When I met Divya and heard her talk about horses, I knew immediately that there was something different.
It was not just a question of being in the presence of an expert but of someone living the affair from within, of pure passion, a life irrevocably dedicated to this form of love.
A mix of passion for the wild life, for horses in particular and for the study of psychology and body language.
Divya ... where is all this started?
I was born in the community of Auroville from French and German parents and I had a childhood "into the wild": up to 8 years I spent my time naked, in the subtropical forest, climbing trees, without computers, without TVs, without mobile phones, and the animals have always been present in my life : I fed the peacocks, I ran with the squirrels, there were cats, dogs, mongooses, snakes, goats, etc.
At 7 years old I discovered horses because here all the girls are riding, I also went with a friend and from the first day I realized that it would be one of those things that lasts a lifetime.
I started with ponies, I had my own named Magic, and since then I've always had a horse. I learned different styles and followed a mix of these, until I said enough with the lessons and started riding free .
When did you turn this into a job?
My job in riding is not to teach people, but to relate to horses: I take care of them, I feed them, treat their wounds, the various problems, I spend time with them.
After the pony, at the age of 13, I realized that the secret was in a personal relationship with the horse and begins to create it. He was no longer an animal but a friend and it was no longer a question of riding but spending time with him.
At the age of 21, I finally realized that although I was riding, I did not know what I was doing from the horse's point of view, so I left each method: after studying their psychology everything acquired meaning, I understand them and I can really make myself understood . It was shocking and beautiful at the same time, one of those things that change your life.
Now I have developed a relationship with Santiago, a former racehorse with bad post-traumatic imprinting due to the violence he suffered. I do work with the children to change their behavioral patterns from negative to positive.
We come to the point: what are the benefits of having a horse for a friend?
Let's start by saying that horses are different from other animals . With the dog or the cat is different, they live with you, feed them, they are attacked; the horse is different, it is a relationship that is not based on addiction because of food, it is about having a real relationship, they really want to spend time with you for a form of friendship, for a sense of family, they recognize you as a leader fraternal: they begin to follow your orders instead of their instincts and you begin to trust their instincts instead of just your orders.
With horses you can easily experience the "flow" experience : all the rest of the world disappears, it's just you and him, there is only the present and what you are doing in the present. Stop thinking, just act ... the apocalypse can rage in the world but you are with your horse.
I believe that horse riding surpasses all solo and team sports because there is a real connection, a unique and different dimension. It's about doing sport and at the same time being with someone you love, to the point that you don't feel fatigue if not in the end.
Work with a living being, not with a tool or a bike; you always ask yourself what you are doing, do not think only of yourself, do not destroy everything and you question yourself, listen, learn a new language, you must know how to control why the horse reads your emotions and reacts on the fly.
Relating to horses is the best method I know to develop assertiveness : managing emotions without being passive or imposed. Don't just laugh with your mouth, you have to do it with your whole body. Horses have a personality ( horsenality ) and you have to study their psychological type, because there are different ones and you need to be sure you are communicating correctly.
All very fascinating. Who can dedicate himself to this path?
The most obvious and politically correct answer would be "all" but in practice this is not the case. He can ride without method whoever is ready to question himself.
An example: when I started working with an old mare called Crystal Air, we didn't communicate well and I couldn't make myself, and I wondered why he didn't understand me.
I left the method and went with her to the forest, decided to go deeper into body language research and discovered that I was asking him the wrong thing. His answer was right, it was the wrong question! Then I changed my posture slightly and the horse changed its answer: I was the problem, not the horse.
If you question everything, it works, but you have to know how to do it. Children are psychologically flexible and know how to question themselves, it is a natural attitude and they must not unlearn anything.
What influence did all this have in everyday life?
A significant influence has given me something I always use, especially in communication, a passion of mine and also a great social problem because people, in general, do not know how to communicate and consequently do not know how to get what they need. Result? They fall back on passivity or aggression but they are hardly really themselves.
