ARTICLE 7 - USING REIKI TO HELP WITH LIFE CHANGES

One of the things I find difficult is how little appreciation we have for the immense emotional trauma horses experience when going through major life changes.

Horses are highly social and emotional creatures who bond deeply with their own kind. Separating them from their mother or friends can have a profound impact.

While horses have learned to be adaptable, this doesn’t mean they find change easy. Many struggle, showing signs such as difficulty settling in a new yard, erratic behavior, or, at the other extreme, depression and emotional shutdown.

I often hear people say, “This isn’t the horse I tried out” after purchasing a new horse. Unfortunately, many horses are returned without being given adequate time to adjust.

Years ago, I had to move my horse, Tiffany, to a new yard after relocating. Even though she was 19 years old and had been with me for 11 years, it still took her a month to settle. She was extremely anxious. Had she been a new horse, I too might have uttered that well-worn phrase: “This isn’t the horse I tried out.”

Thankfully, after becoming Reiki attuned ten years ago, I can now support horses through these transitions. I have witnessed first- hand the incredible difference it makes.

My Thoroughbred mare, Jazz, is highly sensitive. In the 13 years she has been with me, she has moved to four different yards. I only move her when absolutely necessary for her well-being. Giving her reiki has enabled her to settle remarkably quickly—so much so that people have even commented on it. It’s truly incredible, especially for a horse who typically struggles with change.

SEPERATION OF FRIENDS AFTER FIVE YEARS TOGETHER

At our first yard, Jazz spent five years in a field with a pony we had on loan for my daughter. They adored each other and were inseparable.

Eventually, my daughter left for university, and Silver had to be returned to his owner. I dreaded the separation, but there was no alternative. His owner had recently lost her horse and needed Silver back. Since she lived quite far away, keeping the two horses together wasn’t an option.

Not only had Jazz and Silver shared a field, but they were also stabled next to each other, with Jazz in the end stable. With Silver gone, she wouldn’t even have another horse beside her, though there were others in the barn.

In the week leading up to the separation, I spoke to both of them about what was going to happen. I also gave them Reiki the day before Silver left.

Even I was astonished by what transpired. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect the transition to be so smooth.

Silver settled immediately back into his old home, as if he had never been away. He even remembered the step up to his stable and carefully adjusted his footing.

Jazz, the one I had been most concerned about, surprised me the most. She behaved as if nothing had changed—as though Silver was still with her. That night, when I led her into her stable, she didn't even glance towards Silver's empty stable. This was great confirmation that she understood what I had been telling her. Silver was gone and not coming back, but it seemed she had made peace with it.

The Power of Reiki in Easing Transitions

This experience reinforced my belief in the power of Reiki as a great tool for providing emotional and energetic support, helping horses adjust to change in a way that would otherwise be extremely difficult for them.

If you have a horse going through a major transition, whether it’s a new home, a change in herd dynamics, or the loss of a companion, Reiki can be a powerful tool to ease their journey. I’ve seen it work time and time again, and the results never cease to amaze me.

In future Articles, I will share many other ways where reiki can benefit our animals.

If this has interested you, then you may be interested in my book, “Walking a Soulful Path: A healing journey with animals.” You can find this on amazon. This is the link:-

WALKING A SOULFUL PATH: A healing journey with animals: Amazon.co.uk: Sutton, Fiona: 9798334905573: Books