The Herd

I am by your side
 
Breathing quietly
 
My head is down, munching a big pile of hay,
and you think I am lost in it
 
But I look up from under lowered lashes,
I feel the breeze across my mane, my ears
twitch at the subtle noises around me –
I am aware of all the world.
​

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​I am beside you. Muscles relaxed,
eyes closed; I am resting. You think
I have left you to sleep, but I am resting
in the shelter of our company. Your slow
breathing helps me feel safe.
 
We are beside you. Grounded and solid,
our herd gently stands strong.
​

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​We are connected. By an invisible thread
of energy that runs between us. Threads
that criss cross this precious world, that
bind us horse to horse, being to being,
you to us.
 
When you are far away from me, and
we cannot see and hear each other,
we are still connected.
 
I am by your side.
​

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By: Debbie La-Haye, UK
Chosen by the Mindfulness Group from Horses Helping People, UK

Debbie La-Haye Bio

Debbie La-Haye runs Horses Helping People in Buckinghamshire UK. Horses Helping People is home to a Mindfulness with Horses and Nature programme, funded by the National Lottery. For ten years we have worked with groups such as women’s refuges and addiction recovery support organisations, sharing mindfulness skills for lifelong positive mental health with people who need support as they rebuild shattered lives. Prioritising horse welfare in human~horse interactions has always been the aim at Sunrise Farm. Debbie has been studying horse ethology to expand our knowledge of appropriate care for the horses, ensuring that human wellbeing is not achieved at the expense of horses’ wellbeing. The gentle approach of the mindfulness sessions is an ideal medium for humans and horses to join together in a peaceful and calm environment. Poetry is a regular part of our mindfulness sessions, The poem, The Herd, has a special place in the hearts of our mindfulness group, reminding us of how connected we are. We chose this poem especially to share with you. Our second Mindfulness with Horses and Nature training course is running in early 2025, sharing with other therapeutic centres the programmes that we have developed, so that more people around the UK and beyond can benefit. 

www.horseshelpingpeople.co.uk/pages/mindfulness                      www.facebook.com/HorsesHelpingPeopleUK  

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