Working with horses, it’s important to keep your head in the game and focus purely on the moment. Horses are experts at this. They spend all their time and energy living in the here and now. We as humans tend to struggle to stay absorbed in what is right in front of us—we get concerned with what’s happening five minutes from now (or replaying something from five minutes before).

I’ve found that running a business complicates that even further. I don’t really fit in a traditional box as a horse trainer. I’m a senior hunter judge and run a hunter-jumper training business. But I also do a lot of natural horsemanship work, starting young horses and helping people with training issues. Managing the business takes a lot of physical and mental energy. There are always so many things I’m trying to balance at the same time. It can distract me from whatever training goal I’m trying to reach with a horse.

Cannabis helps me put the brakes on my mind and stop overthinking things. If I get stuck with a horse and am unsure what approach to take next, cannabis can help me reexamine the problem and really key in on where I’m hung up. There’s a clarity or narrowing of focus. I’m less distracted by all the other aspects of running my business.

How It Helps

I typically smoke cannabis. I primarily use it when I need help getting out of my own way mentally. I occasionally use it for sleep or to relieve aches and pains, as well. Depending on the strain of cannabis, sometimes it can backfire and have the opposite effect though. So I’ve learned to be specific about the products. I use an indica strain for sleep or pain, and sativa if I’m looking for focus.

For me, cannabis helps me clear my mind and get unstuck on things that aren’t worth my time, which helps me be a better trainer and a better business owner.