Listening Beyond Words: What Horses Teach Us About Presence & Energy

Photo Credit: Maxwell Ward Photography

The yard was quiet except for the peepers peeping and the slow rhythm of breath — mine and his.

I wasn’t asking for anything, not trying to make something happen. I was simply standing beside him, hand resting gently on his shoulder, feeling the energy beneath my palm. And in that stillness, something shifted.

He sighed, lowered his head, and leaned in ever so slightly — not as if to say, I understand you, but more like, I feel you.

That moment reminded me of something I’ve learned again and again: horses listen in ways we often forget how to. They don’t need words. They don’t need explanations. They feel energy.

The Language Beneath the Surface

Horses live in a world that is deeply sensory and intuitive. They read the subtle — breath, posture, tone, the energy that lingers between heartbeats. When we walk into their space, they can sense whether we’re grounded or tense, open or guarded, truthful or hiding behind our stories.

What amazes me is how effortlessly they meet us where we are. They don’t judge or expect us to be perfect. They simply respond.

If we’re anxious, they might shift or turn away. If we soften, they soften. If we breathe, they breathe with us.

This, to me, is communication in its purest form — presence meeting presence.

When We Begin to Truly Listen

Over time, I’ve realized that listening beyond words isn’t something we do; it’s something we allow.

When we quiet the noise of our thoughts, when we stop trying to control or interpret, we begin to feel — and that’s when the real conversation begins.

One of my most profound teachers is my own horse, Bucky. Continuing to reflect me in ways I never knew subsided within me. I used to take it personally. But as I learned to slow down and become more aware of my own energy and emotions, I realized something: he wasn’t rejecting me — he was reflecting me.

It is the moments between our ego and our higher self where we find that little bit of light, our chance to awaken.

Bringing this awareness to the relationship you and your horse share, can give you a whole new perspective on what it means to truly listen.

The Bridge Between Energy Work and Horses

This is the same awareness I bring into my energy and bodywork sessions. Horses, like Reiki, remind us that energy doesn’t lie. What we feel internally ripples outward, influencing every interaction we have.

When we tune into that energy — when we become conscious of our own vibration — we open the door to healing. We learn that connection isn’t about control; it’s about resonance.

Each time I work with a horse, I’m reminded that healing is a shared experience. It’s not something we give them. It’s something we join them in — a sacred dance of trust, release, and presence.

An Invitation to You

The next time you’re with your horse — or any animal — pause.

Take a deep breath.

Notice your body, your thoughts, your emotions.

Feel your feet on the ground. Let your energy settle.

Then, without saying a word, notice how your horse responds.

Do they soften? Turn toward you? Exhale?

These are the moments when communication happens on a soul level. When both beings are simply being.

Horses have been my greatest teacher. They continue to remind me that healing doesn’t come from effort — it comes from awareness.

When we slow down enough to listen without words, we begin to hear everything that truly matters.

With love and light,

Jessica

Owner and Founder of Delicate Balance LLC

💭 Reflection prompt:

Where in your life are you being invited to listen more deeply — not with your ears, but with your heart?