(This blog was originally posted on May 18, 2011)
I
believe that people who train and work with horses should aim to achieve a
partnership with their horse. I love the way Monty
Roberts and Kelly
Marks talk about
their “equine partners” when they teach horsemanship and training techniques. My
trainers teach every student at the barn to consider and interact with their mount
as an equine partner. But, what does this term really mean? What does it mean
to be a human partner to your horse?
Enid
Bagnold’s classic novel, National Velvet, depicts a teenage Velvet Brown’s
bond with a piebald gelding, which she rides to victory in the Grand
National horse race.
In Walter Farley’s The Black Stallion, Alec Ramsay earns the trust of an
Arabian stallion when they are shipwrecked on a deserted island. “The Black”
demonstrates his devotion to Alec when he kills a cobra poised to bite the boy;
after they are rescued, Alec enlists the help of a former jockey to train them
for an important race. Finally, in one of the most exciting scenes in my
favorite movie, The
Man From Snowy River, Jim Craig’s trusted mount gallops at breakneck speed,
headlong down a cliff and over rugged terrain in their quest to round up a herd
of wild horses.
Now,
consider the horses that you have known in your life: The horse that carried
you safely home when you were sure that you were “lost” on the trail. The horse
who, even after “dumping” you at that oxer, stood patiently beside you and
waited for you to catch your breath (and gathered your pride) before climbing
on his back. The horse that braced his body perpendicular to a steep incline,
allowing you to pull yourself up the hill by using the reins and his weight as
leverage. Finally: The horse that carried you to a first-place win after
crossing 100 miles of grueling terrain in an endurance race, or bested the
other equine athletes at a three-day, combined-training event. How—or, why—do they do these things for us?
While
considering this question, I am reminded of the famous challenge in President
Kennedy’s inaugural speech: “Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask
what you can do for your country.” I believe that this theme forms the basis of
the partnership that is forged between a horse and his rider. Rather than focus
on the prize or reward that is being offered at the end of the ride, consider
what it takes to achieve that goal.
Spend
time watching your horse in pasture and take the time to learn how to
communicate and interpret the horse’s body language. Groom him and establish a
mutual bond of trust and respect before you even think about climbing onto his
back. Rather than jabbing a spur into his side and demanding your horse to go
forward, first “ask” him to walk/trot/canter out with gentle aid, such as a
cluck or squeeze. Reward the horse with praise and gentle pats when he does
what you have asked. When you must correct the horse’s behavior, be firm—but
fair: refusing to go forward because he is belligerent is not the same thing as
not understanding what you have asked him to do. If your horse spooks at
something on a trail or in the arena, help him to build his confidence by remaining
patient and calm through the incident. Be an example of bravery as you
desensitize him to what has previously startled him. Demonstrate and reinforce
your role as herd leader by providing him with food, water, shelter, and time
to just be a horse.
If,
as Kelly Marks writes, you can “be the owner your horse would choose for
himself,” he can be a reliable equine partner for you.
Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in
Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005.
For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy®
and to set up an appointment, please
visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.
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