Wired

My mad rocket-scientist father frequently speaks about the patterns in the universe. Sometimes during my days teaching and riding, I can see these patterns. Yesterdays pattern was on the often misunderstood internal wiring of a horse.

Horses are genetically predisposed to be part of a herd. This wiring is survival to them. It doesn't matter if the "herd" in question is comprised of his neighbors in the field, or the simplest "herd of two" that a horse and rider form. But whatever that herd size is, they are most certainly wired to 'get along' with other herd members. This wiring for survival also includes two strong instincts in the horse, flee or fight. Things that can trigger these instincts (outside of mountain lion that seems to reside just outside the back door of any indoor) are things like fear, pain and confusion.

In working recently with a wonderful older mare with a difficult history and a bad reputation, I was thrilled to show her owner her latest progress. Confusion and fear had worked to put this mare into a constant state of high alert making her mistrustful and stiff. With much patience and compassion for her confusion, I ultimately got her to trust my aids. When her "mother" came to watch yesterday, she was supple and through and happy. She's actually quite brave in truly scary situations, and by the expression on her face, she now likes her job!

Then later in the day, another horse who had recently become spooky. Yet when we discovered a poor saddle fit, he became quite calm and happy again! And then teaching another lesson, where the riders conflicting aid had confused the horse, so he would react badly to her forward 'commands', kicking out and even threatening to rear. When she finally understood that her method for putting the horse on the bit was restricting him too much, and used a bit of lateral suppling to get him more through, the horse all but smiled, took a deep sigh, and swung along happily.

Yep, there are patterns even in our relationships with our horses. Watch for them, and then learn lessons from them.

Over and over. Horses will always be horses. Humbling at times, but born with truly generous hearts who want so much to find the security of being part of a herd. Even if the herd is only you and your horse.