No Fear: Embracing the Journey of Horse and Mind Training

 At Clear Sky Retreat Center, surrounded by grassland forests and nature’s stillness, I began an unexpected journey—not just with horses, but with my own mind.

I wasn’t drawn to horses as a child, and when I joined the Natural Horsemanship sessions led by Yvonne, I admitted, “I’m afraid of them.” At Clear Sky, I’ve learned that naming fear is a strength. Instead of being comforted or dismissed, my vulnerability was simply witnessed—and that in itself was powerful.


My fear wasn’t really about horses. It came from a belief I carried since childhood: that life happens to me. Under the guidance of Catherine Sensei, I began to see that fear, like the mind, can be trained. She teaches that suffering doesn’t need to define our experience. Fear can exist without controlling us.

A pivotal teaching from Qapel, another founding teacher, shifted my view further: “You must be willing to die, no matter what.” It wasn’t about danger—it was about freedom. Living fully means not letting fear dictate your actions.

As I engaged in horsemanship training, I noticed a real shift. A friend said, “You look different around the horses.” And I felt it too. The more I acknowledged fear, the less it controlled me. I learned the horses’ language—not of words, but of presence, energy, and attention.

Each session became a mirror. When I was tense, they reflected it. When I was calm, they softened. In learning to train with horses, I was learning to train my mind. Catherine Sensei often reminds us: how we interact with horses reflects how we interact with life.

Being seen in this process was its own challenge. But being witnessed created connection. We all long for that. Whether with humans or animals, conscious connection fosters growth. In this training, I’ve grown more resilient, curious, and courageous—not just with horses, but in every area of life.

This path has helped me mature. To see fear, face it, and move forward anyway. That’s the power of training the mind—and the unexpected wisdom horses can bring.

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