attention to a husband, I might still have one. Hindsight …

Many women go to great lengths to improve communications and compatibility with their horse(s). The thing is, to build on that bond is the definition of a labor of love. Winston Churchill only knew the half of it when he said, “There’s something about the outside of a horse that’s good for the inside of a man.”

As a girl, whenever I “horsed around” in these Santa Lucia Mountains, the only thing that mattered was being in the country atop my surefooted steed. Far removed from life’s perceived pressures, nature was always there for me and I was fortunate. I had four-legged companions and free rein to roam thousands of acres with surprises around every rock.

What kind of surprises? How about anything from a newborn Tahr goat to an enraged wild boar? Tusks dripping with drool that bristly swine looked ready to rumble. What’d we do? Well, of the freeze, fight, or flight responses, we went with skedaddle!

While horseback, wildlife sightings can be frequent and thrilling, but they’re far from the only attraction in our magnificent coastlands. With spring weather canyons fill with soothing lavender-blue Ceanothus bushes (California Lilac) that soften and scent the landscape. Hillsides appear to be ablaze with orange, yellow, and red wildflowers. Entwined on trailside brush honeysuckle vines reach for the sun.

For me, the sweet nectar and heavenly aroma of honeysuckle flowers inspires a quick trip down memory lane, right up Bridge Street to my Grandpa Caskey’s old house. Honeysuckle and horsehair persuade full inhalations followed by bliss and then gratitude. Lucky for us, there are many such sights and sensations to be had right here on the Central Coast.

For locals and visitors alike, this is a place where that “it just doesn’t get any better than this” feeling happens a lot. An appreciation of our natural surroundings can arouse a connection with nature that nurtures the heart and soul. Be it from the back of a horse, in a kayak, on a bicycle, or from an easy chair by a window with a view, nature encourages a sense of wholeness, an orientation in the world/universe, an awareness of harmony that seems to be absent elsewhere.

In every direction we have an abundance of beauty to behold. Breathe deep.

Enjoy.

This story was originally published March 9, 2016 at 11:42 AM with the headline "Equine wellness: ‘Horsing around’ good for the soul."