I am continuing to suspend in-person hypnotherapy sessions with me in my office. However, phone, and Zoom consultations ARE and WILL REMAIN AVAILABLE!
“Fear does not prevent death. It prevents life.” – Naguib Mahfouz
(This blog was originally posted on April 17, 2014)
As I explained
in my previous blog, Overcoming
Fear, Part 1, repeated exposure to and familiarity with a stimulus can help
increase confidence about dealing with a potential threat or fearful situation.
That is because the subconscious mind is more likely to accept and feel
comfortable with something it knows. Of course, this kind of familiarity and
resulting sense of relaxation can backfire as the person relaxes and feels more
comfortable. Some degree of fear and a healthy dose of respect are very
important emotions to have when working with horses: A lot of “accidents”
happen with and around horses when we forget or ignore how big and powerful
they are and can be. On the other hand, when you use your subconscious mind’s known information about working with
that animal while you remain focused and aware of your environment, this can be
a fabulous and safe experience.
Over the years
that my horse, Galahad, and I were at our first training barn, I groomed and
clipped each of my riding instructor’s twenty horses. I handle the mares and
geldings on a more regular basis, but I often rotated her four stallions
between their stalls and the turnout arena. Through these activities, I came to
know each one’s quirks and preferences: I knew who was likely to nip or rear to
test his rank with the human at the other end of the lead line; I knew who would
walk quietly past other horses and stallions in their stalls and who might pin
his ears and try to kick through a fence to intimidate a challenger. I was not
afraid of these animals per se, but I always treated them with the respect they
were due and an abundance of caution for my own safety and well-being when I
handled them. As another former trainer once said of the stud at his barn, “He
knows he’s a stallion, so he deserves respect.”
Each of my
trainer’s stallions is generally very sweet, well behaved and respectful of the
people who ride and handle them. But they are also 900-plus pounds of powerful
muscle and strong bones, with a very healthy fight-flight instinct and an
equally a strong courtship instinct. I did not just decide to clip my trainer’s
stallions yesterday on a whim or a personal dare to prove I could do it.
Rather, it was my job to that day—including the two more demonstrative ones. So
I put on my helmet and gloves to protect my head and hands—rope burn is no fun
and very easy to get when a horse pulls suddenly back on the line—grabbed the
clippers, a bag of treats and got down to work.
The first
stallion on my list was Galahad’s half-brother, Amadeus: a purebred Lipizzaner whose
modus operandi for intimidation and asserting dominance featured holding a levade (a very controlled half-rear) for
several seconds. Since the mares were already turned out in the paddock for
their playtime, I took the clippers and a bag of treats to the stud where he
was also enjoying turnout time in the arena, away from the mares. I admit that
I was already a little wary: I had never clipped this stallion on my own,
before (my trainer was usually nearby when I did this work). Since I knew from
previous experience that this horse could get very “challenging” to handle if
mares were his immediate vicinity, so I decided to hedge my bets and do my work
where we were. Amadeus stood still as I slid his halter over his head; he even
cocked a hind hoof—a sign of equine relaxation. I plied him with treats and
slowly desensitized him first to the electric clippers in the off position
(some reaction) and then to the persistent buzz when I turned them on.
I don’t know
whether the sound of the clippers scared him; perhaps the sensation of the
blades against his muzzle irritated or tickled him. Whatever: the stallion
immediately pulled back and coiled his body to make a few half-hearted attempts
at a levade. Since I was expecting this reaction (his “known”/previous reaction
to the clippers), I was prepared and able to hold on to the lead-line while Amadeus
had his temper tantrum. While I waited, I immediately did some deep,
diaphragmatic breathing to keep my adrenaline low and consider my next move to
get the horse back under control. I spoke quiet words of reassurance (not
placation) and told him to quit his behavior. For the first time, I spoke with
a confidence and sense of control that I truly felt in this situation. I was
confident in the physical precautions I had taken to be as safe as I could be
in this situation; and, I was confident in my new-found ability to effectively
handle this horse and finish my job without having to call my trainer for
assistance.
Amadeus must
have sensed that I meant business, too, because the stallion dropped back onto
all four hooves and stood still while I went to work on his whiskers and bridle
path. Once again, I plied him with treats and praise the entire time. When I
finished clipping him and removed his halter, the stallion lowered his head and
ambled just behind me, at my right shoulder, right up to the gate. I believe
that this was a very good clipping experience for both of us, the perfect
opportunity to create a positive “known” association between my confidence in
my ability to safely handle, reassure and help Amadeus through an encounter
with clippers.
As my dad likes
to say, “Every experience becomes a part of you.” I, for one, am looking
forward to having a lot of good, positive experiences like that becoming a part
of my life.
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Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a
certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with
honors from the Hypnosis Motivation
Institute in 2005. Sara has been voted the Best
Hypnotherapist in Santa Clarita, California, four years in a row (2019-2022).
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