Wasp Stings and Heart Stings: Lessons in Grief and Growth

We were getting ready for a ride. Everyone was saddled up and warming up in the pen. Cambria was trying out an English saddle on Belle and was walking over the bridge in the obstacle course when suddenly Belle became agitated. She began stamping her feet, clearly distressed. Something was hurting her—and she was trying to manage that pain while carrying a rider.

I ran over quickly and started running my hands up and down Belle’s legs to see what was wrong. There was no visible injury, but it was obvious that something had stung her. The pain lingered even after the cause—later discovered to be a wasp’s nest under the bridge—was gone. We were able to remove the nest, but the sting and the experience stayed with us for the rest of the day.

That wasp sting mirrors the sting of grief.

Loss, whether it’s the death of a loved one, a major change in our relationships, work, health, or a traumatic experience involving our horses, often hits us unexpectedly. We try to wipe it away, move past it, ignore it—but the sting remains. It lingers in our emotions, in our memories, in our bodies. Grief hurts because we care deeply.

I’ve had many “wasp stings” in my own life. For years, I buried the pain, avoided the memories, and tried to outrun anything that reminded me of past losses. But life—like a rider on my back—required me to carry on. Eventually, something had to give.

My breaking point came when I returned to my hometown as a young mom. I felt like I was living inside a wasp’s nest—triggered daily by past pain while trying to juggle marriage, two young children, and responsibilities. I broke. For the first time, I realized I couldn’t manage the pain on my own. That moment marked the beginning of my healing journey.

I reached out and found someone I could trust—someone who listened without judgment, validated my feelings, and helped me see that healing was possible. That single step changed everything.

If you work with clients or learners who are being “stung” by life—or if you feel the sting of grief yourself—our course Transforming Grief into Growth was created for you.

This grief-informed, online training combines decades of experience supporting loss with over five years of equine-assisted learning sessions. It's designed to equip professionals, facilitators, and equine practitioners with:

✅ Practical tools for walking alongside others through their pain
✅ A deep understanding of how grief affects us emotionally and physically
✅ A safe, structured approach to support others in finding healing

We may not be able to remove all the wasps in life, but we can learn how to respond to the sting—and how to help others do the same.

👉 Learn more and register for Transforming Grief into Growth by visiting our website at www.stronger-lifeconnections.com