Peace, Love and Rio
You know those people that you like to hang out with but you don’t exactly know why? Well, that is Rio. Except of course, he is a horse, not a people.
Rio is a handsome fellow. He is kind and wise, and sort of a sage. As one of the residents at Hanaeleh Equine Rescue, Rio helped me (along with a few of his friends, see Ruby’s Checklist blog post) accomplish my equine bodywork certification hours. I owe a debt to him for patiently standing while I learned to identify muscles. It continues to be a joy to visit and provide bodywork to Rio. Needless to say, we have spent a decent amount of time together.
In a drama filled world, Rio doesn’t create or in my observation, play into drama. He holds a Zen quality that pours over to those around him. I learned a lot by observing the way Rio operates. I got a phone call once while I was working on him, so I was sort of half focused on the bodywork. Rio, ever so politely stepped away from me as if to say, “I will wait until you are finished with your call.” A polite way of saying, “if you are going to work on me, then stay with me.” By the way, the reason he was able to step away is because I work on him in his corral - no cross-ties, no halter, no lead rope, he just stands there.
One day I came out to Hanaeleh after having a particularly rough day, and was just sort of sad. I said “hi” to him (I always say “hi” to him even if it’s not “his” day) and went in to give him a pat. Somehow, I ended up pouring out the whole day’s story and just cried with my arm around his neck. He stood stoic and just let me grieve. No one “holds space” better than Rio. I try and emulate him. Standing peacefully in my own space while listening, with love, to the joys and sorrows of those around me. I can do it some days better than others. On the better days, it makes me a better person. And fun fact, it makes me a better bodyworker because it translates into accepting the horse wherever he is and not trying to fix him. Rio would never try and fix anything -- he would just stand ever so still and listen.
Because I work on Rio’s body and observe the way he moves, I know he has some aches and pains. He also has an inoperable tumor inside his nose. And while he receives amazing care and admiration from so many people, the fact is that he probably carries some discomfort all the time. It does not define him though. It just makes him able to stand ever so still in peace and love when I walk up to say “hi,” only to end up crying on his shoulder.