11/10/2025
A wonderful customer of mine was featured in The Plaid Horse. She wrote an article regarding the disconnect between horses and riders due to cell phones and social media. It’s a harsh reality seeing the way cellphones and social media take us from really living life and being in the moment. Please take a minute to read the article and take it all in.
EQUIS A'MARE TR Laura Michelle Bruner
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1254959439983859&id=100064094430769&mibextid=wwXIfr
"We are living in a world consumed by a digital reality. I was reminded of this at a recent horse show. The arenas were alive with energy, with horses gleaming in the sun, riders lined up ringside preparing for their classes, and trainers offering last-minute words of encouragement. Yet over and over, I noticed the same thing: young riders on their horses, heads bent, eyes glued to glowing phone screens. Horses stood waiting, patient and quiet, while their riders scrolled. Two souls completely disconnected. The gift of presence in that moment was lost in a haze of digital distraction.
It was striking. Here were young equestrians, blessed with an opportunity many dream of, riding at one of the largest shows in the nation. And yet, instead of looking into the trusting eyes of their horses, they looked into the endless scroll of a digital feed that neither cared about them nor would remember them tomorrow.
This is not just an equestrian problem. It’s a human one. As child psychologist Dr. Jeremy Jensen explains, “The research is clear—phones in school negatively impact attention, emotional regulation, and social connection. Removing this distraction is not about restriction; it is about protecting developing minds so they can fully engage in learning, relationships, and grow in resilience.”
Horses ask for one thing above all else from us—authenticity. They don’t care about filters, likes, or followers. They seek truth, consistency, calm energy, and connection. But when our focus fractures, they feel it instantly. Horses know when our minds are elsewhere. And when riders let their attention split between reins and a phone, the connection fizzles. What could have been a chance to build a stronger partnership evaporates into silence. It creates a rupture in our bond.
Science has confirmed what equestrians have always known: our nervous systems are linked with these animals. An anxious, distracted rider creates an anxious horse. A calm, present rider creates safety and trust. That is where growth happens.
So how do we safeguard current and future generations from the negative effects of the digital reality that consumes us? The answer lies in establishing a different, more powerful resonance."
📎 Continue reading this article at https://www.theplaidhorse.com/2025/11/04/kryptonite-in-the-saddle-how-phones-block-the-equestrian-superpower/
📸 © Heather N. Photography
