First Impressions and then some

I decided to take the Medicine and Horses class mostly out of sheer curiosity. I have always been interested in alternate or unique ways of learning different concepts, and I am intrigued by alternative therapies and approaches in and to medicine.

From the first day, I found this course so strikingly distinct from all my other classes. While I can go on and describe in minute detail all the facets and differences between this course and the traditional "medical curriculum," I feel that I will just constrain this entry to the topics of serenity and subtlety.

One of the most remarkable features of this class is the serenity of the setting. We are placed away from the campus, surrounded by rolling hills and fresh air. The setting is quite calming. However, the most important feature is the encouragement to "leave it at the gate," to leave all our issues, our worries, our fears, and all our little preoccupations at the gate and to just focus on the task at hand. When we enter to work with the horses, we just focus on them and on the current moment. I used to do this before competition, but was surprised how applicable this cleansing and refocusing is to real life and to work. It allows more to be taken from the task and it allows better relations with those we work with (both people and horses). I will now focus more on being able to apply this mentality of "being in the moment" for my patients, my schoolwork, and my interpersonal communications.

The second striking feature of the class was the subtleties in communication. I had no idea how much can be said through ear movement in horses. I thought it was interesting to observe the horses interact in the ring and really pay attention to body language. I think that often we tend to overlook the subtlties in communication in favor of "speed" or "efficiency." I know that when I have seen horses in the past, I never notices thier communication. It is only now after really slowing myself down and really paying attention to them that I can "see" their social cues. I suppose this is a lesson for real life: it is important to slow down, take a moment and really listen to whoever is talking/interacting with us. It is important to be aware of subtle cues and react appropriately to them.

So those are my impressions. I hope that more lessons will follow in the coming course sessions

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