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A quick overview published in HYP,

the Horseman’s Yankee Pedlar’s

all digital publication.

Equines & Humans

..she wanted the 5 year old stallion to attend.

…she asked if I would ride.

I had two brief occasions to familiarize myself with the horse during that month, and too soon, the date was upon us. I arrived at the clinic’s location; a stunning 80 acre salt water farm – six hours prior to my ride time. The horses that were already there, were magnificent. From large, big moving Dutch and German Warmbloods; to a few Trakheners and some lovely American Thoroughbred crosses. One Lipizzan…was missing.

I was told that the woman’s trailer had been held together by a miracle, but her truck had been pronounced dead. The horse was unloaded onto the side of the highway, and led into an unfamiliar trailer; with cars and trucks whizzing by; and that they would be arriving soon.

Unsettling. Worrisome. I changed into my riding clothes. Our allotted time was approaching very quickly. Suddenly, they were there. The tiny woman unloaded the stallion and said, ‘Don’t worry. He’ll be fine.” Man. She had an enviable faith in something. I don’t know what, but something.

Apparently, the horse never questioned the strange events that befell him, and he too, seemed to share that enviable faith.

Vigorous grooming, a spot check of equipment (thank goodness it was all there…), a quick look in the mirror, and my spit shined boot went into the stirrup iron. I hoisted myself aboard, and off we went to meet our fate.

The instructor (Karl Milkolka) had just finished teaching a Grand Prix lesson. In German.

I entered the indoor arena on a horse that had endured four and a half hours in a rickety trailer, a highway breakdown, a new trailer, a new place…lots of mares and unfamiliar horses; had never cantered under the weight of a rider – so that we could be scrutinized by a man who had relocated to the US, having spent a decade at the Spanish Riding School in Vienna. Awesome. This should go well…

‘He’ll be fine’, I repeated in my mind…But, Holy Crap. What about me?!

Mr. Milkolka returned from a short break, and assessed the pair now before him.

“How many lights are in the ceiling?” he asked. “Without looking.” he quickly added.

An uncomfortable moment passed. I smiled meekly and said, “I don’t know.”

“There are six.” he waited, and then: “Alright. What time is it?”

Although I knew where the old clock was hanging, I was not able to convey the time. I failed again. I was beginning to feel weak…there was a large crowd…and beads of sweat started soaking the armpits of my shirt.

Wishing I could transport myself to some tropical island somewhere and forget my troubles, I listened as he discussed an element of riding that is rarely taught; embracing the intangible essence of each and every day.

“This is one of the finest pearls you can cultivate in your mind, your heart, and in your Life.” he said.

“You must be open to the broader picture – learning and knowing the nuances of your environment…sensing it, feeling it, noticing it…every single moment. The horse has already made his calculations many times – possibly even hundreds of times…before you’ve run through it once.”

“But, even that one time means something. Your horse will understand that you are ‘seeing’ the same things he does, and if he trusts you, he will feel confident that you are not missing anything that could undermine his safety. If he feels that you don’t know about this or that – and I’m not talking about the obvious things – then he’ll feel that he has to make decisions for himself. I’m talking about being open to what’s happening in the distance beyond these walls, as well as being open to the ever changing dynamics within these walls. People look around once and they think they know where they are. They take their surroundings for granted. The horse may not count the lights in the ceiling, but he knows they are there. He may not be able to tell the time on the clock, but he knows it is there. He’s not going to say, ‘if the light flickers, or if the clock makes a buzzing noise, it’s just a power fluctuation or a weakened battery.’ He’s taken an inventory, but assumes nothing. Likewise, he knows we are here, and he senses our intentions. Our intentions can change instantly, and he will perceive this. The horse is a keen observer, and an intuitive master. He cannot ignore or disregard the messages that come to him.”

Again, a pause. “You see?”

I nodded. I kind of knew. Well, I understood it intellectually. I didn’t really comprehend.

“So. Before we begin to teach the horse, the horse must feel that we love him, and we want him to do well.”

This, I could sink my teeth into, and focused solely on that idea. I took deep breaths and began to sense my surroundings. I began to feel happy that I was there. Our teacher will keep us safe, and he won’t ask too much of us. I didn’t feel like such an idiot. Did the horse sense the subtle change in my confidence?

As I look back on that lesson, it occurs to me that those first ten minutes were part of a formal introduction. We symbolically shook hands and assessed each other, each from our own sense of self. We were three separate beings, who, in a short time had become engaged with each other, and this, Milkolka facilitated exceptionally well. He became part of us, as we became part of him, and we did this at different rates and through different mechanisms. I’m sure Milkolka read my discomfort when I was unable to answer his questions. He took time. He talked until he felt I was in a better frame of mind;  engendering trust and understanding. He reached out with compassion and found our proper starting point.

We evolved into an integrated, unique unit, operating as a team.

The hour that started with dread and embarrassment whizzed by, and that ‘inexperienced’ stallion was totally responsive — cantering on both leads when I asked, and literally connecting to me in a way that honestly, was so intense that I feel it still.

Corners were tight in the 60′x120′ indoor arena, and I had gotten into a two point position to keep my own balance. Clumps of dirt were bombarding the walls of the arena, propelling my mount into an unmanageable frenzy. He was losing his footing in the corners, adding to the danger; adding to the panic.

Suddenly, someone was in my way. The arthritic Master had climbed out of his chair, and put himself into my path…He held both of his hands up and shouted, “SIT UP!” Apparently he had been saying that for some time, but I was unable to hear…The sight of him shocked me. I sat up.

He said, “Open your left rein”. I did. It turned the galloping stallion’s head well toward the center of the arena, yet he stayed on the wall.
He said, “Lift your hand over your head”. I did, and the horse walked. It didn’t take any strength at all. I didn’t have to pull hard — which is so instinctive. It was like a miracle.

The explanation came. It was simply this. The two point position facilitates freedom of movement. The seat can slow the impetus much more effectively by being in the saddle. The opening rein gently turns the head, but the horse can still see where he is going. So, you lift your hand up. This tilts the jaw so that one eye is angled slightly upward toward the ceiling and the other one downward toward the ground. He stops in order to preserve himself.

Tears streaming down my face, I could only nod.

My lesson time had run out, and so had my self-esteem. Yet, this was one of the most important lessons I taught to my students. It is the ‘Classical’ way to ‘disengage’ the hind-quarters:

• Stay emotionally composed.
• Use your seat to make it uncomfortable for the horse to move at speed.
• Stay physically balanced so that you can use your aids.
• Be smart. It doesn’t take force to stop a runaway. It takes confidence.

I had the utmost confidence in my Instructor that day. I just didn’t know what to do. This method did not cause the horse any mental or physical stress (or pain), and he eventually turned out to be a lovely dressage horse.

Years and years of being immersed in the language. Many of us have grown up with horses, and many of us have learned a great deal about them. We all have a ‘feel’ for them, and we know our own horses better than anyone.

I’ve had the privilege of accumulating the experience and dreams of many people and the horses they ‘choose’. So, I’d have to say that I’m no different than anyone else, and that the tools are exactly the same. I’ve just had a lot of practice. With that practice comes a certain routine: Observe. Be open. Assess with a fresh outlook every day.

Horseback riding, like any other worthy pursuit, not only provides us with an incentive to learn how to ride, but provides us with the foundation for our own personal growth.

Horses and their riders can be understood in a variety of ways; physically, emotionally, intellectually, temperamentally, personality,  social standing, quality of relationships, habits and baggage. Seen and unseen structures set up positive and negative behaviors, habits and patterns, and all these are recognizable. It’s much easier to stand in the middle of an arena and process the patterns of others. Much harder to see the patterns within.

The job is to find out exactly what conditions created those patterns, especially the negative ones, and to assess your role as an instructor. And yes. A book could be written about it, which is partially the reason for this blog.

The years have taught me this; teacher, teach yourself. I’ve seen a large spectrum of horses and riders, and know that an instructor can only instruct to the level that they are proficient in. Which includes an emotional component…and that’s the one that pops up the most.

The riding instructor not only has to teach the riding method, the training method, educate students about show ring etiquette and rules, but also needs to evaluate, every moment of every session, the quality of physical progress, experience and states of mind. Fear is one of the emotions that affects both horses and humans, and fear can inhibit growth.

The good thing is that fear sets up patterns that are recognizable.

Here’s an example. True story.

“He won’t go into ‘that corner‘…” the rider said with a mixture of frustration and anger. An additional burst followed:

• He’s making me look bad
• He’s making me look like I am a poor rider
• He’s doing this on purpose
• We are having a battle of wills
• We are never going to get anywhere

Objective Number One: Search for and identify the source of problems

• Is the horse carrying himself normally? Are there any signs of pain? If so, what kind of pain?
• Is the rider physically relaxed? Are there any signs of pain? If so, what kind of pain?
• Is the rider using harmonious aids to communicate with the horse? Does the horse understand?
• What is the environment like?
• How is the horse responding to the environment?
• How is the horse responding to the rider?
• What is the mental state of the rider? What is the mental state of the horse?
• What needs attention? Who needs attention?

A chronic and frustrating training issue had surfaced for the rider, which caused anxiety, and confusion at the very least, for the horse. Instead of continuing the session as it was, I asked the rider to bring the horse to a halt in the center of the arena. Here, I looked into the horse’s eyes. Soft. Kind. Relaxed. I stroked his nose and melded with him. Closing my eyes, I tuned into receiving information with my hands, and scanned the horse (discussion of this method to come later in 2012 – takes a long time to do the artwork!).

Here’s what I learned.

Several areas of the horse’s back and hind end were indicating an imbalance. I found out that the horse had recently received a chiropractic adjustment, and that more adjustments were coming. There was an issue with the sacroiliac joint. So. An additional question popped into my mind. If he has these physical problems, why did they show up in one corner, and not every corner?

Something happen?

Yes. One day, there was a hunter in the woods, and at the moment the horse was in that corner, the hunter blasted his gun. The horse spooked violently. The rider almost fell off.

Every time the pair approached that corner after that instance, the rider took hold of both reins a little more; tightened her body a little more. To the horse, the rider consistently reinforced the sudden noise of one occasion with a restricting and fearful response. Long after the noise was gone, the fearful residue remained – in the rider. Not the horse. Horses spook all the time without any negative associations…but in this environment, the horse remained tuned to her signals, while she did not. And the horse’s response to the rider’s fear became something else in the rider’s mind; a disobedience. Frustration and misunderstanding were leading this pair astray.

The rider put the pieces together from recalling the memory, and from there it was easy for her to recognize that she was ‘tighter’ in that corner. The fear of falling off at that location in that ‘old’ moment, had been preserved by her subconscious mind. This memory, fueled by emotion, created an automatic reaction. Until the rider could recognize this pattern consciously, analyze it, and put the mechanism into perspective, there wouldn’t be an effective resolution. If a long time had passed, and the horse were unduly pressured, it could have turned into psychological baggage for the horse, and a potentially dangerous situation.

Objective Number Two: Redefine the training session

Instructors are there to help get students and horses to a place they both want to go. An instructor can be very knowledgeable, and carefully create a new paradigm.

In this situation, I felt that we needed to do something different in order to treat the corner as ‘new’. I stood in the spot, acting as their ‘bravery’. Next, created an impromptu meditation, using breath and mental imagery. I asked the rider to avoid contact with the horse’s mouth, and just travel by me as if they were riding along some beautiful beach somewhere. I had her get into a two point position. It went very well. Reward for both. That’s got to feel good!

Several more passes solidified a new behavior, and it was time to reestablish a dressage position and ease back into ‘training’. More accolades. They kept passing me, until suddenly the rider actually noticed that I was not even in the corner anymore. Well done. It’s now time to BELIEVE that the problem is gone.

The corner rehab took a few minutes.

The horse’s physical problems disappeared within a week.

Seems simple, but it was a very big deal. If an instructor cannot get to the heart of the matter, it seems that more equipment, harsher bits, and customary weirdness creeps in. We, as humans, convey two messages: the physical message, where we use aids and body language to communicate, and our emotional message, where we may convey all sorts of things we don’t mean to.

My next article will be more about these emotional components…

Please feel free to comment and let me know which of these articles you find most useful, and what you’d like to see more of! I’d really love to hear from you.

Muscles involved in movement

It helps to know your horse’s anatomy…as well as your own. For instance, did you know that humans have sesamoid bones? Did you know that we have a navicular bones? They are located in our hands and feet. Our ankle and foot have many similarities with the hock and lower leg of the horse, and our wrist and hand have similarities with the knee and lower leg of the horse. With the acknowledgement that the horse mirrors us on many levels, the physical level is the easiest to research and understand.

Shown above, is a diagram of the horse. Included are muscles that are primarily involved with ‘initial’ motion. Even though the flexor and extensor muscles of the forearm and gaskin areas contribute, they would not find their purpose in locomotion without the ability of the leg to swing forward and backward. It would be like standing still and lifting and lowering your foot without the notion of rotating your leg forward from the hip. Once you’ve moved your leg forward, you’d have the opportunity to straightening your leg and reaching forward with your foot. That’s why the swingers are illustrated here.

Keep in mind; there are a lot more muscles in the horse that are designed to keep things ‘still’. Many muscles around the torso for example, are designed for support and protection, not propulsion. Muscles of the spine are designed to prevent mobility for obvious reasons. Overextension and/or fatigue of these muscles increases the risk of serious injury, and under normal circumstances, all these muscles work in excellent harmony. Nature has provided the horse with a magnificent package.

It’s just that we ask them to do ‘un’natural things!

Here’s a rundown of the muscles (and a couple of key ligaments) that are shown, along with their names and basic functions:

1.  Nuchal ligament: continuation of supraspinatus ligament. Attaches to rear of cranium or skull.

2.  Cervical portion of Rhomboid muscle: scapular (scapula = shoulder blade) rotation, pulls head up when leg is fixed – pulls neck to one side

3.  Trapezius: thoracic and cervical portions involved in scapular rotation

Ventral Serrate: forms a sling, hanging the trunk from the scapula – raises thorax – unilaterally shifts weight to one side

4.  Cervical ventral serrate: scapular rotation – pulls upper end of scapula cranially and ventrally, raises neck when leg is fixed, or pulls neck to one side

5.  Thoracic portion of Rhomboid muscle: scapular rotation

6.  Thoracic ventral serrate: scapular rotation, pulls upper end of scapula caudally and ventrally -possibility assist in breathing ‘in’

7.  Latissimus dorsi: pulls leg back, moves trunk forward over advanced/fixed leg

8.  Supraspinatus ligament: connected to all spinous processes of thoracic and lumbar vertebrae

9.  PSOAS group

a.  Psoas major: flexes hip, rotates thigh laterally – swinging stifle outward during motion

b.  Psoas minor: flexes or fixes lumbar and lumbosacral joints; inclines pelvis laterally on loins

c.  Ilio-psoas (pulls leg forward)

d. Iliacus component

10. Middle Gluteal: pulls leg back as in kicking – moves trunk forward over fixed leg in conjunction with latissimus dorsi; contributes to rearing and jumping

11. Deep Gluteal: pulls leg back and rotates stifle inward (rotate thigh medially)

All parts of the Biceps Femoris, Semitendinosus, and Semimenbranosis are collectively called the hamstring muscles. They extend the hip, stifles and hock in bringing the leg back during forward movement. They are also responsible for the action of rearing, kicking and jumping.

12. Semitendinosus: extend hip and hock, flex stifle and rotate thigh medially during backwards motion of the leg

13. Semimenbranosus: extends hip, adducts leg

14. Biceps Femoris: extends hip, stifle and hock in leg retraction and locomotion

a.  Cranial (toward head) part of Biceps Femoris: exends hip and stifle

b.  Middle part of Biceps Femoris: extends hip

c.  Caudal (toward tail) part of Biceps Femoris: flexes stifle, extends hock

15. Accessary tarsal tendons: extend hock

16. Gracilis: adducts leg and extends stifle and hock

17. Adductor: adducts and retracts protracted limb

18. Sartorius: flexes hip, adducts leg

19. Tensor m. of lateral femoral fascia: flexes hip, extends stifle, tightens femoral fascia

20. Ascending Pectoral: retracts leg from forward position, draws trunk forward over advanced leg

21. Subclavius (pre-scapular part of deep pectoral): similar to ascending pectoral, assists ventral serrate in suspending the trunk

22. Brachiocephalic: pulls leg forward, lowers head and extends neck when leg in fixed position. Can move neck to one side.

23. Sternohyoid: pulls tongue and larynx back and down in swallowing; fix hyoid when tongue muscles act

24. Omohyoid: pulls hyoid and root of tongue toward tail

25. Omotransverse: similar to Brachiocephalic

26. Sternomandibular: bilaterally pulls head and neck down; unilaterally flexes head and neck to the side

Think of your horse. What is your biggest training challenge? Need an idea? Here’s one. The infamous ‘bulging shoulder’. It may help to bring new knowledge to this ‘problem’ the next time you encounter it. Start with you? Start with the horse? Regardless of its origin, think about how you might use your own Brachiocephalicus and thorax muscles to help correct the problem. Oh, and don’t forget to breathe. That can affect your horse more than anything…

Equine Basic Anatomy Chart

Equine Musculo Skeletal Chart

or

Wingspan Arts Intl.

“I’m Sorry.”

“Is that you?” Blood still flowing from my lip.

“Of course.” he said, quite naturally.

In, then out of the telepathic zone very quickly, I tried to dismiss it as part of my imagination, but the sound of his voice lingered. It was like nothing I had ever heard before.

Intrepid has complied with my wishes, and  has easily performed all the high level dressage movements I’ve ever had the privilege of preparing him for. He’s carried me safely over many five foot jumps, and over miles of terrain. He’s grasped everything that I had on my mind. Can’t say I’ve done the same. Oh, I know how to take care of a horse, how to make them safe and comfortable, but how do we develop this ability, when we abandoned it thousands of years ago for the sake of the spoken word?

Now at thirty, Intrepid eases himself around the paddock, nickering at me softly when I approach, and watching me ever faithfully when I walk away. I know that when he leaves this earth, he will not leave me. He will merely shed his physical form, because it won’t have the capacity to go on. ‘These are only the clothes we wear while we are here’, he says to me, and I believe him. Horses don’t know how to lie.

Some readers might be saying, what pitiful stuff and attribute this to some kind of emotional delusion. But wait. Even though we abandoned our predisposition for telepathy, we have not lost the chemistry behind it.

During the 1990’s, a study was conducted using a drug called N,N-Dimethyltryptamine, or DMT, the results of which were published in a book called, ‘DMT: The Spirit Molecule’, by Rick Strassman.

This naturally occurring ‘psychedelic’ is found in all kinds of plants and animals, including “human blood, human brain tissue and in the cerebrospinal fluid bathing the brain.” ^{(Hancock, 2007)} It is derived from tryptophan, an essential amino acid, and is produced during normal metabolic processes. “Structurally, DMT is analogous to the neurotransmitter serotonin (5-HT), the [neuro] hormone melatonin, and other psychedelic tryptamines, such as […] psilocin (the active metabolite of psilocybin).”^[1] DMT is also similar to the famous hallucinogen, LSD.

Apparently the brain doesn’t distinguish between consciousness altering experiences, whether they are induced by drugs, serious meditation, or intense emotion. It simply affords access to another dimension, frequency or perspective regardless of the catalyst.

In his work, Rick Strassman asks the question, ‘Why does the human body manufacture DMT?’ His answer amounts to this; ‘because we are supposed to gain insights and pearls of wisdom’. Just like molecules break down food because we are supposed to ‘gain’ nutrition from a complex digestive system, DMT provides us with brief but enlightened perspectives, all for our benefit. In other words, we receive the answers we need, primarily when we need them the most.

During his research, Strassman injected DMT into the muscles of volunteers and monitored them very closely. They reported many individual experiences, including intense telepathy, and meeting long dead ancestors. Visions were recorded that closely resembled those recorded by Amazonian shamans, who make a drink out of plant materials containing natural DMT.

The artificially raised levels of DMT differs to that of LSD. Although both have a hallucinogenic effect, DMT is metabolized by the body very quickly — in about an hour. LSD, on the other hand, is a twelve hour trip.

By no means am I advocating the dereliction of a responsible life for a life of experimentation! My only wish is to convey the curious mechanism our bodies are naturally equipped with. We purposefully and safely elevate manageable, natural levels of DMT through meditation, and other modes of trance inducing behavior. Even ‘staring’, is a form of trance. Regardless of your personal preference or judgment, DMT is working for you during your intuitive moments all the time.

As is turns out, serotonin, the ‘happiness hormone’ is temporarily decreased during times of profound grief. This may leave the door open for DMT, a similarly composed molecule, which then seizes control of the receptors during its moment of opportunity. DMT, with its ability to open portals to other dimensions, may have been responsible for my ability to hear Intrepid ‘speak’. It was brief, as the molecule was soon replaced by normal amounts of serotonin, and my ‘logic’ returned.

The discussion begs another question, and that is of animals. Since they also have DMT in their brains, does this facilitate their intuition, telepathy, and the uncanny knowledge they demonstrate from time to time?

Perhaps through new gateways of learning, we may understand even more about our relationship with the horse, and ultimately about the real potential we have together. These wonderful animals evolved over millions of years, developing a sophisticated ‘non-verbal’ capacity, which includes body language, keen observation, and superior telepathic ability.

Whether we admit it or not, horses have brought these ‘skills’ along with their physical aptitude, forward from the tropic dampness of long ago. Their uniqueness has made them one of the most successful species in the history of earth itself.

Who knows? Maybe it’s necessary for us to renew our own latent talent, in order to adapt to our own future; to heal ourselves and our own herd.

The gifts of the horse, may be so much more than we know.

Natural Dressage

Natural Dressage in its purest sense, is the complete understanding of the Nature and biomechanics of the Horse; working with the individual on a regular basis to establish an effective, respectful communication system that works both ways.

Classical Dressage adds the figures of the arena to this study, but implies that the understanding of the Horse in Nature is advanced, and that the quest to understand the individual horse is well underway.

Force is never used.

The idea of ‘exhausting’ a horse before a training session with ‘ceaseless circles’ is unheard of, as are other methods of restraint such as tying up a leg, or tying a horse to a post to teach him patience. These are viewed as ‘unnatural’ ways to connect; proving to the horse our ‘power over his comfort or discomfort.’

Distinctions need to be made with regard to ‘natural horsemanship’ and ‘classical horsemanship’, and the kind of ‘non-horsemanship’ exhibited in both areas of practice.

It is really is up to an individual, exactly how they want to work with their horse on the ground. It can be agreed by just about everyone, that ground work is essential, and can provide an excellent foundation prior to mounting the horse for the first time; and in the support of that horse’s progress throughout his career.

In Classical training, lungeing is used. Not abused. I can make compelling arguments in support of lunging; the equipment, its proper adjustment, its use, and its meaning for the horse. I can also produce an incredibly refined horse and rider using this method, and personally, I’m sticking to it. After all. It’s not the equipment or the method that makes or breaks the horse. It’s how the equipment and methods are used by people, that defines those things.

An alarming chasm exists between the type of dressage that has been promulgated for the competitive arena  and the Natural, Classical form. Haste and competitive lust have served to promote an image of prestige, and superiority – in a human world; using ‘dressage’ as a vehicle…where the horse (sometimes the horse’s rider) is a tool. They ‘over bend’, their legs incessantly bang the horse’s sides, they ‘drill’ the movements, and rarely take their horses out of the ring. Relentless repetition within the confinement of the arena is a form of force. To the Classical Masters, it is an aberration.

This all being said, the Natural, Classical way to connect is through careful thought, keen observation, well developed skill, and ultimately – human patience toward the horse, and toward the horse and rider, if you are teaching.

Technically, dressage is a french word meaning ‘training’, and ‘classical’ refers to the first man credited with writing about a system of training horses. This man was Xenephon, who lived in ancient Greece. He was a student and follower of Socrates, and was an old man when King Philip of Macedonia’s son Alexander, first met his famous counterpart, Bucephalus.

Xenophon’s influence reached far into the future, and came to light once again, during the Renaissance. His teaching and philosophy were studied and incorporated into ‘Classical’ schools, including the Spanish Riding School of Vienna. Since then, several riding Masters have influenced the direction of study, causing variations in practice, not philosophy. The quest to produce a living art form remains very much alive.

Watch the horse in nature. See him prance and cavort. See him buck, gallop and pivot, and only wish to be riding him. Only wish to be in harmony, asking him to cavort, prance, buck and pivot at your request. Do this by understanding his motion, and reflecting back to him that you also can ‘do this motion’ in human style, from the saddle. Do this by understanding that it takes time for the horse to grasp whatever is being asked, and to develop his natural skills with a rider on his back…

Imagine what the horse must be feeling when at freedom, doing those things at will. Feel this in your heart; the love of motion, the exuberance, the pride without ego – and your mental and emotional aids will serve as a powerful compliment to your physical ones. The mirror can go both ways…

Classical Masters like Dr. van Schaik learned their art from their Masters before them; immersed in the tradition, language, and soul of the equestrian pursuit. Many of us do not have access to those learning conditions, and in many ways, have to create them for ourselves. This is our challenge. It is our journey and our efforts that bring us to new levels, inside and outside the arena – of riding and of life.

No matter what your area of pursuit is with a horse, kindness is power, and understanding what you are doing and why, is the key to meaningful practice.

For those of you wishing to practice a form of what has been branded as ‘natural horsemanship’, and for what ever reason, do not want to pursue the methods put forward by Parelli and others, it might be interesting to look at the work of Klaus Ferdinand Hempfling. He has combined his knowledge of theater and dance with his deep understanding of the horse in his book, “Dancing with Horses“. In his book, “It’s not I who Seeks the Horse, the Horse Seeks Me“, he details his progress with two, very ‘damaged’ stallions using his body language method. [more info here, and here]

If you’ve ever seen ‘Cavalia’, you’ll appreciate Hempfling and his work. And of course, if you’ve ever seen Cavalia, you’ll appreciate “Gallop to Freedom“, written by two ‘Cavalia’ trainers…who have brought the art of Natural, Classical dressage and body language horsemanship not only to the international stage, but to the international competitive dressage arena.

These horsemen reflect the delight and exuberance of movement back to the horse, and in that find absolute and resounding Joy. They do this from the very first moment they come into contact with them.

I can’t imagine a better form of bliss. The mirror goes both ways at every level.

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More than anything, Charlie wanted to rope a wooden cow from a horse’s back. Although I agreed to give him riding lessons, I’m thinking that maybe I learned a lot more from him, than he did from me.

At five years old, Charlie didn’t know that he didn’t know how to ride a horse. The thought never occurred to him. It only occurred to the adults in his life. For Charlie, things were simple. He had to ride a horse, in order to rope a cow from a horse’s back. Logical.

During his first lesson, I had him do arm circles, around the world, touch his toes, touch close to the horse’s ears, and close to the horse’s tail.

“Can I rope the cow yet?”

“Not yet, Charlie. I have to make sure you can do a couple more things.”

So, I trotted the mare, and had him do all the previously mentioned exercises. He did these things effortlessly. I had him get into a two point position. Usually, the first time kids ride, they hang on to something. Not Charlie. He did his two point position without holding on to the saddle, the horse, or anything. He held his arms out like he was a soaring bird. No idea he didn’t know how to ride a horse. It never occurred to him.

“Can I rope the cow yet?”

“Charlie, let’s wait until tomorrow. You can carry the rope then.”

He learned his emergency dismounts in a flash. Just like his western heroes in the movies, he knew he would have to jump off quickly and run for that cow. Did it at a walk, did it at a trot – no problem.

Doubt never entered his mind.

The following day, I was letting my horses run around in the indoor arena. Suddenly, the door opened, and the horses made a dash for freedom. I was helpless. There was Charlie, standing right in their path. He was anxious for his lesson. Before I could utter a sound, he thrust his plastic ‘Excaliber’ into the air and let out a roar.

My horses turned tail faster than jack rabbits. I hustled over to the door while my horses snorted and recovered from their fright.

“Hey, Charlie. Come on in so I can close the door a little bit more.” He stepped inside.

“Can I rope the cow today?”

I tried to convey nonchalance while my heart was beating so hard I could feel it in my temples. “Sure. Your mom out in the barn?”

“Yep.”

“Okay,” I said as I shook my head and put my hand on his shoulder. “tell her I’ll be ready in 20 minutes. You can start brushing your horse. Sound good?”

“GREAT!” He flew out the door, leaving it open. I rushed to the door and shut it. Enough excitement for one day. I stood there for a good ten minutes processing my disbelief. I’m sure my horses had some thoughts about it too.

Before the week was out, Charlie was cantering on his 15.1 hand Quarter Horse. He was steering the mare with a hackamore, roping that wooden cow, and roping everything else he thought was worth roping. The horse loved every minute of it. Stood there while he jumped off, and stood quietly next to the fence so he could climb aboard again.

The moral of the story? Charlie pursued his dream, and he pursued it single mindedly. It’s amazing how fast we can learn and perform when we don’t have unsettling thoughts bouncing around in our minds. Horses can mirror anything we project mentally; fear, doubt…and courage.

Charlie’s horse had a clear picture in her mind, because Charlie never faltered. At five years old, he gave her clarity and purpose.

She gave him a much bigger gift. She helped him ‘rope that cow’.

He was a master of the horse/human bond – a true artist, and an incredible leader. Another thing can also be said about him; he didn’t tolerate folly, and was unimpressed by superficiality. His heart was with the horses, and it wouldn’t surprise me at all, if he had really been a horse in human’s clothing.

Here’s a really nice article by Kip Mistral in the August 2009 issue of the Equine Journal.

Your body transmits its own messages to your horse, with or without your approval. This is best illustrated, in my mind at least, by recounting a lesson I taught years ago.

This was a fun pair. Competent, capable, and bright. We were schooling at first level dressage. Circles, transitions, shoulder-in, all established. One day, and I mean literally one day, the horse, after a proper warm up, would not pick up the right lead.

We tried all kinds of things, but the reason for the horse’s reluctance eluded both of us. The best we could guess was that the horse had sustained some kind of injury while out to pasture.

I got on the horses occasionally, to see if there was something I might have missed from the ground. Some subtle feeling here or there, that would help me guide the rider. The horse picked up the right lead immediately…

The lesson hour came to a close, and we talked during the cool down. Like a light bulb instantly receiving current, my client said, “I had to go to the doctor this week…”

…and if you haven’t guessed already, she had pain in her right arm: a repeated use injury – carpal tunnel syndrome. She was managing the pain, however the muscles attached to this tendon (part of the 24 muscles that make up the shoulder) were still tight. Advil might relieve inflammation and symptoms, but it doesn’t alleviate the causative muscle spasm or active trigger points. The rider’s injury was highlighted by the horse’s seeming lack of performance.

Horses are natural empaths, and our dear friends. They mirror us so that we are able to bring awareness to a spot, and heal it on several levels.

It’s a journey, inside the riding arena, and out, and in this case, the horse was the leader. Massage and stretching significantly reduced the rider’s underlying physical, and emotional reaction to job stress. We never had a problem with canter transitions again.

Past injury and trauma effect the present, and there are several ways we can reduce its impact and influence. Dr. van Schaik used to talk about the Alexander method.

“Alexander, although not trained as a physiologist, showed a shrewd understanding of how the brain worked. Our consciousness, in the cortex of the brain, is where our will to do something arises. After this the pathways go to centres deep in the brain which form the subconscious or unconscious. If nothing is done to stop existing programs being activated resulting in inappropriate muscle contractions, then a person’s characteristic way of sitting, standing and doing things will occur.”1 http://www.alexandercenter.com/pa/stringsii.html

Here are some links:

Alexander Center

The Alexander Method: The First Lesson (youTube video)

This is not the only method of body awareness. There are many others. The idea here, is to realize that body awareness is not only a valuable addition to your riding goals, it is essential.

We mustn’t expect our horses to be fluid artists, without attempting to be the same, especially when it comes to the tiniest details.