Presence Through Attunement - The Still Pointe

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The Point Podcast

Finding the Still Point—Breath, Awareness, and the Deep Partnership with Your Horse

Welcome to The Point Podcast, where we explore the biomechanics of the human and horse body, emotional control, deep awareness, and the breath—the still point between the inhale and exhale. I’m [Your Name], and today, we’re diving into something foundational to our connection with our horses: finding the still point and using it to create a deeper sense of awareness, presence, and partnership.

Because here’s the thing—life is just a tool. Every experience, every challenge, every breath is an opportunity to learn, refine, and embrace what it means to be truly present. And when we step into that presence, we open the door to something greater—harmony, trust, and union with our horse.

The Breath as a Gateway to Awareness

Let’s start with the breath. It’s something we do thousands of times a day, but how often do we actually notice it? Right now, take a deep inhale…and a slow exhale. Feel the space in between, that tiny moment where everything is suspended—the still point.

That stillness is where deep awareness begins. It’s a pause, a reset, a place where we can check in with ourselves before stepping into action. When we find this space within ourselves, we create the conditions for our horses to feel safe, connected, and in sync with us.

Bringing the Still Point Into Your Ride

Horses live in the present moment. They don’t worry about yesterday or plan for tomorrow. They respond to what’s happening right now. And if we show up distracted, tense, or carrying the weight of our day, they feel it. But when we access the still point—that deep, grounded awareness in our breath—we create a space for clarity, softness, and true communication.

Try this:

• Before you even get on, stand beside your horse and focus on your breath. Inhale, pause, exhale. Feel your feet on the ground. Let your nervous system settle.

• Notice your horse—how does their breathing change in response to yours? Do they soften? Exhale? Blink more slowly?

• As you ride, bring your attention back to that still point between the breath. Let it guide your rhythm, your aids, your feel.

Life as a Tool for Awareness

So often, we look at life’s challenges as obstacles—things to push through or get past. But what if, instead, we saw them as tools? Tools that teach us how to breathe through discomfort, find clarity in uncertainty and stay present in movement.

Riding, like life, is full of unexpected moments—the spook, the resistance, the hesitation. But when we train ourselves to return to the breath, to the still point, we step out of reaction and into awareness. And from that awareness, we create flow, balance, and a deeper bond with our horse.

Until next time—breathe, pause, and find the still point.