Riding Through Change (Navigating the Seasons of an Equestrian Life)

Move through every season of your equestrian life with grace, mindfulness, resilience, and practical wisdom from horsewoman and yogini Cathy Woods.

As equestrians, we know that the only thing we can predict with certainty is that things will change. Maybe you’ve noticed that it’s a little harder to pull yourself up into the saddle, or maybe your horse is the one who’s a little achier in the warm-up ring. Maybe you’ve gone through a breakup, maybe you’ve had kids, maybe you’re downsizing, upsizing, and on and on. Life is constantly evolving and developing around us, and when we have horses in our lives, the waves of change take on unique dimensions. There is no roadmap for navigating life,  but we can sit deep and learn to ride the twists and turns with grace and gratitude.

How do we grow through life’s changes mindfully and “view life as a verb?” Cathy Woods is a longtime yogini, horsewoman, the creator of Body, Mind, Equine and author of Yoga for Riders. Through the compassionate yet practical voice of someone who’s “been there” herself, Cathy uses her yogic and somatic training paired with years of equine experience to help readers approach changes large and small from both a spiritual and practical perspective. Interspersed with real-life examples and practices-in-action, the book unpacks many scenarios faced by equestrians of all kinds, and offers useful tools as well, including:

• What we can learn about ourselves from equines

• Examining, defining, and redefining your belief system

• The AAA approach to stepping into new phases with grace: Acceptance, Adjusting, Acclimating

• Community-building and maintenance 

• Contemplating impermanence 

• Gratitude, and more! 

Navigating change is no easy task, but we all encounter it. As Cathy writes, “it requires courage, honesty, vulnerability, and a willingness to let go and allow change to flow; course-correcting as we go along.” This book offers equestrians in all phases of life and change the life raft they are looking for.