Out To Pasture
When we are young, we are counseled and guided through our teen years about all the ‘changes’. Parents and teachers walk us through what comes next, and while it may not be easy, Lord knows it’s no surprise. After we make it through all those awkward, homely years, we emerge as young adults and proceed to take the world by storm. Again, not easy, but consistent. Jobs, relationships, and ‘adulting’ becomes front and center. This could mean carving out a career, developing a relationship, starting a family of your own and facing all the challenges that come with all of it. People we know all seem to be doing the same thing, so we guess, ‘this is life’ and carry on. Then, without warning, it begins.
If you have been in the workforce for a while, you will notice there is a flurry of terminology and methodologies that are new. You buckle down to learn this stuff, but it’s coming at you at a pace that is unmanageable. You learn to manage, because really that is all we can do. The days of taking a class, with a lab (if you are in tech you may remember this) are over. But where can you learn hands on? Do I want to take an on-line class after sitting in front of a PC for 9 hours already? No, no I don’t. So, we become Subject Matter Experts at muddling through. We figure stuff out enough to ride the wave because what we really learned is that a new wave is right behind it, so don’t get too caught up in this one. While we were once attending weddings and baby showers, we are now invited to anniversary and retirement parties. And then the question emerges, “when are you retiring?” What? I feel like I just got going! But the truth is, that wave is crashing on the shoreline, and we will hang up our board and walk away from it all.
Kids are off to school, getting jobs, have roommates, and are starting their own relationships. Then you get a check-up at the doctor, and he reads the results back to you by stating, ‘welcome to the next stage of your life’. Huh? Oh, the brain fog, fatigue, sudden bursts of tears- that is all lack of hormones? Got ya, now what?
Moon, pictured above, is a 30+ year old trail horse. The story of Moon is an intriguing one, but I do believe he also has some hunter/jumper experience on his resume. As I thought about this, I became intrigued with horse idioms and realized for centuries horses have been teaching us. So here we are…. ‘Out to Pasture’.
We all have heard this before, ‘he’s been put out to pasture’, meaning- he is retired. He is no longer a “work horse”. Now, he grazes freely in the pasture at will, with no expectations. Sounds great, but is it really?
What about purpose? What about adding value? What about being part of the whole? Horses are herd animals, and their purpose in the wild is just that; to be part of the herd. Safety, procreation, and bonding are some of their purposes if left in the wild. When out to pasture, they will remain instinctual but overall, those needs are no longer paramount. So what then, what happens? Well, horses are fast learners and, like humans, may be bored easily. Finding a new, rewarding, less taxing ‘job’ helps keep the days interesting and fills that void that was once filled by ‘work’. Currently, Moon enjoys being part of the community by walking our street and meeting children. They giggle and he smiles. Sounds like a perfect job.
Kimberlee Delany
Life begins after 50, or when you decide to learn about horses! With a passion for animals and a quest for learning it’s not surprising I began lessons after I turned 50.
With a BS in Psychology, I spent my career in technology, starting at the help desk and landing as a technical business advisor; doing all the techie steps that is needed in-between to cross that bridge.
Continuous improvement is the name of the game.
While growing in my career I also started a fitness journey. Over the past twenty years I have explored a variety of sports, from triathlons to Olympic weightlifting. I have competed in local events up and down the East Coast and, most recently, the Texas State Weightlifting Championship.
It all leads to this!
When you are around horses you notice something, something within you is awakened. It doesn’t matter how old you are, there is something to uncover. In a quest for knowledge, and the sheer experience of discovering the mystery of ‘why I feel so at peace with horses’, I became certified in Equine Assisted Learning (EAL). Now, with a desire to share this amazing journey on how horses heal, I began journaling my experiences with horses and how they teach us about life.
This article is from the March issue of Equine Business Magazine
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