Learn To Listen

February 5, 2026

Think about this for a second. Long ago, people said a good life means paying attention to how you think and feel. Not judging yourself. Just noticing. That idea matters even more when horses are involved.

In The Michelle Method, we start with awareness. Not exercises. Not tools. Awareness.

Before you ever change a horse’s body, you have to notice what’s happening in your own mind.

Try this simple exercise.

Sit still for a few minutes. You can be in a chair, on a mounting block, or even leaning on a stall door. Set a timer for five minutes. During that time, try to be quiet on the inside. No fixing. No planning. Just noticing.

Most people find this harder than they expect. Thoughts jump in fast. You might think about what you forgot to do, what the horse did yesterday, or whether you’re doing the exercise right. That’s normal.

Now here’s the important part.

Even though the thoughts didn’t stop, you noticed them.

That means you are not the thoughts.

Think about a horse for a moment. A horse can spook, rush, or brace without thinking about it. That reaction just happens. But with calm, correct training, the horse can learn to pause, rebalance, and choose a softer response.

Your mind works the same way.

Most of the time, your thoughts run on autopilot. They comment on everything.

“He’s lazy.”

“I’m doing this wrong.”

“This never works.”

That inner voice talks nonstop, like a nervous barn helper who never stops giving opinions. It thinks it’s keeping you safe, but it often creates tension instead.

When you start to notice that voice instead of believing it, something shifts. You become the rider again, not the horse being dragged around.

In The Michelle Method, this matters because horses feel everything. If your mind is rushed, your body tightens. If your body tightens, the horse braces. Then we blame the horse for being stiff or resistant.

But what if the problem started in the rider’s head?

When you learn to observe your thoughts without fighting them, you gain choice.

Choice to soften your breath.

Choice to slow your hands.

Choice to respond instead of react.

This doesn’t just help your horse. It helps your relationships, your work, and how you move through the world. You stop letting every thought take the reins.

The goal is not to turn your mind off forever. Just like a horse, the mind has a job to do. But you get to decide when it leads and when it follows.

That’s inner work.

And just like good training, it changes everything over time.