The Beauty Of Stepping Back: Being Present In The Pasture

Last month I focused on healing. Letting go of all the things that tug on our minds when we try to rest. The ongoing conversations we have with ourselves as we either recreate events or tirelessly run through every possible scenario so that we have a solution for each- and then none of them happen. But healing is a process and that got me thinking about ‘grounding’. I put that in quotes because it becomes a verb and something we need to intentionally do.

The act of grounding is new to me, or I should say I didn’t know it had a name, I just did it. But, what is the difference between grounding and simply being present? I’m no authority, but my gut feeling is one is connected to the other and the two combined helps to bring us inner peace.

When I am with Theo I focus on Theo. I am present. You will not be able to get me on my phone, either by text or call, because I only have it when I want to take pictures. Being present in the pasture I make myself part of the herd. I don’t ask for anything or even approach, I just appear and if they wish to join, they can, or they can continue grazing wherever they are. I feel my breath slow, I notice birds chirping, the hum of a far-off tractor, or a dog barking. I feel the sun on my face and the air seems fresher than when I first arrived. Then, I sit down. I feel the warmth of the ground and try not to sit on fire ants- if you are from Texas you know what I mean… A different type of energy begins to penetrate. It’s a subtle re-balancing of heart rate, respiration, and thoughts. My mind drifts from all the planning and scenario creation to just being. It’s here where healing begins.

All this has been going on for as long as I had Theo. Sitting and watching him, spending time with him without asking for anything, just sharing space. And then this month I had an ‘ah ha’ moment and that moment came as I watched a commencement speech from Eric Church at the University of North Carolina. He shared with the graduating class the wisdom he has gained in life using his guitar as a metaphor. A guitar has six strings, and he recanted a nugget of wisdom associated with each. But my ‘ah ha’ moment hit me on his very first string- the low E string. He described how that is the foundation of the sound. It is the heaviest and the thickest string and every chord rests on that string being in tune. He then correlates that to our faith. The foundation of who we are rests on our faith being ‘in tune’. It so happens my husband is a very accomplished guitarist, and he further explained that because that string is the thickest, it’s also least likely to break. The further down you go, the thinner and more fragile the strings become and will more likely be the ones to break. And there it was... the moment I understood why sitting on the ground watching Theo be a horse was so comforting to me. It was during that time I was praying, not planning. I was showing gratitude to God for blessing me with such an amazing animal and such an extraordinary experience later in my life. I was tuning my low E. Surrounding myself with nature, exhaling and praying allows the mind to rest. And, when the mind rests the healing can begin. My former career relied on my ability to connect the dots. Over the years I developed a knack for putting random things together to create the big picture for all to see. Once the big picture is in full view it’s easy to dissect and see how it all fits together. One mentor once said, "It was like putting your face up against stained glass. When you are right up against it you can only see a few pieces and varied colors. But, when you stand back you see beauty and art before you."

I have been on a spiritual journey and during someone else’s commencement God said, step back and see the beauty.

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Kimberlee & Theo

Written by Kimberlee Delany

Life begins after 50, or when you decide to learn about horses! With a passion for animals and a quest for learning, it’s not surprising I began lessons after I turned 50.

With a BS in Psychology, I spent my career in technology, starting at the help desk and landing as a technical business advisor; doing all the techie steps that are needed in-between to cross that bridge.

Continuous improvement is the name of the game.

While growing in my career, I also started a fitness journey. Over the past twenty years, I have explored a variety of sports, from triathlons to Olympic weightlifting. I have competed in local events up and down the East Coast and, most recently, the Texas State Weightlifting Championship.

It all leads to this!

When you are around horses, you notice something, something within you is awakened. It doesn’t matter how old you are, there is something to uncover. In a quest for knowledge, and the sheer experience of discovering the mystery of ‘why I feel so at peace with horses’, I became certified in Equine Assisted Learning (EAL). Now, with a desire to share this amazing journey on how horses heal, I began journaling my experiences with horses and how they teach us about life.

This article is from the June 2026 issue of Equine Business Magazine