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Horses Don't Lie


September is National Suicide Awareness and Prevention Month. Every year this month goes by with very little mention by the media and most individuals are not even aware. It's one of those areas in life that is difficult to deal with and so we don't. If you are considering taking your life, or a family member or friend who knows someone who is contemplating suicide, please reach out to someone. Even if it's a stranger at a hotline, they can give you another perspective to your overwhelming feelings, grief, or sadness.


National Suicide prevention Hotline 800-273-8255


There are challenges in life. Everyone is overwhelmed with unanswered questions. Someone you know may be thinking about suicide. They may come to you and tell you they need help or they might be showing you through their behaviors of isolation, anger, and by giving away their possessions. If you are noticing a change of behavior check into it.


My horse Chancy (photo) tells me how she feels. No, she doesn't talk to me in a language I could converse with, but she tells me through very obvious behaviors. Whenever I pull into the driveway where she recognizes my truck, she calls to me. When her ears are pointed forward (as in the photo) she is telling me she is paying attention to me or is answering my question, "Want a cookie?" She will push out her upper lip and wiggle it on my hand when I am brushing her (her way of giving me affection). When she is playing, she will try to take my cellphone or keys out of my pockets. She will run with her tail in the air when she feels good. And she acts coy looking away from me, even while keeping one eye on me, begging me to chase her. I misunderstood her one day when she raised her back leg to kick me (or so I thought). Quickly, I pushed back and smacked her. Then she did it again, very slowly, pointing to her stomach. I approached her and placed my hand on her stomach. She turned her head toward me and raised her foot again pointing to her stomach. I listened and could hear rumbling in her stomach. I rubbed her belly and she lowered her head, pushed out her upper lip, and her body quivered as if to say, "Yea! That's it. Rub it there. Oh, that feels so good." Now, when I come into her stall the first thing she does is turn her belly to me and raise her leg, my signal she wants a belly rub. But she also tells me when she is not feeling well. She will not eat or drink. She will lower her head and stand unmoving. She may lay down and roll frantically. She might pin her ears (lay them down) and she may try to bite me. These are all signs that something is wrong and I need to pay attention or she could die. Horses will tell you what is going on but you have to be willing to listen, study them, and get to know their language. People are not so transparent with their pain and will lie to you so it makes it harder to know what they are feeling. Pay attention, ask questions, and find ways to give them a belly rub. It might be just the prescription that saves their life.

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