One of the hardest skills in rescue work isn’t mucking stalls, fundraising, or training—it’s looking in the mirror.
It’s a lot easier to see flaws in someone else’s operation than it is to pause and reflect on our own. But self-awareness is what keeps rescues grounded, trustworthy, and healthy in the long run.
It’s easy to say “we don’t attack other rescues” while our words drip with criticism of groups that make different choices. It’s easy to insist that other people “don’t listen” while not realizing that we’ve already shut the door on perspectives we don’t agree with ourselves. It’s easy to frame our own actions as “putting horses first” while quietly centering our own story. None of us are immune to blind spots like these.
The danger isn’t making mistakes—it’s not recognizing when we do.
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When we lack self-awareness, we alienate potential allies.
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We blur the line between our personal feelings and the horses’ needs.
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We miss the chance to learn, grow, and build stronger networks of care.
Rescue work is inherently complex. Two groups can see the same horse, the same situation, or the same medical decision and make very different calls. That doesn’t automatically mean one of them is “bad” or “wrong.” It means context, capacity, and philosophy shape the choices we each make.
The real test is whether we can hold space for that complexity. Can we disagree without tearing each other down? Can we acknowledge that our own words sometimes don’t match our actions? Can we stay humble enough to recognize when we’re projecting frustration outward instead of looking inward?
Building Self-Awareness
Self-awareness doesn’t just happen by accident. It’s a habit we have to cultivate. A few signs to watch for in ourselves:
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Criticism on repeat. If you find yourself venting about the same group or person over and over, ask: am I actually addressing the problem, or am I just circling it to make myself feel better?
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Defensiveness and drama. When normally thoughtful people (or organizations) start posting with heightened emotion, lots of drama, or a “the world is against us” tone, it’s often a red flag. Something deeper is unsettled.
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Hypocrisy blind spots. Preaching collaboration while tearing others down, or demanding respect while giving none, are signals to pause and reflect.
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Self-righteousness. Believing our way is the only right way may feel like conviction, but it closes doors to learning. It dismisses the fact that others may succeed differently, and it reduces collaboration to compliance.
Bringing Ourselves Back to Center
So how do we move forward when we catch ourselves in one of these traps?
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Assume positive intent. Most people in this field love horses and are doing their best with what they have.
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Pause before speaking. Ask, “Is this about the horses, or is this about me?” That pause can stop frustration from spilling into public drama.
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Stay open to nuance. Different doesn’t always mean wrong. Two approaches can both be valid, even if they don’t look the same.
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Lead with kindness. Even when you disagree, treat people with respect. You don’t have to fight to hold your ground.
Because at the end of the day, horses don’t benefit when we spend our energy proving we’re right. They benefit when we stay humble, honest, and open to working alongside people who may do things differently.
If we can’t face our own blind spots, how can we ask the public to trust us with the lives of the horses?
Photo by Vitor Pádua on Unsplash
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