to tell the truth

On my mind is this line from a poem by Muriel Rukeyser: “What would happen if one woman told the truth about her life? The world would split open.” I’ve been thinking about that—how truth-telling is a kind of chain reaction. When one person speaks honestly about their life, it doesn’t just free them; it rearranges the air around them, giving everyone else permission to breathe a little deeper. 

Speaking honestly comes easier when in the presence of a horse. Horses possess an uncanny ability to act as living mirrors, reflecting our internal states without the fog of human judgment or social expectation. They have highly tuned nervous systems, they respond to the energy we actually carry rather than the persona we project, requiring us to drop our masks if we want to truly connect. In their presence, there is no need to perform or articulate why we feel a certain way; they simply wait for us to arrive in our own skin. This silent, non-judgmental witness creates a profound "holding space" where vulnerability feels safe, allowing us to be honest about our fears or grief in a way that words often fail to capture.

When we allow horses to hold space for us, we begin to deepen into our truth and fully embody the essence of who we are over time. Truth is contagious; when one person admits to their struggles, fears, or messy realities, it validates the hidden experiences of those around them. In that space, people find they no longer need to suck in their stomachs or filter their thoughts; they can finally let out a long-held exhale and breathe a little deeper, grounded in the relief of being seen. Don’t we all wish for that…to be seen in our truth.

Much love,

Margo & the herd