Horseplay – Is Your Training All Work?

Virtually every animal on the planet plays. Horses kick up their heals, race, and gently nip each other. Dogs wrestle, play-bite and pretend-growl. If you have pets, you certainly see this behavior in action. My cats have a running game of “tag,” teasingly pouncing each other on a continuous basis.

In 2008 in Manitoba, Canada, German photographer Norbert Rosing captured images of a wild polar bear playing with his domestic Husky. The scenes are remarkable – two carnivores surrendering their predatory natures to pure amusement (his photos are on YouTube.) The outstanding photos lead many people to debate why the hungry polar bear did not attack and eat the Husky. The answer was very simple: They were having fun. Biologists have reported similar behavior observed in the wild with grizzlies and wolves. In horse training, the play dynamic can be very similar to this example.

When we train our horses, it should not be all work and no play. Think about that relationship. Horses are very curious and actually love to play. Are you someone with whom they can play or are you someone to whom they submit? There is nothing wrong with obeying your rules–that is extremely important. However often we forget that play is what you do with your friends, submission is something you do to your oppressor.

During play, our burdens become weightless, we explore, have adventures, and experience joy and happiness. Playing with others is a social thread that interconnects beings with refreshing energy. The National Institute for Play states that this activity goes even deeper—it shapes our brains to make us more able to adapt to situations, allowing us better coping capabilities.

So how do you organize a play date with your horse? Aside from recognizing the body signals that your horse is relaxed and at ease, playfulness is something you feel. In dressage riding, they often refer to “expression” in a certain movement and gaits; the horse is taking that movement and making it his or her own. They are enjoying themselves. When you can achieve play in your training, it is actually a very intimate bond. Your friendship with the animal becomes a kinship and the work you do together is stimulating and interesting. You are not just the person who comes and throws on the tack and feeds the horse, you are now something much more special. I always look for something thrilling when I ride, it is the feeling when you are on the trampoline or amusement park ride having a good time. I search for those moments in things like departs into the trot and canter, over jumps, and after a good haunch or forehand turn. Rather than saying nothing when you horse does something right, go crazy and tell them how fun that was. You can always train to a higher degree when you use positive reinforcement.

This is how you will discover what your horse thinks is fun. I once rode a horse at William Woods University who LOVED to do half-pass. When you rode him, he just lit up when you asked for this and you felt like Fred Astaire was carrying you across a dance floor in one trilling swoop. Teaching something to be fun for an animal is really hard to explain how to do. It is one of those things that if you have to have it explained then you probably will never understand. It is like explaining what fun is. Either you have it or you don’t.

Playing is the first coping skill we develop. Think back to childhood and recall your favorite toys. Did you ever bring a cherished matchbox car or stuffed puppy with you to visit some place new? Play is a way we discover, learn, and get comfortable, we feel safe and loved in the process. Isn’t this the perfect way to train a horse?

Hay Burners–The Price of Sunshine

A common strife among horse owners is the flack they receive about the expense of horses. I almost cringe when I have to face a critic when they are bringing up the cost issues of horses, as though it is the fault of the horse. Money, after all is a human creation. “Hay Burners” is a common term rude people use when they are trying to be irreverent to horse lovers. But the fury burning at this comment should really be directed at the absurdity of the whole issue of expense, especially for hay.

What is hay? It’s grass, it grows on its own and probably will long after we are gone. It is also free, last time I checked. The grass does not tax us for usage, charge us for eating it, or want a percentage of the profit we make from it. I think you still have the free right to pluck a blade of grass from wherever, just as long as you are not being a nuisance.

So, if grass is free then why is hay so expensive? Try explaining this to your horse. I live across from the beautiful Beaver Lake. Their grass is perfectly green and manicured, but I must tell my horses it is not for eating, but for viewing. It is a status symbol and represents aesthetics. People who own the ground from which it grows own the grass. Then try explaining to your horse why we think we own parts of the Earth. I often imagine them talking, “Hey, Joe, the humans think they own the planet, can you believe that?! Oh, here they come…just nod and nicker.”

In order for grass to grow, it requires seeds, sun, and soil—things usually found all over the place. The sun and earth both do not charge us for these. But, in order for hay to be cut and processed, we use fuel. There is the expense. Fuel comes from the decayed process of dead organic material; it is NOT found all over. When we can get our farm equipment to run on something abundant like the sun or wind, then we may have a chance at having hay for a lower cost again.

When the economy sinks and belts get tightened, often people must give up their horses. My barn has been the last stop for wonderful rescue horses who were on their way to a bad future because their owners could not afford to care for them anymore. At auction, horses have been sold for as little as $5, often to feedlot buyers. These horses are the true victims of economic crisis. The more we can keep owners with their horses, the number of these horses going to slaughter will decrease.

I usually finance hay before my own groceries. This is just in my innate being. If there were not people who loved horses like this, then these animals would just be neat species in a zoo. They would be endangered, forgotten, and pushed out of their natural habitat by our sprawl. Until we start to understand how to utilize the abundance on our planet, horses will be “hay burners.” But horses do not create the expense of caring for them; we do. When will we understand that we do not own the planet; it belongs to everyone.

Baby Vertigo basking in the sunshine

Discipline vs. Abuse – Telling the Difference

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” Mahatma Gandi said this. If you are committed to animals you likely have come into contact with animal abuse on some level. What is abuse? This actually can be a very tricky thing to define. We could easily understand it as causing pain with sticks, whips, fists, or unnecessary force. However, some attest that the most harmful abuse occurs behind words or how someone was treated. Social, emotional, and verbal abuse often leave the most lasting damage.

Wikipedia describes abuse as “the improper usage or treatment for a bad purpose, often to unfairly or improperly gain benefit.” But, how do you know abuse when you see it? What is the line between correcting bad behavior with authority and demoralization? Discipline has been defined as “The practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behavior, using punishment to correct disobedience.” Punishment is often where abuse occurs. Because of this, often people fall to the other extreme and fail to punish bad behavior at all. This almost leads to another form of abuse, not educating that individual for manners needed to be successful in society.

For example, I train young horses. My five year-old Holsteiner cross, named Vertigo, has been a fun project. One of is his basic lessons regarding social etiquette was that he could not put his teeth on people. Biting is a really dangerous behavior that could get someone hurt and in turn create a bad reputation for the horse. When he put his mouth on me, I would make him step away from me. By that I mean, I would get after him in a way to make him understand, “NO!” This was not the energy of, “Vertigo, would you mind not doing that.” It was the clear and non-negotiable energy behind, “Stop it!”

He made the wrong decision and he was corrected. I did not embarrass him, harm him, or demoralize him; I helped him understand social rules for our safety. This was done out of love for him. Because I know he understands these social rules, we have a great level of trust together. He knows to wait for the human to invite him into their space if he would like his face rubbed. He knows not to put his mouth on people and he is 100% certain that it is not ok to bite people. Vertigo learned the appropriate ways to interact with humans. It is very unfortunate that horses gain a bad reputation for etiquette that should have been established through good training.

That said, certainly people take discipline too far. Discipline is not mean, it is done out of respect and love. The energy behind the discipline is usually the give-away revealing abuse. I use the example of our riding whips. Whips are almost a symbol of abuse. However, we do use them in ways that are not like that. The whip is an extension of my hand. If my hand is not abusive, the whip is not either. A kitchen knife can either be a harmful weapon or it can slice bread – it is the energy of the use involved. Usually we can recognize abuse accompanied with the following ideas:

“Teach that horse a lesson.”

“Show that horse who is boss.”

“That horse is buffaloing you.”

These phrases often reflect insecurity, fear, dominance, and ignorance–all causes of abuse.

Stopping abuse is easier said than done. It is often a learned behavior and the individual committing the offense likely experienced that behavior at some point in their lives. The abuser was likely a victim. Where did the abuse first occur? Abuse is often a re-gift handed down through lineages of family history. We look at our country’s history and we know people flocked here to escape poverty, persecution, starvation, sickness, and war—all things that do not usually make people nice.

I still do not have a formula for how to respond to people who are abusing an animal right in front of me. I have called animal control in the past, but did not see true healing resulting from the interventions. However, these animals must be on the brink of death before that organization can take action. If it is merely harsh training, usually I come to the animal’s defense no matter how unpopular it makes me. Always, I feel pity for two beings and I wish help could exist where true healing occurs for both parties. What are your thoughts?

Every Life has Meaning, Even Short Lives

Horse lovers have an especially hard time with the loss of their four-legged friends. Grieving this loss can be doubly hard because it is not a loss most people in the world understand. To some people, these are just animals. But, to people who love them they are much more than that. Losing a horse is very much like losing a family member. Only, in society, there is no structure or space for that grief. Workplaces understand the death of a family member and allow time off for berrievement. With the death of a pet or horse, this grief is often poorly empathized.

Horse owners are very special people because we selflessly and care for animals and will do what it takes to make sure that animal feels love. If you have ever experienced animal grief, give yourself a big thank you. That animal experienced love because of YOU! How do you know this? Because of the grief you felt when he or she died. When someone loves us and they die, we feel sorrow. This is a story of a little foal who died and how even her little life had an impact.

Lux was a beautiful off-the-track Thoroughbred mare from Kansas City and was probably one of the kindest horses I have ever met. She was the type of horse who was friends with everyone and was always in a good mood, almost cheerful. I loved her temperament and intelligence and finally, I had saved up enough money to breed her to a wonderful stallion, the Holsteiner Calmé, also from Kansas City. His floating canter and effortless gaits would make a wonderful match with Lux. That year was the year for U, meaning all the foals born by Calmé had to begin with the letter U. It was a kind of naming system the Holsteiner breeders adhere to so that you can easily figure out the age of the horse, I guess math was not their strong suit.

I knew things were wrong with the pregnancy from the beginning. During the artificial insemination, the mare was very prone to infection. The whole breeding took place with loads of antibiotics and progesterone. I had to keep her on progesterone for the first ¾ of the gestation period. All throughout the pregnancy many things did not add up, but were not glaring enough to be abnormal.

In rural Kansas, vets see more cows than anything and the local vet told me not to worry, things were likely fine. However, I did worry. Things were not right and I worried for months. Finally, the mare began bagging-up, but there is always this grey area between abnormal and normal for this horse. This was the mare’s first foal, so we did not know what to expect. However, she began displaying signs of imminent delivery, a full 10 weeks before her due date. Talk about feeling helpless.

Things were not fine. The foal was born premature; she could stand but not nurse. I milked the mare’s colostrum and bottle fed the little one for her first few hours of life. I remember how soft she was. At that stage in her gestation, she had developed all of the fine hairs on her coat. She was so tiny but she could nicker, whinny, and run around. She would stick so close to her proud mother; they were a team.

She tried so hard to nurse, but simply could not reach the udder. I tried lifting her up, stretching her, but nothing worked. I was actually a little hopeful as she navigated the world in her brave capacity. As I milked the engorged mare, she stood so patiently as if she was not in distress, but I knew that was uncomfortable. This was her first foal and usually mares will have a hard time with nursing. This mare stood like a champ, as if knowing her little foal needed to nurse. I bottle-fed the little one and her little tail wiggled, meaning she was getting nourishment. But soon through the night, her tail stopped wiggling when I offered the bottle and then she declined it altogether.

She was so full of life those first few hours – exploring her world, walking, and nuzzling her mother. Her little life only lasted less than 24 hours but it was special to see how she and her mother got to share their love from the moments of birth and then quickly transition into the letting-go feelings of death.

I went inside to take a quick nap and at 4AM I awoke distinctly knowing it was time. I walked out to the barn and saw our little one. She was lying down. I tried to see if she would get up, but she stumbled and fell, unable to stay on her feet. I knew it was time for her to exit and I held her in my lap, talking to her the whole time, telling her that she was such a brave girl for coming into our world, no matter how brief it was. I also told her that her little time with us was wonderful and we really appreciated and loved her. Her life meant a lot to us and I thanked her for being here.

I stroked her face, held her quietly and she took her final breath and I felt her heart stop beating. She died in my lap and I just remember feeling that there was no pain for her. The mare stayed in the loafing shed and I think she was quietly guiding her little daughter’s spirit through the transition. I left her little body to lie quietly in the shed to let the mare have her time with her. I hugged our mare and told her she was brave too. Animals know when death has occurred; they feel sad and experience a sense of loss as well. There is a distinct quiet to their grief and they move on. As the sun came up, the calm hush moved through our farm.

Adhering with the “U” requirement, I named the little foal Ursula. The name actually means, “little female bear” which totally fit this brave little soul who visited us for less than 24 hours. I am still very glad to have met her and witness her wonderful life, no matter how brief it was.

Riding with Feel, Get In Touch

My favorite quote is from Maya Angelou, “People will forget what you say. They will forget what you do. But they will never forget how you made them feel.” The same holds true for horses. In horseback riding, I try to teach feel, which is astonishingly difficult. I find myself saying absurd things like, “This is a feel thing; can you see what I am doing?” Feel encompasses the physical dexterity of giving a cue, but also how the horse actually emotionally responds after you have asked him to do something.

Riding involves sensing and guiding; we give cues and the horse responds. The energy behind those cues will determine how you make a horse emotionally react. There is a mechanical aspect of putting a horse in a certain posture, moving in a certain way, and flexing certain joints. But, there is also the atmosphere of the attitude – the way you ask means everything. This defines how the horse ultimately feels about the work you are doing and what you symbolize and embody to him. We have all experienced this to some level, when someone barks at you to do something. You would have likely done it because you are kind, but the way you are asked may prevent you from doing anything for that person.

The willingness to do something is the part of meaning behind the word durchlaessigkeit, a German training concept, literally translated as “let the aids through.” However, there is an emotional piece to this word, which implies obedience, a sort of “I’d be glad to do what you asked.” It is a willingness to abide, not a submission or loss of spirit.

The magic of training a horse from feel is one of the elements that makes riding seem invisible. Feel is like guidance and discovery at the same time. When you are learning to connect with a horse, it can be thrilling magic, excited contentment and quiet confidence. It is like when you were learning how to twirl for the first time and your grandfather spun you around. You just spun, you did not have to think about moving, understand why, or even really see it done first. You were just guided by inertia and fun.

I see common themes humans typically get hung up in when dealing with learning the concept of feel. The biggest one is what I call being to “heady.” People over-think and stay in their heads so much they forget they even have a body to which their head is attached. When people can stop thinking and start feeling, they utilize a different part of the brain, body, and existence. People often have to ask questions, which is how we as humans learn. We must intellectualize, this is important to us. But, sometimes the biggest irony occurs. In the midst of the intellectualizing, we block the flow of learning and feeling.

The energy behind an action is a big component to feel. When you are guiding a horse based on feel, it is like guiding dance steps. Finding the moves and learning the dance should truly be a celebration. Feel also encourages the flow of energy and does not force anything. When we are trying to get a horse to relax his back or come through, it is the feel of the energy that guides everything. Relaxation is ultimately a state of mind as well. We connect and train the state of mind just as much as we do the body. If your horse is more anxious than when you began riding, you must strongly re-evaluate your techniques.

Some people go through their whole riding experience and never cultivate feel with the horse. They fail to connect and simply shout cues at this living creature much like they were shifting gears on their car. We can always improve the qualities behind feel. Reconsider your own riding and try to observe when you can cultivate this connection. Horses will never forget how you make them feel, emotionally and physically.

What do Animal Frienships with Us Truly Mean?

Sometimes I am just amazed at the trust horses can muster for humans. After all, our history with them has not been entirely trust-worthy. I have recently started working with a 3-year old Quarter Horse/Thoroughbred cross named Lilac. She has had a great life – living on a lush 20-acre pasture with her mother, an old racehorse named Star. They recently moved to Portland from Kansas and have been adjusting to her new world. I can’t imagine what it was like to be loaded into a trailer in Kansas, shipped across the country, and not have a clue about what was going on. That took true bravery. All that Star and Lilac had throughout the journey was the recognition that there were kind humans around them, and they trusted these complete strangers. When they arrived in Portland, they were scared and very disoriented. Once again, it was the kindness of the new humans involved with them that bridged the fears and uncertainties.

Trust is a special concept and is one of those things that is really hard to define, but you know when you have it and you know when you don’t. When I work with Lilac, our ultimate goal is to establish the trust that you would have with your closest friends. Our first lessons together centered around observing each other. I began to use her language and she realized that our interactions were safe and intriguing. I could see her personality, her ability, and her power. At first she was actually a little pushy with her body. Like a bossy kid on a playground, she shoved me out of her way. I had to define with her what my space means to me, and that she must handle us humans with gentle care. Once she understood this simple concept, mutual respect was established.

Lilac has certainly bloomed! Working with horses is wonderful because you really get to see how their minds work, it is exciting to establish a method of understanding with something that is an entirely different species than you. When I initiate a lesson, she immediately works to figure out what I want, it is a game. She studies and listens intently, searching with great cleverness for the answers. As I reinforce her decisions with encouragement, we begin this association and we build trust. She learns our language and begins to understand the ways of the humans. She has also come to know that I am great at itching areas she cannot reach and I love to share apples and play games with her. We are the definition of buddies!

This idea of friendship with animals is an interesting concept. There are many theories out there that claim animals do not feel emotions and are incapable of complex relationships. If this were true, then the relationship I have with Lilac would be completely different; she would merely be trying to escape my presence on a constant basis or have no interest in me what-so-ever. She would be acting out of fear and incapable of establishing trust. Instead, she follows me around the pasture or the arena. The very act of training animals, establishing a union of understanding with them demonstrates that they are completely capable of complex relationships and higher emotions.

Forming a friendship with an animal is an amazing concept. In fact, my animal friendships have taught me a lot about how to be a better human friend. I learned how to reserve judgment, live in the moment, let the past pass, and really appreciate someone’s presence. They taught me the art of having patience and that love is a universal language. How do your friendships with animals guide how you treat other people?

My Horses, My Teachers: Jethro

In the spirit of Alios Podhadski’s great book, My Horses My, My Teachers I began to think about all the horses who taught me the art of training and riding. I thought it appropriate to write about them, as most have either passed on or have been sold into oblivion. We don’t pick horses, they pick us. It is important to appreciate the horses who have come into our lives.

Jethro was a jet black off-the-track race horse who was donated to William Woods University. He was attempted in the Jumping program, but was found to be too nervous and uncontrollable. When I came to know him, he was being used in the Dressage program, but was known to be unrideable. He was nervous, would jump out at the slightest shadow, jarring his rider, many times out of the saddle.

I was assigned to him because I was considered a “quite rider” who would not upset the horse with excessive use of riding aids. My nature is quiet and reserved so many people think I am shy. I don’t feel shy, per se, but I think talking is over-rated. As I entered the barn, people accosted me with horror stories about Jethro – describing his blow-ups, trailering nightmares, run-aways. People love to talk drama. The reputation humans create around horses can be very unfair. When horses become known for bad behavior, they can easily be sold around and land in hands that lead them into a kill pen.

This was the case with Jethro. With a reputation like that, his days were numbered. I was nervous to ride him, but I also understood the power of believing in a horse no one thought was special. I had success earlier with a Quarter Horse-Trekahner cross named Hardy. I was able to unlock his movement and he turned into a real show-off. He went from an unknown to high point at our WWU’s Spring Show Series.

The story the horse tells is often far different than what humans say. I looked at Jethro and saw a kind gentleman. He moved like he was surfing the wind and his cole-black coat and bright white star gave him dramatic presence. His big eyes were like looking into dark vastness of the night sky. He had lived through a lot and I immediately saw how hard it was for him to be around people who were oblivious to the attitudes they were emitting.

Ignoring can sometimes be the best skill. I ignored the negativity spouted by those around and decided to enter into a non-judgment relationship with Jethro. We always tacked up in his stall – away from the buzz of other riders. As I massaged his back, I noticed little bumps around the spine and when I asked the teaching tech about these, she blew it off, saying those were nothing.
As I began to work with Jethro, I maintained this state of ignoring the distractions, tuning into him. As I listened to him fully, he felt calm. He was very receptive to my positive reinforcements and was eager to please. When it came time to ask for the canter depart, I gave a cue with my leg and he bolted, swinging his hind leg out at my leg. “You’re OK.” I gently reminded him realizing the pressure of my cue was too much. I began to assess just how sensitive he actually was. I asked for the canter depart again – only this I used the smallest flexion of my leg and he responded with an unbalanced canter, but did not bolt.

I kept exploring this sensitivity he was until I found that the only thing I had to do as think the cues! Jethro was not a dangerous horse – he was so perceptive that he could feel everything. All I needed to do was sit still and ride inside my head. As we started perfecting our connection, I became his rider. Only, I wanted to take him to regional shows and to do that we would need to load in a big scary truck.

Our school had a horse van hauled 6 horses at a time. Horses had to load up a steep ramp and back into a stall. I thought, “He is never going to do this.” I walked beside him and faced the ramp. I stepped up the incline and to my surprise stayed with me. Together we walked up the ramp into the dark truck, I secured him in his stall, assuring him everything would be alright. He looked at me and I knew we shared a special trust.

Our season went well. However, the most memorable moment was an interaction with a wonderful woman at a show who watched us in the warm-up. Jethro’s jet black coat contrasted against our stark white polo-wraps and saddle pad. My white breeches and black dressage coat matched this color scheme. Jethro’s movement became effortless and fluid, he eased through the air like time had ceased. The woman waved me down and exclaimed that she wanted a picture of this breath taking horse and wondered if I minded if she photographed him. We both admired how handsome he was and you could just see him beaming as he took in all the complements.

We finished out the show season taking reserve in our school’s dressage classic. That summer, Jethro was going to spend it at a private barn, only I would never see him again. The owner of the private barn fell in love with him and offered to buy him. Having had his previous reputation, my school gladly agreed. A few years later I learned that he died, from, “some sort of spinal tumor” which I can only speculate were the nodules I noticed along his spine long ago. Jethro had gone through a lot in his life, but I am comforted to know that I really think he felt loved in the end.

Reserve Grand Champion, WWU Dressage Classic

Mother’s Love – The Mom & Kid Bond in Horses

I do not have children, but I do have a mother. She is one of those “cosmic” mothers who knows if something is off by the subtle tone in my voice when I answer the phone. She has been known to call me right as I pick up the phone to call her. Recently, I have been struck by the bonds of animal mothers with their children.

Two of the horses at my barn are mommies with their grown children living with them in the same herd. Taxi is Vertigo’s mother, he is four years old and Star is Lilac’s mother, she is three years old. The relationships between these pairs are different than the typical horse-herd memberships. The bonds seem closer, more connected, stronger, and intense. The mothers even whinny to their children differently – it is deeper, louder, and with a directive energy as if to say, “Stay out of trouble and behave yourself.”

A few years ago, Taxi and Vertigo were separated. Vertigo came with me to Portland, while Taxi stayed in Kansas City. A year later, Taxi moved here to Portland and I was able to witness their reunion. They touched noses, sniffed and nuzzled each other in a really tender moment that made everyone say, “Aaahhh!” Then without hesitation, Taxi corrected Vertigo’s behavior, classic mother style. I can say that when Taxi came to Portland, it had a positive effect on Vertigo’s affect. He was a young male horse, always needing to be corrected for getting into my space and pushing me around. I may be completely reading into things, but it seemed like he went from being an unruly young horse, to a listening gentleman, almost like, “Mom is here, I better straighten up!”

Lilac and Star recently moved to Portland together from Kansas. They are transitioning to their new surroundings and it is clear they must stay near to each other for security. When working with them separately, I recognized the need to reassure them that I will never tear them apart. The mere notion of being apart is clearly devastating for them.

What makes the mother energy so strong? Science has theories about pregnancy, giving birth, and breast feeding. But, adopted Moms and kids have just as deep a bond as biological Moms and kids. There is almost and emotional cord, an energy shared between the two beings.

Mothers have this strong, protective and pure love for their children. This quality seems to be the same whether it be human or horse. What do you think makes the mother-child bond so sacred?

My Education about Education – What Training Horses Teaches Us

When I have entered into the learning relationship with a horse, it is apparent that the horse and I are teaching each other. Over the years, training young horses, re-schooling abused and neglected horses, and advancing horses through upper Dressage levels has taught me more and more about the process of learning.

We all have stories of the nightmare teachers or professors. For me, those people were dictatorial, cold, harsh, and discouraging. For the longest time, I thought I was bad at math, but the truth of the matter was that I was experiencing a damaging teacher. Once I studied the subject under a different environment, I excelled at math (I have degrees in Chemistry and Biology).

The optimal state of mind or energy largely facilitates understanding. If the learning concepts are introduced in a stressful, unclear manner, the energy of frustration will tune-out any chance of learning. I am always listening to comfort levels; you can sense relaxation and happiness in animals. This awareness must be awakened – animals do have emotions, so do other people.

The energy behind fun versus work significantly impacts the quality of learning. Young horses often possess playful spirit. The attention span for things that are not fun is short. Enjoyment decreases stress levels and initiates bonds. When animals play with you, this is a significant achievement in a relationship. Think about when you were a child, your playmates were your buddies, someone who was cool and unintimidating. Isn’t this how you want your horse to think of you?

Trust and respect are huge foundations for building knowledge. Young horses are reading humans – getting a sense of what our species is about. I have learned to set a good example for us, exemplifying safety and love to achieve comfort and ease with the learning. If horses fear you, they will never take you seriously and may not believe you can keep them safe in the situations you introduce. This is certainly a shaky foundation.

What ways have you experienced successes or defeats in learning?

Riding Whips – The Pain Response and Learning

Lets be clear: 1. Pain=Abuse. 2. Whips can cause pain. 3. Horses do not like pain. Abuse can never achieve the trust and respect you need to nurture when working with animals. If pain is used as a motivator for behavior, that is called oppression. Webster defines oppression as the exercise of authority or power in a burdensome, cruel, or unjust manner. It can also be defined as the feeling of being heavily burdened, mentally or physically, by troubles, adverse conditions, and anxiety.

Do you really want your horse to feel oppressed by you? When your horse sees you, don’t you want them to feel good about you, like seeing your best friend or your loved one? You would like them to have that comfort level with you. Think about your favorite teacher. For me, that person made me relaxed, was fun to be around, and did not make me feel bad about mistakes I made. Getting me to think and wonder always came from a place of love and not embarrassment or scolding.

Whips are painful when they are used with malicious intent. Often people fall into a huge mistake when they fail to feel and connect with their horse and use the whip harshly to ask them to go forward or to move their body. I have seen people immediately go to the whip rather than their riding aids, a grave mistake.

That being said, I do ride with a riding crop or whip. I use it to improve sensitization to my riding aids – much like tapping someone on the shoulder to get their attention. I can count on one hand how many taps I do throughout my ride and have the goal to put the whip down near the end of the ride, having achieved sensitization to my riding aids and connecting with my horse. When carrying a rider, horses have to figure out what pressures to listen to and which ones to tune-out. It can be far more annoying to the horse to put up with excessive kicking than if you can tap them after squeezing your leg, cluing them in to that stimulus. Taps are not painful, they merely direct attention.

I am constantly looking for ways to address the connection with horses and access energy. As a personal pursuit, I am exploring ways to never have to use the whip. Qigong is one area of study that may have answers as is other realms of energy awareness. Lately, I have gotten great results with accessing the feeling of thrill while riding and asking for forward movement.

Any object can be harmful in the hands of a person with ill intent. It is not the object that is dangerous, but the hands which handle it which are largely the issue.

It IS possible to calmly start horses under saddle – I promise!!

The idea of starting horses (AKA “breaking”) can be done in a calm, safe, non-traumatic manner. This is a fact. I argue that people who think otherwise seriously need to reconsider their reality. There are many outstanding trainers who advocate peaceful methods, yet still today there are people who insist on harsh and mean ways to “break” horses. I cannot understand this.

When I was 14, I started my dear horse Taxi. I was told, “she is gonna buck at some point.” When she did not buck, those same people told me, “you just wait, she will test you!” Well, 17 years later, I am still waiting. That behavior just doesn’t happen if you address things well.

I strongly admit that bucking, rearing, and bolting are behaviors that a horse displays after a last ditch effort of not being heard. If I were to push them to that point, I must have missed about 1,000 signs of distress or lack or comfort. This is a lack of insight on my part, not an unruly horse.

We really get into trouble when we put our training on an agenda. People think, “this horse is 2 years old, therefore he should be doing….” This kind of time-line training can easily push horses beyond their tolerance levels. We have observed that children learn to read at all different rates and times which have no impact on overall development. This is certainly the same for horses.

Often people start their horses way too early, before growth plates have closed or muscles have properly developed. This strongly sets the horse up for joint issues or lameness by the age of 4. Starting horses too early is equivalent to making little children weight lift. It is not done because it will hurt their bodies.

There are tons of training techniques that can be done with young horses. Ground training is the way to introduce complex tasks to the young horse to prepare him/her for riding. This just takes time and consistency, but is worth the pay off when you have a stable, happy horse who likes working with you. This is the ultimate goal, remember!

Mustang – The Saga of the Wild Horse in the American West

I recently finished reading the book “Mustang: The Saga of the Wild Horse in the American West” by Deanne Stillman. Fabulous book – I highly recommend it to anyone who loves horses and is interested in history. Stillman chronicles history by following the tracks of the American Mustang. The book begins with the early paleolithic era, moves through the Spanish Conquest, Native American history, the evolution of the American West, American cinema, and ends with the political battle concerning Mustangs and wild burros.

Paul Revere’s famous midnight ride was on board a horse named Brown Beauty. Later that night, she was seized by a British soldier who galloped away on her. She collapsed mid-run and died that very night, after launching the war for independence. Did you know that? I didn’t. Are horses ever recognized in American history?

There are 37 Mustang and wild burro territories that have been set aside by the Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro act of 1971. These lands are home to roughly 30,000 mustangs. To manage the herds, round-ups are done each year and the horses are put up for adoption. Often, the horses end up being sent to slaughter. In the 1990s, the federal government issued restricted this practice, but those restrictions were reversed under the Bush Administration. The pet food you are likely feeding your dog could be made from Mustang meat.

I understand that territory management can only support so many horses and that mother nature can be cruel when it comes to death. But the issue is not keeping herd numbers maintainable. There are only 30,000 Mustangs in the west. There are 4 million grazing beef cattle. The issue really is an age old land dispute that goes back to the times of Teddy Roosevelt.

Throughout the book you get a sense that horses are probably the most thankless animals on the planet. They pulled our wagons, plowed our fields, carried us into battle and across mountain passes, herded our cattle, and entertained us with their skill. What thanks do we give them? Usually, a free ticket to the slaughter house when they have served their purpose for us. What kind of thanks is that? Are human beings really capable of that? I think we can do better.