Horses, breathing and nanowrimo

A short post today.  More of a reflection really.  I'm shortly off to my first write in for Nanowrimo and so far my word count is zilch.  I'm supposed to have written 50,000 words by the end of November.  Right.   Still, I have the title of the story, finally.  

Anyway, all this frantic activity reminds me I should take time to stop and breathe and I recall a riding instructor who once told me that MY breathing affected the horse I was riding and that when I slowed my breathing and heart rate my horse would sense it and slow down.  It sounded unlikely to me but I thought I should at least try.  Could the horse hear my heartbeat or just sense it?  Or feel the vibrations? 

I was astonished when it worked. It's one of those special memories (and a special horse, I suspect).  Soames, a wise chestnut gelding who taught me tons.  He pops up in various guises throughout my later books.  

The power of breathing.   Slowly. Consciously. 

Calm.