The Roar of the Falls: My Journey with Kaya

Kaya bursts out from behind the branches. She exclaims that Squirrel is hurting the horse and should stop. The boy’s head whips around. I wonder what he’ll say to Kaya’s harsh words. But Kaya doesn’t care. She stands with her hands on her hips as strong as an oak tree. Nothing scares her. Squirrel snaps that the mare won’t follow him. Kaya takes a few even breaths, and then plucks the rope from Squirrel’s fingers. She says you have to be a good leader if you expect a horse to follow you. You have to pay attention to a horse’s needs, not just what you want.

Squirrel scowls at Kaya and takes the lead rope from Kaya’s hand. Kaya moves to the other side of the mare’s head and asks me to hold the branches back from the edge of the clearing. Maybe that’s what was keeping her from following. Kaya settles the halter on the horse’s head, and calmly asks if the horse is read to go back to the others. It’s like she’s having a calm conversation with a friend. The horse drops her head and nuzzles Kaya’s hand.

I hold back the branches and the gray follows Kaya and Squirrel tentatively out of the clearing, her ears pricked and eyes weary. Squirrel doesn’t say anything, but his eyes are no longer stormy. Reluctantly, he thanks us before going off to join the others.

Toe-ta greets Squirrel and the two exchange a few words. When Toe-ta turns to Kaya with a questioning look on his face, she tells him we’re going to take the horse to the spring to cool her down.

I let out my breath in a huge rush. I’m impressed Kaya stood up to Squirrel, but I’m even more impressed with what she said. Leaders do need to pay attention to others. I don’t think I’ve done that with my garden group so far. Kaya says no one is born knowing about horses. It takes a lot of patience to learn what we need to know. And Kaya used the breathing technique I showed her with Squirrel. Kaya was very angry, but she didn’t want her words to be too harsh. I taught Kaya something today.