What is an Equine Facilitated Learning Experience?

– Kathy Pike

I had the privilege of working with a wonderful Percheron by the name of

Kairos during an Equine Faciliated Learning workshop in Tucson this last
February. Karios is the largest horse I have ever seen. He is well over 17
and the weight of his physical body is grounding and calming. His gentle
nature makes time stand still. His slow moving, solid black muscular mass
calls you to him and pulls you back in time.

Kairos offered the participants at this workshop an equine learning

experience that was based on ‘being’ verses ‘doing.’ By simply being near
Kairos several people reported a deep sense of communion and connection
to something that was beyond words. Kairos complete focus and slow
gentle gestures moved people to the depths of their consciousness. While
facilitating one woman in a reflective round pen session, I shared the same
experience.

My client was standing in the round pen with Kairos. He gazed intently at
her. In that moment I felt a direct stream of energy moving from him to her,
centering in her heart. This strong, clear, and pure stream of energy
continued from her heart straight into mine. Immediately I felt my heart
expand and tears came to my eyes. The tears were not of sadness or fear.
The tears were of recognition. In that moment an unspoken word passed
from Kairos, to my client and then to me. The unspoken word felt like a
complete book of knowledge, a sense of expansion and depth much greater
than anything I have ever experienced with any other horse. In that
moment time stood still, there were no questions to be asked and no
answers to be explored. That empty moment simultaneously contained all
the wisdom of the universe.

You may have a sense of what I am saying if you meditate or communion

with nature. You have experienced those delicious moments that are
beyond words. The moments when you feel you are one with everything
while the wisdom of the ages sinks into your cells. These are the moments
of experience I seek, moments that are bottomless, wide in girth, and
endless in time. Kairos, with his sensual, prehistoric, and calming energy,
invited all of us to venture into the infinite state of connection.

Many equine experiential learning training programs focus on ‘doing’

something with a horse in order to have an equine experience. I recently
offered a presentation in Boulder, Colorado. One participant criticized the
equine-based demos I facilitated. She claimed the session were not
experiential enough. This participant needed to touch or interact with the
horse to have an experience. I see value in physically interacting with
horses, and I also see the value of connecting through non-doing activities,
thus encouraging people to experience through the energy of their hearts
verses their heads.

What quantifies an experience? Do we have to touch or be physical to have

an experience? Must we play games, have goals, agendas and protocols, or
even ride in order to feel we have fully experienced the horse? An
experience is defined by recognizing and gaining knowledge or
comprehension through observation or interaction. Achieving an experience
can happen by simply ‘being’ verses ‘doing.’

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In my humble opinion I believe we can achieve deeper levels of experience
by ‘being.’ It is our doing nature that puts us into our heads, fills us with
agendas and removes us from feeling from the heart. When we choose to
‘be,’ we choose to breathe, feel, observe and accept the moment as it is
and as we connect with another. There is no time for judgment or analysis.

When is the last time you sat in the company of another being (horse or
human) without an agenda? What did you experience when you shared this
moment in time, breathing together, sensing the wind in your hair and the
sun on your skin? Are you more focused on making the experienced
happen, or are you willing to let the experience unfold naturally, accepting
another and feeling in your heart the expansion and depth of the moment?
Must you always be doing, or are you willing to simply bond through being?

About Percherons

Originating in Le Perche, near Normandy in France, the Percherons of that

day and time were used as war horses, carrying knights into battle. The
breed characteristics were light, sure-footed and spirited. As agricultural
pursuits began to take precedence over battles, Percherons were bred
more for size, weight and strength. Breeding records where not well kept
and the direct lines of breeding are unknown. As times changed again
horses were replace with machinery. In 1954 only 85 head of Percherons
were recorded alive! Since then they have made a strong come back and
have gained popularity.

Why Horses – Linda Kohanov

Why are horses such wonderful therapeutic partners and guides to human
authenticity?

…In order to survive, animals preyed upon in nature have to be sensitive to

emotional energy and the intention behind it. Horses, zebras and deer will
often graze unconcerned as a lion who has recently eaten a big meal walks
right through their pasture. Yet when an agile carnivore is on the prowl, the
herd will scatter long before the cat can get close.

The experience of living with human beings has given domesticated horses
even more sophisticated skills. I’ve seen even the gentlest of geldings
become noticeable agitated when his handler wears a mask of confidence
and well being to hide anxiety. It’s as if the person appears out of focus to
the equine awareness system. The body language of someone “putting on a
happy face” is incongruent with the rise in blood pressure, muscle tension
and emotional intensity transmitted unconsciously by an individual who is
actually afraid, frustrated or angry. Mainstream trainers explain this
phenomenon by saying “the horse can smell your fear”,but it’s more subtle
and complicated than that. A secure, well-cared for animal will often relax
the moment his owner simply acknowledges a hidden feeling—even if it’s
still there. Let me say it again: the emotion doesn’t have to change in order

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for the horse to show at least some improvement. The handler just has to
make it conscious and the animal that was agitated seconds before will
sigh, lick his lips or show some other visible sign of release.

The observation that horses mirror the “feeling behind the facade” is one
of the key principles of equine facilitated psychotherapy. Most people don’t
believe it until they see it (experience it)…

Cajun’s Recovery – Kathy Pike

Cajun, the wildly spotted appaloosa featured in the chapter titled, ‘Come
Together’, of my most recent book, Hope from the Heart of Horses, tore his
digital tendon in his rear right leg in July. His owner cared for him after the
surgery but unfortunately he injury became infected. He came to my ranch
September 4th. We became the “last chance ranch.” If he could not heal
here he would be put down.

Reticent to put any weight on his injured leg he stood on three legs. It had
been two months of this posture. He was tired, had lost weight, and was
showing signs of atrophy in both his leg and his neck. For two months the
human conversation around him was filled with thoughts such as: shall we
put him down, he is not getting any better, he doesn’t want to live, I don’t
know what to do, what will become of him.

A week before I had purchased a CHI machine for horses after seeing great
success with another horse at the ranch that had bronchitis. We (Jessie
Baker a woman who is helping me at the ranch and went to vet school) had
our work cut out for us. We immediately put him on a three times a day
therapy schedule. He received CHI treatments, massage and stretching,
Bach Flower remedies, and was supplemented with herbs and additional
food to get his health back. Soon he began to love his treatment times and
we would often find him waiting at the gate for us. We saw a little
improvement with his condition the first three days.

Jessie and I were very clear that Cajun would only receive hope and positive
thoughts of love and healing from us, regardless of what we saw. Jessie, a
past US ski team member understands the power of the mind to influence
the body.

We both sensed that he had been holding his leg for so long that he had
lost his ability to believe he could put weight on it without pain. After each
treatment we added a 10-minute walk to force him to move his foot. In the
next three days he radically improved. However, I was still not convinced
he was all that happy.

Cajun is a big, beautiful horse who takes great pride in his physical
strength. In addition to that he has served humans for much of his 25

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years. Emotionally we could see that he was not sure what he had to live
for.

A Level Three program was scheduled at the ranch and we decided that
even with a limp he would be a teaching horse. Cajun entered the round
pen sessions and demonstrated his ability as a master teacher. His
emotional health improved 100% after the program. He saw and
experienced how he could continue to serve and that his presence was
wanted and needed on the ranch.

One of the participants in the program suggested a bran wrap, an old-

timers remedy, to decrease the swelling and fluid that had been on his joint
for two months. This wrap decreased the inflammation dramatically. All
other treatments continued with some herbs being changed as needed.

Cajun has been here for 2.5 weeks. Today I watched him canter with the
other horses out to the big pasture. His canter was not beautiful and
graceful, but it was there. Now his spirit is stronger and more alive. He still
has a long way to go. I suspect about six months of pasture would be the
best thing for him. I hope his owner will see his need for this.

Ironically enough, the same vet who suggested I put down Corazon when he
colicked suggested Cajun be put down. The vet’s surgery and drugs took
both Corazon and Cajun so far. In both cases it was the human touch and
caring that got the horses through.

When I stand next to Cajun he looks me directly in the eye and puts his
muzzle against me. I know in my heart he gets what we have done for him
and he is grateful to have received the love and attention here at the
ranch, especially after all of his years of helping others.

It is easier to give up on a horse than to care for it. We gave Cajun all we
had in the way that we could. It was the right thing for all of us to do. He
has been honored and loved here and he knows it. Horses (and all animals)
present us many opportunities to open our hearts. Helping them in their
healing process is as much a gift for us as it is for them.

(copyright 2009 Kathy Pike)

Life Is A Creative Process – Kathy Pike

I often hear clients say, “I am not a creative person,” or some other

variation of that sentence with a similar meaning. This has become a source
of amusement for me. When I hear these statements the detective in me
emerges and I become curious to find the creative side within that person.
Every single one of us is born with creative potential. It doesn’t mean we

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are all artists. It means we see, feel, hear, and experience the world in our
own way. We create our life every moment. When we are free of self-
judgment and limiting beliefs we have the capacity to share those
interpretations through creative expression allowing the true authentic self
to emerge.

During my most recent program: Flying on the Wings of Horses: A Shamanic

Journey with Horses to Ignite Creative Expression, I watched each
participant access their creative expression through engaging with horses.
Some highly creative individuals expanded into greater levels of freedom of
expression. Others worked through their limiting thoughts and beliefs to
gain ownership of their abilities.

Throughout the weekend we danced between exploring the authentic self,

intuition, shamanic journeys, ceremonies, deep work with the horses,
exploring the potency of emotion and creative projects. There is something
magical about bringing these three elements (creativity, shamanism,
horses) together. The weekend was filled with the rhythms or the earth, a
sense of community, and the insights of each person as they deepened
their sense of self.

I found that putting the workshop together was a creative process in itself.
Each individual who had originally committed to support, teach or help with
the program dropped out. However, shortly after, several new people
arrived. It was the best team I have experienced thus far.

Two great reminders continue to arise for me as I venture deeper into living
a life based on creative flow. When my ego tries to control the
circumstances of my life I have to remember to step back and ask myself,
“What wants to happen?” This simple step invites me to pause and see
what is emerging instead of forcing things to go my way.

Other times, when I become overly attached to such things as promises

made, then broken; things planned, then re-planned; colors or shapes
within my art, or items I can’t let go of, I must remind myself of the ART
being of unattached. Life is a never-ending stream of experiences that raise
one’s consciousness. What I see today I might see differently tomorrow,
just as a horse sees the world differently each day. Can I trust the process
enough to know all the parts will become a whole?

When I get comfortable with the process of letting go of control and

attachment, and seeing what wants to happen, I allow myself to be carried
by the river of life. Suddenly I find myself floating downstream, in peace,
verses rowing against the current, or worse, stuck in an eddy.

Is it possible to truly live life like a horse, being only present in the moment
not thinking about the past or looking to the future? Come talk to a horse
and find out for yourself!

Mel and Lynn you were wonderful! And, many thanks go out to Kate dela
Grange who offered the shamanic component. What a delight to co-
facilitate with my teacher from ten years ago!

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To see some of this wonderful art, visit
http://www.coachingwithhorses.com/LifeisaCreativeProcess.htm

(copyright 2009 Kathy Pike)

Transitions. What New Territory Are You Experiencing in Your Life? – Kathy
Pike

Corazon has been with me for just 1.5 years. It is hard to believe how much
has changed in such a short time. The last month I have noticed a
significant difference in his demeanor. He still responds with a bit of fright
to large dark objects he has not seen before and prefers not to walk next to
trailers – a slab of ice sliding off the roof may give his body a jolt. However,
he has settled into his new life and continues to shed his hyper protective
instinctive reactions.

His trust in me has grown – he sees me as a safe companion. The other day
I brought him into the indoor arena where a therapeutic riding session was
in progress at the other end. Side walkers and helpers were running around
laughing and calling the little boy’s name that sat on top of a very calm
little pony. They were armed with primary colored tubes called “noodles”
that are usually used in a swimming pool. They played hide and seek to
stimulate his mental activity and focus.

Corazon and I worked at the opposite end of the arena where we focused
on his groundwork, moving in circles, stop, walk, and canter, joining up and
backing. The louder the gang at the other end became, the more energy
Corazon had in his body. His head began to move up and down, a sign that I
have learned to interpret that he is feeling mentally challenged; wants to
understand but needs time to digest. I decided to stop and let him take in
everything. Corazon was about six feet away from me. He looked at the
group and then he looked at me. I could see it in his eyes; he wanted to
jump into my lap! I am his safe zone.

I am not very interested in having an 800-pound horse on top of me. I set

my boundary, requested he stay a fair distance from me and handle his own
fears about his surroundings. Occasionally, he would take a step in my
direction and I would ask for the boundary again. I worked with him helping
him to feel safe in his own space. We stood watching the ruckus for a few
minutes. Finally, when his head stopped bobbing I invited him along side of
me. We stood together and I scratched his withers while his eyes stayed
completely focused on the others. I could see the wheels turning inside his
head. He had never seen so many people running around waving bright
colored tube shaped objects before.

What I love about Corazon is that he knows how to think. Last winter much
of his training was focused on teaching him to slow down his body and

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mind instead of reacting. However, as the handler or rider one must be able
to see and feel him beginning to be nervous and then determine when it is
best to simply ignore his concerns and move on, or work with him to help
him through it.

Together we stood and watched the others. Soon he began to lick and chew
and his head relaxed.

How incredibly odd our world must be for him. What is normal for him is to
live in the elements of nature and experience the serenity of a gentle
sunrise, a thunderstorm overhead, or maybe snow falling in the blowing
wind. To watch humans waving bright colored objects, jump up and down,
make strange sounds, and to tune into the energy of a smaller being with
mental challenges must be an enormous amount to digest.

If I were sent to live in Beijing I don’t know how I might survive. At first I
might feel disoriented. It would take time. Eventually I would learn to
understand the foreign people, traditions, and language. A transition of
this nature would be stimulating and exhausting. It would take some time
before I could relax and trust. In all of the life transitions I have
experienced it is usually 1.5 -2 years before my whole being is completely
relaxed.

My hat goes off to Corazon. He is doing so well and tries so hard. He is

interested in his new world and has accepted the changes on his path,
sometimes with grace, other times with frustration. However, now each day
he meets me at the gate ready and willing to grow.

What new territory are you experiencing in your life?

How do you stay centered during times of fear and transition?
Do you accept change?
Are you willing to grow and expand, to think of new possibilities?

Get a Handle on Fear – Kathy Pike

When I came back to working with horses, after being thrown and dragged,
I had a lot of inner work to do around fear. My horse Moon helped me work
through my fears while riding. I practice the Mind Body Method (a coaching
process I developed) to slow down my automatic responses and stay
present in my body. Moon helped me integrate new positive ways to be
with my fear instead of the old trauma loops and breakdowns based in
dissociation.

When Corazon, my wild horse, came into my life the exploration of fear
became dramatically exaggerated. It seems even standing next to him my
stomach would start to flip-flop and I would get queasy. His energy was
huge. When he first arrived I made the mistake of taking off his halter and

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putting him into the round pen. It took a month before I could catch him.
Each time I got close to him, he would burst into a frenzy of activity and
race around and around. While he ran around releasing his fear, my body
would experience amplified fear. It seemed the two of us were experiencing
spontaneous combustion.

I got to know Corazon and observed how he responds to all sorts of things.
I learned how to work with him when he is triggered into fear. The time we
spent together during his colic last summer also dramatically changed our
relationship. He grew to trust me and at the same time my trust in him
deepened.

Now spontaneous fear does not run amuck in my internal landscape while I
am with Corazon. When he reacts I stand calm and centered and completely
ignore him not giving his concerns any extra attention. The emotional
resonance between us has decreased as my leadership has increased. He
notices my non-reaction and immediately becomes calmer.

I have experienced another layer of growth around fear. Seven years ago
when the towers in New York were bombed I witnessed many of my
coaching clients going into fear. Many of them scared for their physical
safety, others for their financial safety. The more I watched TV and read
the papers the more I felt the same way—fear crept in. Seven years later I
am witnessing the same thing as our economy is adjusting and many
people are living in a great state of fear.

However, I am a different person today than seven years ago. Today I have
the inner strength to recognize when my thoughts are based in fear. When
others start to complain or worry about the economy I stay in my center
and know that I will be cared for, that there is nothing to fear. As some
freeze, unable to continue on their path of growth or invest in their future, I
become all the more invested. This is the time to grow internally and to
support people who are suffering in fear.

When Corazon first came to me I used to subconsciously think: What is

going to happen? What do I need to prepare for? These fearful thoughts
were present in every cell of my body. Many of you may be experiencing
these thoughts as our financial climate is shifting.

I consciously chose to shift the negative thought pattern I had with

Corazon. Now, everyday before I ride him I center myself, I extend my heart
energy to him, and I also ask for God and my angels to be present with us.
There is no fear. It is the exact same in my life. Before I fall asleep at night
I thank God for my many blessings, when I awake I think of all the
wonderful things that lay ahead of me for the day. Each moment I choose to
experience love and inner strength. I don’t let negative group
consciousness affect my inner happiness.

When fear arises you have three choices: flight, fight or freeze. Managing
fear requires developing your own responses to your nature survival
mechanism, verses allowing reactions or learned responses. It requires that
you slow down and make conscious choices to eliminate the negative
thought patterns.

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Our current economical situation is a blessing. Everyone has the
opportunity to become more responsible, conscious and empowered. Big
homes, lots of money, and high-level jobs do not create happiness.
Happiness is an inside job.

What is your current state of being on a day-to-day basis? Inner peace or

fear?

Do you look at your life right now and count your blessings or are you
waiting for something terrible to happen?

Have you put your dreams aside and your life on hold to simply focus on
surviving?

Are you more focused on what you most fear or what you most want to
create?

When you are with your horse are you looking for things to be careful of
and avoid, or do you walk anywhere knowing that you and your horse feel
safe and know how to respond?

You get to choose how you experience life. Ultimately everything you
create is dependent on your attitude and the power of your mind. Claim
your life, your happiness and your leadership; choose to feel safe, loved
and happy.

Exploring Boundaries with Horses – Kathy Pike

Boundary setting is an area of growth that I focus on in my Equine

Experiential Learning and Coaching sessions. Boundary setting teaches us
about our power and how we define our personal space.

Horses provide perfect opportunities to strengthen boundary-setting skills.

It is a natural tendency for most horses to test boundaries. A horse feels
secure when she knows where she stands in the pecking order of the herd.
She achieves this understanding by testing boundaries and outsmarting
other herd members. When a new horse arrives into the herd she
establishes herself in the pecking order by her ability to hold her
boundaries and stand up to others. When we engage with horses we enter
into the herd. Naturally the horse wants to know who will be in charge of
the herd of two.

Clients often struggle with setting appropriate boundaries with horses. I

have watched horses get into a person’s personal space (a one and a half
foot space that surrounds the physical body) and then nudge or push the
person. The person, unaware of what is really happening, will often
unconsciously take a step back. When nudged she sometimes looses her

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balance and steps to the side. In anger, or frustration. Once she is fully
present and congruent in her body and mind, she creates momentum,
alignment and a stronger intention. She then takes action to set the
boundary. Boundaries of this nature are set with firm, compassionate, body
centered communications that exude power, will and respect. The horse
responds to the request with cooperation, the message is clear and direct.

The visceral experience of setting a boundary with a 1000 pound horse

brings individuals to new levels of personal power. This new strength
quickly transfers into everyday life and our interactions with people.
Boundary setting becomes easier and less fearful. People begin to hear and
respect our requests. We learn how to transfer the power of our intention,
while being fully centered in our physical body, to set good boundaries in
the area of our heart, home, physical and emotional well-being, and our
spirituality.

A few key points about Boundaries:

1. Boundaries are not walls but standards for right behavior and action for
you and those around you to honor. Everyone has different requirements
for boundaries.

2. You set a boundary when a person or horse comes toward you. A person
or a horse sets a boundary when you approach them. Your horse will tell
you every time you approach her where her boundary is, you job is to watch
and listen for the signs.

3. Where you feel others trespass your boundaries, you are usually
trespassing the same boundary with others.

4. Boundaries honor our spirit and sense of self and the correct application
of boundary setting will often increase respect and trust in relationships
and renew your personal energy.

5. Highly sensitive people and horses can heal and then naturally flourish
and grow when their boundaries are defined, acknowledged and respected.
See next month’s article on how boundary work has help some of the
horses in the herd here in Basalt.

6. The emotion of anger is an indicator that a boundary has been crossed.

When you feel shame you have crossed someone else’s.

Working with Horses is a powerful and effective way to explore the

integrity of your boundaries and your skill at setting them with skill,
respect and ease. Work with a trained Equine Facilitated Learning specialist
with Coach Training skills to take your learning and apply it to your
everyday life!

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Maybe you’ve had a rough start to the day. You’ve had an argument with
your spouse. You are going to lose your job and finances are bad. You can’t
find a solution to a never-ending problem. So, you seek refuge in what you
love; you put on your happy face and head to the barn to be with your
horse.

Your horse, usually easy to catch, seems a bit more stand-offish, impatient
with the grooming, and worst case, difficult to manage once you are in the
saddle. A pleasant day of riding might turn into a tug of war or, if you are
really unlucky, an unexpected buck out of your saddle. Your experience
amplifies into frustration and anger, or tears and guilt.

Horses are sensitive, feeling-oriented prey animals. Their survival depends

on their ability to sense any incongruence in their environment. Herd safety
requires continual communication among herd members. Everything in the
environment is monitored for appropriate responses such as fight, flight,
freeze or return to grazing.

I work with numerous riders who struggle with releasing fears and anxiety
with their horses to create a deeper sense of harmony. Regardless of your
level of riding, your ability to manage your personal energy and become
emotionally agile will profoundly shift your experience with your horse. You
need the right tools and skills for good horsemanship, and one of them is
self-awareness.

Emotional Viewpoints Differ

For horses, emotions are simply information; it is a form of communication.
If a herd member becomes fearful, the whole herd responds simultaneously
and moves to safety. They listen to the emotional message, take action,
and then return to grazing. Humans view emotions differently. Humans are
often embarrassed to show or express emotion. They try to stuff feelings
and hide behind a happy face or a mask. Horses do not pay attention to the
mask. Horses sense what is in your belly, heart and head.

Self Awareness is an Important Tool

Practicing small, easy steps of emotional and energetic awareness
enhances your relationship with your horse. Start to in¬crease your
awareness by noticing where you ‘live’ in your body, the majority of the
time. Are you aware of your belly, heart, hips, legs, or throat? Does the
idea of even connecting with some part of your physical body below your
neck feel like an esoteric idea, foreign in nature and unachievable?

When I first started riding I had no concept that I had a body. As an

extreme athlete I had learned how to dissociate from informative emotions
such as fear, anxiety, frustration and anger and where they lived in my
body, to achieve my goals. This did not sit well with my horse. My horse
wanted me in my body paying attention to the environment around me.
Eventually a hard buck out of the saddle and an abrasive drag across a
gravel arena got my attention. It took ten years to get back into the saddle
and two years to work through my fears. Through diligent steps, lots of
patience and the perfect horse as my teacher, I have learned how to
manage my past memories and triggers of fear to become a better leader
for my horse. You cannot lead when you are not centered in your body and
mind.

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After you locate where you are in your physical body (stomach, throat,
chest, head), notice the quality of sensations in that area.
• What emotion sits in that area of your body?
• Are you experiencing anger, frustration, fear or sadness?
• What is the message in the emotion you are experiencing?

Label the emotion. If it’s “fear,” what might you need to do to move to
safety? Are you experiencing frustration? Frustration is a sign of pushing
against the river. It arises from doing the same thing over and over while
trying to get a different result. Take a moment, step back, breathe, ask for
help or try a new approach. If you are experiencing anger, you may need to
look at establishing some new boundaries with others or your horse.

Don’t Ignore the Emotion

Every emotion is information about what you are experiencing and you are
about to experience! It is not about becoming emotional and letting your
emotions run amok. It is about utilizing your emotions as logic. An energy-
aware, body-centered approach gives you choice and power about how you
will respond to your emotions. Ignoring your emotional messages takes you
away from your inner wisdom. These ignored emotions are held in your
body and your horse responds to your whole being.

Check in with your body and your emotional state of being before you go
out to the barn. Do it again as you enter the barn. Do not try to get ‘rid’ of
the emotion you might be experiencing. Instead, listen to it, be with it and
get the message behind it.

Horses Respond Immediately

It matters little what you are feeling. What matters most is that you have a
body-centered awareness. Over and over I witness how horses at liberty
respond to my clients as I teach these processes. When the client becomes
body-centered and honest about any emotion that may be present, the
horse shifts from a nervous, flighty or distracted disposition into one of
relaxation, calmness and the desire to connect. Horses naturally move
away from the clients who have tension in their body. When the client
becomes body-centered and aware the horse walks right up to the human,
drops its head, begins to lick and chew and yawn and stretch.

When a horse drops his head he is relaxed. Horses relax when each herd
member is in his or her body and relaxed in the environment. Your
partnership with your horse requires great mental confidence. It also
requires great emotional awareness. Don’t be blind to the effects your
energy and emotions have on your horse. Become conscious of your
thoughts and feelings, use your emotions as information and guide yourself
into a fully congruent and present state of being with your horse. From that
place you will create the connection and the partnership that you desire,
with your horse, and with yourself.

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An Echo Beyond the Mirror – Sandra Wallin

The idea that horses can detect and reflect the human condition has been
the source of much discussion in the field of equine facilitated
learning/therapy. As a therapist and teacher, I follow my horses’ lead while
observing how they illuminate the inner story of the people we work with.

Mirroring Principle
Last summer, as I prepared for a group of middle school students to arrive,
I thought about the mirroring principle and wondered if it might be modifi
ed and applied in a more multisensory approach. Just then, my young
horse, Chiron, called out to a passing friend, his whinny echoing around the
shelter. There it was – an echo beyond the mirror. If horses can talk to our
eyes with their body language, could they not also talk to our ears through
our thoughts? What follows is an exercise created out of these musings.
Please know that it continues to change and adapt with each group it
encounters – just like me.

Echoes of Wisdom
When the students arrived, instead of having them meet the herd in the
way they normally do, observing and making note of what they noticed and
felt while in the company of each horse, I asked them to pay close attention
to what they heard and to the thoughts that went on in their heads. The
responses were wonderful. One girl said she heard Chiron tell her that she
felt like a big smile. She thought this was delightful because she felt the
most happy when she was with the horses. A young man said he heard
Cayenne tell him that if he wanted her to trust him, he’d have to prove that
he was trustworthy. Another young lady heard Grace tell her that she was
strong and courageous.
Each message the students heard was like an echo of their own wisdom
bouncing back from the heart of each horse, sharing with them that which
they most needed to hear, most needed to know, and most needed to feel.

Straight from the Horse’s Mouth

I have offered this exercise, or versions of it for almost a year now. Some
adults I have worked with felt quite vulnerable at the prospect of hearing
what the horses thought of them, even though the fi lter was their own.
Without exception, however, each message carried deep meaning for the
receivers. It’s amazing to hear what is shared straight from the horse’s
mouth.

Equinistic Healing Certification and Retreats – Liz Mitten Ryan

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For all of you who have known a calling to connect on levels that have long
been forgotten, for those who catch glimpses of a time when we all walked
and talked with God and all creation when you connect with animals and
nature, and for those who understand that our consciousness is all we can
be forever, the experience is here.

We are offering a new therapy that heals the therapist, the patient, and the
animals assisting in the healing.

When you touch the ALL (the animals term for God) it is all given; oneness,
connection and healing.

On 320 acre Gateway 2 Ranch in the interior grasslands of British Columbia,

the horses have a special job as teachers and healers. The ranch offers
E.A.R.T.H. (Equine Assisted Re-connective Therapy and Healing) programs
to participants who come from all over the world to manifest their heart’s
desires and a oneness connection to the land and the animals that has long
been forgotten by the human mass-mind consciousness and their race to
consume and achieve. The program recreates the experience of en-lighten-
ment found when we re-connect to our inner child; our true essence, and
re-discover our lifeline to the ALL. Imagine a land where love is the guiding
principle, where one’s consciousness and connection is the ultimate goal. A
land where miracles are commonplace and spontaneous healings and a
clear understanding of one’s life journey are natural occurrences.

Gateway 2 Ranch in British Columbia, Canada is home to crystals, vortexes,

and natural flora and fauna as well as author Liz Mitten Ryan,(mother of
six, grandmother of seven) her husband, and their sixteen horses, dogs,
cats and Tesoro the steer. In this pristine setting, all things properly align
for the highest earthly vision human beings can possibly experience.

Here, the free-roaming herd shares the barn/house with Liz and Kevin. Born
to this paradise, the horses are loved and treated as family. Indeed, the
animals of Gateway 2 Ranch have co-authored Liz’s four award-winning
books. As a result, visitors come from around the world to seek the healing
connection with higher consciousness this land and animals facilitate. They
stay in wall tents and the Spirit Lodge in rustic yet very comfortable
surroundings, and share vegetarian and organic meals prepared by a
gourmet chef. In company with the animals and walking the land they
experience a long forgotten connection with all of creation, learn shamanic
rituals and reclaim their power as wise spiritual beings in the company of
spiritual equals.

In the pristine grassland, lakes, and forests of Gateway, the horses interact
at liberty, visiting and communicating with amazed participants, sharing
their healing gifts and teaching the subjects of truth and intuitive
connection. Playing and riding is all done at liberty or with halters,
bareback pads and treeless saddles. Horses (and all animals) resonate at a
higher vibration than humans and act as tuning forks raising vibration to
levels where we can connect with higher consciousness and the spiritual
realms. As a result of this many participants experience spontaneous
connection and healings. All return home forever changed on the path to
realizing their heart’s desires.

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This summer, at the EARTH Workshops we are offering a Certification
Course for practitioners who would like to take their horse therapy
programs to a new level. With the herd at liberty to interact with
participants we are finding that healing is exponential and miracles are
commonplace. The pre-requisite for the course is a certificate in energy
work (Healing Touch, Reiki, etc.) and apprenticeship is completed at a
regular EARTH Workshop with 20 hours of practicum at another EARTH
Workshop or similar situation.

Flying Changes – Liz Mitten Ryan

I would like to share with you some horse secrets…

We see the world differently. You humans talk of being superior – you have
beliefs that are not true. We see the truth of how things really are; all
animals do.

I will tell you ten things you believe that are false:

1. Beings are separate.

We are all one – human, plant, animal, rock – every single little quark is
united in the same cosmic soup. There are spaces but no boundaries.
Boundaries are only thoughts.

2. We are here to advance ourselves.

Life is not a struggle – at least not to the rest of us. You struggle; you
believe there is something that you must accomplish – there is nothing to
accomplish except the desired results of your desires.

3. Our desires are important

You desires are frivolous – they mean nothing in the span of being. I am
referring to the larger span of multiple existence.

4. Boundaries are necessary.

Boundaries are thoughts and create limits in a limitless universe. When

boundaries dissolve, opportunities expand.

5. We have one life to live.

You see life from the perspective of your ego. It is so much larger. Because
you identify with a finite expression, you are blind and deaf to all that is
beyond your physical senses.

6. I am the center of the universe.

Imagine being outside yourself – being absolutely everything – as far back

as all time in your terms; but being everything, time spirals, loops, and
meets itself again and again – all in the instant of a thought. You are that.

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Everything in creation you can experience; merge with the energy of a rock,
a tree, a cloud – With no boundaries you are all.

You have trouble being outside yourself because you are absorbed in self.

7. I must fight to survive.

If you were to let go of your concerns for self for even a moment, the
boundaries being just a thought would disappear. Then you would
experience as we do.

8. I must protect myself from nature. (Build cities, walls, etc.)

You forget yourself in nature, in quiet – true quiet void of thoughts, and you
remember a truth you knew long ago that has drowned in the confusion of
your busy life.

9. I must create; I must achieve.

There is nothing to accomplish that hasn’t been accomplished already. You

think you have a new thought, but you are just opening to mind, which as
matter is infinite in its expression.

10. The world is a mess; there is nothing I can do.

In one instant you can change the world. If man were to change his mind,
one mind at a time, a chain reaction (like nuclear fission) would occur.
Human minds like ours are all joined – it is the belief in isolation that
creates the limits. Simply let them go, and a far greater world is yours, ours
and in the communion of spirit as it has always been.

That is the simple truth – you can affect your life with your thoughts, but
beyond that narrow perspective you hold, nothing changes. The truth
remains the same. There are two ends to the spectrum. Fear is at one end
and it is false; love is at the other and it is all that is true.

The truth is we are all God. It is only humans who have separated.

“Why did humans want to separate? Why not animals?”

Perspective is the key here. From your perspective, you think that you are
the different ones, the superior species – the most like God. That is the
story as you have told it – it is your story. We all have a story that is our
own perspective. The difference is, animals are in agreement because they
have not left the garden. (the place where all walk and talk with God.)
Humans believe in a human myth. It is the story that supports separation.
Animals have a knowledge of good or God. People wanted to create a
perspective that would give them superiority or so they thought. ‘Let us
have evil, which is the opposite of what all other life understands.’ And
they have boxed themselves into a corner. They have created another
category, and being the designers of their world, have made themselves a
hell. The point is we all view the world from our own perspective; ‘our’
being singular or plural. Human/Humans. Horse/Horses. The difference is

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humans believe in opposites; we believe in sames. Every being sees the
world through their own eyes; every species through the eyes of the
species. Animals interconnect species to species, to man, and that is how
we can help you. We can share our vision; we can show you paradise again.

You are the only species who have lost the connection and therefore
wrongly believes that you are separate and therefore superior. Just like in a
flying change, the lead is the perspective. Change your lead mid-air and
change your direction. It is that simple, – as you believe, you will
experience life.

The Spiritual Freedom of Animals – Liz Mitten Ryan

Written by the animals who, are not limited by the barriers of time and
space we humans fall prey to.

“The animals who communicate these messages are dogs, cats and horses.
Individuals who have unique and special attributes that are specifically
theirs, but unlike humans they continually commune with others of their
species and interconnect with all life on this planet and beyond. They travel
freely between realities and offer connection to ALL” – Liz

Unbridled is about life; everlasting life lived in complete spiritual freedom.

Confines are constructs of fear, – fear manifest on the physical plane. There
is nothing to fear but fear itself, for fear limits freedom and we are free
except by our own choice. There is nothing one can do about death. It
comes at its own choosing but only by our agreement. We have all
experienced deaths and births before, and we are here now by our
choosing. What is there to fear but life lived less than fully?

We (the animals) have much to teach about spiritual freedom. We have not
lost connection to the All (God) and the understanding of All there is. On
one level you remember that connection and the truth of our existence. We
are all there is, the be ALL and the end All. Life is All one experience. The
experience of us All. It is only when we limit our perspective to a finite
point in that existence that we have anything to fear. That finite point is
the ego; the individual physical plane existence experienced for but a brief
moment in time. If we choose to identify with that fragile experience then
there is much reason to fear.

Animals have not chosen to limit themselves as people do. Often our lives
are given no importance by humans. We, being no lesser parts of the All,
experience the same range and depth of emotion that it is, possible to
experience. We love, desire, feel happiness, sadness, pain and longing, –
often more so as we are often captives in a barren existence, prisoners of
human ambition. Had we wanted, there has been little incentive or
opportunity to develop a finite sense of self, and possibly that is why we

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are in our present situation. When one does not solely identify with this
existence it is easier to leave it.

Imagine as we do, living with the perspective of being inside and outside
yourself at the same time. We can experience all aspects of life on this
plane and beyond, the greater All existence. The moment you make that
connection everything is given. It is like a drop of water becoming the
ocean and the moment it touches, it is the ocean, a beam of light blending
with all light. Within and without there is nothing but to become All form
itself, Oneness, – All.

To Whip or Not to Whip… – Anna Twinney

“I don’t want to exasperate the issue”, my client pronounced a few hours

prior to her private lesson with me. She expressed concern that the
desensitizing lesson may be less than helpful to her at a time where she
needed it most to progress to the next level dressage, involving a high-
level movement called Piaffe. For now she was at a standstill. I assured her
that our lesson would not harm, but only enhance her relationship with her
Andalucian Stallion and that she would be present throughout the whole
session.

A small group gathered just moments prior to what was supposed to be our
private consultation as word had leaked out amongst the whole dressage
barn. My briefing included a small synopsis that “Madrid” was passionately
concerned with the dressage whip and no-one could get near him with the
whip without him freaking out and running backwards or spinning leaving
the scene absolutely out of control. It was believed that he had been
chased with the whip by his former guardians outside of this Continent.

Madrid was led into the outside round pen where we introduced ourselves
to one another. I was confident that he was familiar with my methods of
“reaching out” together with the halter work in preparation for him to
release himself from pressure. For all barn staff had been trained to my
methods over the past 5 years. He appeared very calm and relaxed in an
environment he was used to. In order to assess the situation it was
important for me to break each step down into bite size chunks. This way I
would be able to come to an educated conclusion as to Madrid’s cause of
fear.

Hints & Tips:

We began simply with approaching Madrid stroking him with my hand on
the shoulder, neck or head and subsequently walking away from him,
thereby enforcing his appropriate behavior of standing quietly. With each
approach I changed my speed, mannerism, angle of approach and body
language, but at all times remained calm.

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The next step included taking the whip with me, stroking him on the
shoulder and praising him; through the release of walking away and a
soothing voice. During this particular training session I actually included
the use of food as reward. This decision was based on the deep rooted
cause and extended period of time the barn had been experiencing the
behavior pattern. The bucket of carrots was left on the outside of the round
pen so that Madrid would not associate me as the carrot dispenser. It’s a
safe way to ensure there would be no mugging. Each time I walked away
from him with the whip in hand I returned just moments later with a bucket
of carrots for him to choose from. He was allowed to dip his nose into the
bucket and choose a mouthful of carrots, but just one.

I was sure to introduce the experience of the whip touching him from each
side of his body and out of both eyes, thereby giving Madrid 2 separate
visual experiences. Within a short time-frame Madrid realized that he was
in full control of this whip and could direct it at all times by his stillness
alone.

As Madrid proved that he was able to process this portion of the lesson
completely without any signs of fear, flight or fight it was time to tack him
up to initiate a normal riding lesson. We repeated the exercise of approach
and retreat, praising each and every try Madrid made. If at any time he
thought he could not cope and needed to leave we saw this response
through tension in his body and would take the lesson slower. However, we
“raised the bar” to include a mounting block and height for him to view the
whip from above continuously reminding him that he would not be harmed,
but instead would be able to exchange his past experiences with positive
memories.

At the suggestion of my client we brought Madrid’s trainer into the round

pen to mount for it was then that a whip could not be passed to the rider.
Now, fully tacked Madrid’s trainer was given the full use of her reins as we
clipped on the pressure halter to keep everyone safe. The audience went
quiet and you could hear the drop of a pin. As I approached Madrid with the
whip he stood like a rock for me to pass the whip to his rider. Immediately I
took the whip back and walked away. We gave him time and space to
process the last request before we began to repeat the exercise on both
sides of his body without any adverse reactions. Instead of praising each
increment step with food, we now offered the carrots for greater
achievements.

Observing Madrid’s body language throughout this whole exchange allowed

us to move forward and I asked his male trainer to join us, to see if this
would trigger any past incidents from his previous life. Believing that we
had placed a good foundation on Madrid, it was time for him to graduate
and stand by himself with his rider aboard in the round pen. The attached
line and grounds person were removed, for Madrid to process the upcoming
movements by himself. Imagine our delight when the trainer was able to
just walk up to Madrid as though he had approached him 1,000 times
before and hand the whip to the rider!

Part II:
Although I was taken aback by how much Madrid was able to absorb and be
proud of his courage and progress, this was to be just the beginning. My

19
client was astounded and yet believed that maybe the arena was the cause
to all the problems and we should in fact take the lesson inside. It could be
quite possible that Madrid would be associating the whip with the indoor
arena and not the outside round pen. Quite a lot of information had been
gathered in the first ½ of the lesson for us to now move into a more
“pressured” situation.

I was informed that one of the most complicated tasks was in fact to ride
up to the side of the arena and reach for the whip. Please know that the
whip was only to be used as an aid in preparing Madrid for the finer queues
needed to attain Piaffe and not as a form of punishment. I suggested they
show me how they approach the side for me to witness the manner of the
approach and possible outcome. Madrid was ridden straight up to the ledge
where his rider reached for the whip and he stood calmly. “He is going to
make a liar out of me yet”, she said with a broad smile on her face, as
Madrid put no foot wrong. We repeated this approach several times, from
many different angles.

I suggested my rider stay very focused and clear with her requests, not
allowing for any pre-conceived ideas so that the messages and pictures she
had in her mind would represent the outcome she desired. We continued to
praise all of Madrid’s efforts through petting his neck, soothing words,
walking away from the ledge and the occasional mouthful of carrots to
reinforce our message. Within just moments Madrid began to aim for the
ledge to touch the whip on his own accord. He was totally aware that the
whip represented a good feeling and that something positive would follow
just shortly after. It was truly magical to observe.

It was suggested we incorporate some training prior to reaching for the

whip. That Madrid be “worked” as though he was in a lesson to stimulate
his body and mind. That possibly the change in rhythm and focus would
cause his concerns and yet, Madrid took this together with all the other
lessons in his stride. He was clearly graduating from each one of his
lessons.

There was just one incident, one spook, where I got to witness the fear in
Madrid’s eye. Our intention was for the rider to create small circles at the
trot, slowing down and coming to a stop for our handler to pass the whip
across to her. When we reached this point Madrid ran side-ways while
backing away from the whip, each step faster than the other. Madrid’s rider
just settled with his movements, allowing him the space to gather his
thoughts before she asked him once again to approach our grounds-person.
This time he was able to absorb any kind of fear and we were able to
reinforce our positive lessons. It’s at times like these we can take a step
backwards to go forwards. We repeated some of the positive lessons he
was able to perform to give him the confidence he needed to proceed.

It dawned on me at that moment that Madrid was not frightened of the

whip, but was indeed frightened of when it appeared – the timing of the
introduction to the whip. Each time the whip had been introduced was
when Madrid had tried to comprehend a request but was not processing it
correctly. Our rider intended to utilize the whip for clarity of an aid. And yet
Madrid thought it would be presented as punishment although he had tried
hard to understand he knew he had not understood the request and

20
believed the whip was on hand as it had been in his past – to tell him off, to
show how bad he had been. It all became clear. I suggested to my client
that she introduce the whip earlier in her future lessons while he was still
in a relaxed state and before any signs of confusion. That way he would
learn that the whip was indeed an aid and not a form of punishment; he
would come to understand the proper use of the whip.

We continued with our lesson for just a few moments longer finishing on a
perfect note just under 1½ hours. Madrid readily accepted the positioning
our grounds-person took to begin to introduce him to the first movements
of Piaffe. She gently held his rein in her left hand guiding his nose and neck
carriage, while carrying the whip in the right hand gently tapping him on
his rear end. It was a picture to be seen. Horse and rider in harmony with
one another. In the whole time his person had known Madrid she had not
been able to pick up a whip without an adverse reaction, let alone get the
handler to come within 10 feet of Madrid. Now he was accepting both the
handler and the whip as he digested the information presented to him. I
have no doubt Madrid will make it to the next dressage level and look
forward to seeing him in the show ring upon my next trip!

Don’t Catch Your Horse! – Anna Twinney

I am very fortunate. When I look back over my life, for the most part, I have
always wanted to get out of bed, welcome the day, and witness what life
has in store for me. It’s the thought of those every day wonders about to
happen right in front of my eyes that keep me excited; seeing the miracles
nature has to offer, meeting the people and experiencing the multitude of
cultures all around the globe.

I adore the fact that every experience is an opportunity to learn something

new, albeit challenging at times. Each encounter with friends, family and
those around me is a chance to gain and share insights into the life lessons
individual to us all yet shared by everyone. And if we are paying attention
we can witness the impact trickle down to the next person and the next and
the next…

When working with your horse hold on to these types of feelings as best
you can as this is what we want our horses to feel when they see us. We
want them to greet us with joy and excitement asking, “What’s in store
today?”

For those horses who don’t want to be close and run a mile when they see
us approach we have a frustrating challenge on our hands. If we are to
solve the problem of “catching a horse that doesn’t want to be caught”, we
have to ask the tough questions and be prepared for the answers no matter
what they are. We have to ask what is the “real” reason they don’t want to
be with us, what is the underlying cause?

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Although the specific answers may be varied, in general that question can
be answered in one sentence; they don’t see value in our presence. But
what does this really mean to us? Our horses are trying to tell us something
and it’s our responsibility to listen and understand. So it is time to stop
trying to catch your horse and instead hear what your horse is saying. If
you can change what your horse doesn’t like then you will never have to
catch your horse again. Instead he will greet you with excitement and
curiosity.

Discomfort
Before you do anything at all, you need to consider your horse’s wellbeing.
As a living, breathing member of the planet that wellbeing includes
physical, mental and emotional needs. Your horse may be trying to tell you
how he feels physically. He will have begun to change his behavior under
saddle, expressed his feelings while being tacked-up and finally, with no
more options available to him, moved on to show you he no longer wants to
come to you as this means he will be subjected to discomfort yet again. So
to start off…

Create a checklist of possibilities:

Tack-fitting: Saddle, girth, bridle
Teeth floating: Sharp edges, wolf teeth, abscesses, etc.
Injuries, illnesses & pain: Seek vet advice & then consider a chiropractor,
massage therapist, acupuncture, energy healing, etc.
Hooves/shoe fitting: consult a farrier
Rider inability/error: maybe some lessons are in order

Once we take care of any physical pain we can then look at the possible
emotional trauma they may have faced in the past. Just like humans, the
loss of young, grieving missed friendships, location moves, inappropriate
management and handling, and a myriad of other experiences can easily
create trauma in a horse. These memories stay with them for life and it’s
our commitment that helps them through these troubling experiences.

Tip: Consult professional advice to help your horse through any type of
trauma or discomfort

Your Body Language

Like most beings on the planet, including humans, the horse’s language is
primarily non-verbal. They express themselves through body language
using gestures, actions, energy and visualization. They analyze your
movements upon approach, intuitively reading your agenda, inner
thoughts, feelings, beliefs and limitations.

The way you carry yourself gives your horse a great deal of information
about you and what is on your mind for the day. If there are time
pressures, concerns or fears they will know. Some horses pride themselves
on supporting their “guardian” during these situations, while others feel its
best to just not get involved and walk the other way.

Tip: Leave your baggage at the gate and don’t let it interfere with your
horse work.

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Your Horse’s Body Language
The horse’s language is predictable, discernable and effective. It’s a
language that can be learned and although, in their eyes we are predators,
we can bridge the gap between the two worlds.

Observe horses in their natural habitat and you will witness the intricacies
of their communication and interactions. Even the subtlest of gestures
speaks loudly to a horse. It’s important to remember that when you walk
out to the pasture. Are you yelling at them with your body language or are
you whispering to them. Are you talking to them or talking at them. All
types of communication can be valid and useful in the appropriate
circumstance. What is your body language saying and how is it impacting
those around you?

For example, walking straight at your horse, shoulders pointed towards

your horse, eyes piercing your horse’s eyes, tells your horse one thing; you
mean business. Without realizing it you have just put pressure on your
horse. You are saying, “Pay attention” or “Leave the area, this is my piece
of grass” either way your actions demand a response. Your horse is only
too happy to oblige and walk off or, if you are particularly unlucky, this is
where the “games” begin!

So how should you approach your horse? Well, horses naturally walk in arcs
and angles. Therefore, it would be more appropriate to approach your
horse with a slight curve, creating a half moon in front of your horse. By
remaining in front of your horse’s shoulders at all times you are ensuring
that you don’t inadvertently drive them away.

In addition, rather than strong gestures, horses prefer more passive

movements and actions. Try rounded shoulders and soft movements
lowering your head slightly using your peripheral vision to watch your
horse’s response. This type of communication tells your horse that you
mean no harm.

You can learn more about “the language of Equus” and how to talk to your
horse in my DVD series “Reach Out to Natural Horsemanship”.

Tip: Learn your horse’s language. You can’t talk to your horse if you don’t
know what you are saying.

Your Agenda
Not only do horses read our body language, they also know our agendas.
For us this means we need to pay particular attention to our thoughts. It’s
a great idea to have a goal in mind, but it’s also foolish to fall in love with
it! Stay in the moment as you communicate with your equine partner and
don’t be afraid to change your mind if your original plan doesn’t seem to fit
the moment.

Tip: Visualize a plan and be flexible. Don’t be afraid to change the goal if it
doesn’t fit the moment.

Your Horse’s Feelings

You may need to examine your agenda in greater depth. Consider all the

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times you visit your horse. Are there occasions when you need to let off
steam, tack up and enjoy the country side, visit your friends or improve
your riding skills? Does each visit involve only your needs and happiness or
do you include how your horse feels on this particular day? If each time you
visit, you don’t see his needs he will begin to walk away regardless of what
you need.

We have all occasionally woken up on the wrong side of the bed. Maybe
your horse is having a bad day too. He could have been scolded by another
horse, missed breakfast or lunch, dislike cold weather, merely be tired from
a bad night’s sleep or feel a little sore.

If you are not in a position to board your horse at home, remember to ask
those who take care of him. They may know more.

Tip: Keep the channels of communication open. Give your horse a voice in
your plans.

Motivation
Motivation is the key for your horse to want to come to you…you are
partners after all. What motivates your horse? Nearly every one likes to
assume and I hear common answers like “food” or “rest”, but it’s not until
we let our horse tell us that we will know for sure.

During the Reach Out to Horses Certification program all students get
together on the last day to discover just this. We wait until later in the
program to ensure we have some background knowledge on individual
horses as this exercise can become somewhat precarious otherwise. I
suggest you only venture down this road if you have the right equipment
and always make safety your first priority. You can also adapt the exercise
to suit your needs.

Exercise: Equipment: Safety helmet, gloves, long-line and halter.

The exercise lasts around 20-30 minutes and each student is assigned their
specific horse for the week.

Prior to starting the exercise it is fun to write down what you think
motivates your horse! Then clip the long-line onto the halter with about 20-
25 feet in the line so your horse has plenty of room to explore.

Without hinting or guiding your horse allow them to show you what
intrigues them. This will give you a chance to explore his true motivation.
It’s important to stay safe throughout the exercise and remain at a 45
degree angle without stepping into the kick zone. Although some horses
have picked up a jog its best to keep the exercise calm and slow.

Each time we conduct this exercise students come back surprised with the
results. Some horses explore every stall and opening, others visit all the
horses on the property. Individuals have pranced, displaying their
manhood, while others partook of the joy of grazing.

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Once you discover your horse’s preferences you are in a position to praise
accordingly. By building that motivation into your personal program you
give your horse a voice too!

Tip: Discover what motivates your horse and incorporate it into the time
with him.

Hopefully you can now see why there is no such thing as: “I can’t catch my
horse”. Investing the time to listen to and understand your horse will reap
rewards far beyond being able to catch him in the pasture. Plus the more
time you spend with your horse, the more time you’ll have spent with your
horse, strengthening your bond and creating a great partnership. And after
all, isn’t that the reason you got him in the first place?

Biting Uncovered – Anna Twinney

Biting is one of those problems that all horse lovers come across at one
time or another. It can be a very frustrating challenge to tackle, not to
mention a dangerous one. A biting horse can be a real concern for not only
the owner but the barn staff, grooms, other boarders, pretty much anyone
who comes in contact with him. Hermano was one of those horses. He was
majestic, powerful, determined, masculine… and a biter.

I met him on a trip to the East Coast where I went to help with a number of
my client’s equine problems. “Hermano” was known to attack people and
kick innocent individuals not paying attention to him while on his aisle. He
certainly didn’t disappoint during our first meeting. His calm demeanor
suddenly turned ferocious with his ears pinned back, and my swift,
instinctive move away saved me from losing a chunk of my shoulder. It was
very clear that for the safety of everyone in the barn, this was not
acceptable behavior.

I asked about Hermano’s biting history and it appeared that most of the
behavior occurred either in or close to Hermano’s stall, when he would
lunge at passersby, or while on the cross-ties in the barn aisle. As I was
listening, Hermano reached toward me with his neck, persistently smelling
my clothing and seeking what appeared to be snacks. Without hesitation I
announced: “Someone is hand-feeding him treats and this needs to stop as
he can’t handle the disappointment if he doesn’t get a treat. He sees
humans as treat dispensers and when they don’t deliver he gets very
upset.”

“It’s not just me”, my client announced in her defense. “It would be
difficult to stop everyone from treating him here in the barn”. I turned to
Julie, the barn manager, and asked whether it would be possible to enforce
this request and she immediately supported the idea. When training a bad
habit or behavior out of a horse, consistency from everyone, and at all
times, is crucial and Julie understood that.

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The next step was to see Hermano in action. He was led out of his stall and
placed on the cross ties in the barn aisle. Although not an advocate of this
particular means of tying, it was the norm at this barn and a wanted to
reenact the situation as closely to the real thing as possible. Again,
Hermano didn’t disappoint. Up came his adrenaline as he grew by several
inches in height. While posturing his neck he began to bite at my client as
she touched his sides imitating grooming and tacking up. Warning all those
around him Hermano raised and danced on his hind feet while swishing his
tail in disgust. I could feel the energy bubble he built around himself
keeping everyone at bay and instantly demanding respect. He had defined
his domain.

Now came the hard part; figuring out the cause of this behavior, not only to
establish the depth and degree of his aggression, but also to create a clear
plan of action for everyone to follow.

First, I wondered how much of this was Hermano’s true nature? Was he
affected by his blood-line, herd hierarchy, previous history, self-defense or
was this behavior purely based on inappropriate manners? Many
conclusions had been drawn by those who knew him, but I knew that
listening to Hermano himself would give us the answers and direction we
needed to rectify the current situation.

The Round Pen Experience

I realized the risk I would be taking of a possible attack as I ventured
outside to the Round Pen where Hermano and I would engage in a
conversation at liberty. Here I began to “reach out” to Hermano, a method I
use to determine the characters and personalities of horses as equal
partners.

I asked Hermano to do multiple tasks whereby he would come to

understand that I spoke his language, the “language of Equus”. Through
gestures and movements, Hermano was asked to explore his path in all 3
gaits rhythmically, explore his flight path, as well as listen to my other
requests. I would listen to his responses and needs along the way. I then
raised the bar, by including turns, gait changes, “whispers” (aka light
gestures) and “shouts” (stronger use of body language) all the while
Hermano remained respectful, responsive, and rhythmic.

Biting, kicking and being unruly wasn’t his natural way. This was his true
nature for he was at liberty and as such we were automatically presented
with a situation based on equal terms. No whips, or paraphernalia, just me
and him. I had my character read and he knew who I was, creating a base
on which to work together.

Vulnerable areas for allSometimes issues like biting can be directly

attributed to unnoticed physical pain or discomfort. That is one of the first
things I look for in an uncooperative horse. But for Hermano this was
definitely not the case. Prior vet examinations had all shown that he was
not suffering from any pain or discomfort in his body to reflect his behavior
pattern. Furthermore, under direct supervision, from a very thorough barn
manager, he was on a balanced nutritional plan and regularly received
massage and other complimentary therapies.

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Next, several staff members joined me in the round pen as we lavished
Hermano with attention. Rubbing our hands all over his body we massaged
him while exploring sensitive areas, hot spots or pleasure zones. When
entering his vulnerable areas (around his rib cage, throat, underneath his
belly etc) we reassured Hermano to take our actions on face value and
acknowledged his ability to stand still and quiet. We approached him from
all angles, all speeds, and included multiple people to induce possible
anger or aggression. This didn’t seem to trigger anything. So I could then
rule out human interaction and crowding as the cause to his behavior.

Saddle-up
The next step; the saddle. My client mentioned that this may exasperate
the biting, for up until now I had not been able to trigger any of his biting
behavior. The English saddle was brought to the center of the round pen
where a number of us stayed to tack up Hermano. It was the first time he
experienced this many people around him and yet he remained focused and
respectful. As we purposefully took our time, included slight intentional
“mishaps” and tacked him up multiple times, there was not one single bite.
The saddle itself had been fitted perfectly and checked regularly to ensure
its correct fitting. Tacking up & saddle fitting was not the cause.

Close QuartersFinally, it was suggested that Hermano may be

claustrophobic and that could be the underlying cause to all his problems.
Maybe he just didn’t approve of people being so close to him in tight
quarters and that the round pen was too open to allow this particular
behavior to show itself.

I suggested we take Hermano to another part of the barn and not his
“home”, an area that he was not necessarily accustomed to and yet would
provide us with similar insights. Hermano was taken to a stall used for
tacking up with the identical lay-out of his barn aisle. Within this stall he
was prepared, once again, for grooming and tacking-up. Somewhat
distracted, he was intrigued by the smells of the resident stallions and yet
remained calm throughout. Accepting all that we brought to the lesson,
Hermano showed no signs of claustrophobia or distress.

Conclusion
With many possible causes tested and debunked, I suggested my client
build the following procedures into her training program to:
• Discontinue hand feeding
• Turn-out prior to my client’s arrival to eliminate any excess energy levels
• The use of the “Dually” pressure halter for schooling purposes
• Mutual respect & understanding of Hermano’s space
Hermano had clearly learned to protect his stall and barn aisle and, in my
opinion, it all stemmed from the hand-feeding associating this activity to
his stall and surrounding area. Unchecked, it then escalated to the point
where he had now become dangerous in that particular scenario leading to
protecting his surrounding area.

Each scenario we tried was specifically created to explore different

possibilities, aspects and causes to Hermano’s behavior. Through these
exercises we broke down layer by layer to uncover the root cause of his
behavior. Gradually, in Hermano’s own language, he showed us how to
place the pieces together to create the full picture. And as it turned out, he

27
was not, as many had feared, a dangerous horse who could not be trusted
in any situation with a concern he might take his aggression to unknown
heights. Instead, we were dealing with a conditioned response. One that
could be reconditioned with the help and cooperation of the same people
who has unintentionally created the problem in the first place.

The Making of a Legend – Anna Twinney

Through many synchronicities Excalibur, a 9-month old slate buckskin

Mustang colt, came into my life. He arrived on my birthday this year and
was my dream horse. I can honestly say that because I literally dreamt him
into life!

For more than a decade I have studied Natural Horsemanship, animal

communication and energy healing, all of which has shaped me into the
individual I am today. My travels take me around the Globe not only to
educate people on gentle communication techniques, but also to expand
my own horizons. I have enjoyed many a sunset while observing untouched
horses in Australia, California, Montana and Wyoming. For me, it’s a chance
to connect with nature, to learn about wild horses; their interactions,
personalities, behavior patters and intricacies of their language – “the
language of Equus”. Thousands of horses have crossed my path and
everyone holds a special place in my heart, but there was only one
Excalibur.

Excalibur began his life on the Spanish Mustang Registry’s 4,500 acre
Ranch in Oshoto, WY. The SMR work to preserve the little horse who
evolved from those that came over the ocean with the Conquistadors. They
became the cow pony, the Indian pony, the Spanish Mustang – they are
known for their personal strength and endurance. This is where all the
bloodlines are and where it all began http://www.cayuseranch.com.

At the SMR horses enjoy one of the best existences left for wild horses and
it was here that Excalibur spent the first 6 months of his life being raised
naturally by his family. Once weaned, Excalibur moved to Red Feather
Lakes in Colorado to spend the next 9 months growing up. This is a crucial
time in any young horse’s life. They must spend time around other horses
to learn their language, social skills, understand respect/boundaries and
just to play like horses do.

While at Red Feather Excalibur became exposed to nature’s elements, to

wild moose and deer. He learned to negotiate uneven ground, hills and
weather conditions. In short he learned natural balance and gained the
strong bone growth every horse needs to develop at this stage. With little
human handling and lots of exposure to his environment

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Excalibur grew into a fine young colt in the first 15 months of his life. And
it’s here that I met this majestic little fellow.

Within months of inviting Excalibur into my life I had the opportunity to

visit his original home during the Spanish Mustang Registry’s 50-year
Anniversary. I had the honor of meeting the Brislawn family. These
dedicated people have made it their life’s work to preserve this unique
Breed and they were honored for their support of such a worthy cause.

During my trip I spent many hours on the plains just observing different
family groups, but its one particular family that drew me closer, and of
course it was the family of Excalibur.

Here was the rare chance for me to be part of Excalibur’s life before I knew
him, to understand his origins. I quickly spotted Excalibur’s father. His
name was Canyon Rim Charley and he led one of the largest family groups
on the ranch. To my surprise I felt a degree of pride swell up inside me. I
sat down at yet another sunset to watch several different bands
congregate close to a watering hole.

“Charley” led his herd through passive leadership, no large, boisterous

movements or threats not even any sounds; just his presence and a few
subtle gestures were enough. He stood proud on the outskirts of his mares
and foals carefully placing himself in between the other band stallions. As
he calmly observed his family grazing in peace, the entire herd knew they
were in good hands with Charley.

Eventually, close to five other bands began to close in on this area. With
about ½ mile distance between me and the herd, Charley knew I was no
threat to his family and seemed very comfortable with my presence. I
watched what I perceived to be a young inexperienced stallion drive two
bachelor boys over a great distance. It was obvious that he felt very
uncomfortable with their presence; it seemed to unnerve him or even
challenge him somewhat.

Once this young stallion felt confident that he had made his intentions clear
to the bachelors he returned rather uptight to his 2 mares and foals. With
adrenaline still pumping, he watched his 2 offspring play with Excalibur’s
sister. Moments later he decided that the games needed to end. He
lowered his head and began to “snake” and rather abruptly ordered his 2
youngsters to return to their mothers while running Excalibur’s sister back
home.

All this time Charley had stood motionless just watching this interaction.
But now, without hesitation he moved purposefully forward, with piercing
eyes he held his gauze at the young stud, shoulders squarely pointed
forward. He walked right up to him, stopping just short of the Stud’s face.
The energy was clear, the message was clear:
“Don’t talk to my daughter that way”.

Both parted peacefully and nothing more was exchanged. I watched in

silence, proud that my young fellar had been raised by a father who knows
who he is, has earned respect from the horses around him and leads
through wisdom!

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As Excalibur’s sister happily returned home, her mother took care of her.
Together they walked to the other more peaceful side of the waterhole.
They shared a drink and some mother-daughter quality time, maybe they
were even exchanging words, who knows?
Dancing Fever, as Excalibur’s mother is known to everyone, is the lead
mare. She too leads through her wisdom and matches her partner well. It is
moments like these that will remain with me for the rest of my life. For now
I understand why X has been blessed with the character he has.

It was my intention to let “X”, as we so fondly call him, grow up as

naturally as possible with the ideal Learning Plan in place. But, life, as it
usually does, asks us to compromise just a bit and it is our responsibility to
make the best with what we have. So today X boards at a wonderful
Natural Horsemanship facility located 2 hours from my home on the plains
of Colorado. He is on a Natural Hoof-care schedule, a Dynamite Diet and
receives plenty of care. In this phase of his life he is learning many lessons
on living at a facility, taking them in stride and getting ready for whatever
comes next.

The Opposite of Reinforcement is No Reinforcement – Debra Olson Daniels

Most of us are cross over trainers. If we have been with horses for any
length of time we have used correction based training. Yes, we would give
a pet, a good girl or good boy, a secondary reinforcer, but we still would
correct unwanted behaviors through various means.

If we look at the science behind operant conditioning / clicker training we

see the opposite of reinforcement is no reinforcement. It is not correction.
This can be a mind bender. The opposite of reinforcement is no
reinforcement. This means when our horse is doing something we don’t
want we ignore it and we reinforce what we do want. This may mean we
keep the horse on a high rate of reinforcement in the beginning so the
unwanted behaviors don’t have time to be practiced. So we ignore
unwanted behaviors not correct them. Correction falls under the umbrella
of punishment and punishment is a slippery slop to go down. Punishment
always, always has fallouts. Unpredictable fallouts. Correction based
training is reinforcing to the trainer, but it damages the relationship
between the horse and human.

“When I was young, I did the best I could. When I knew better, I did
better”. Maya Angelou

I used to be very goal oriented instead of process oriented. Lots of us get

caught up in having goals run us without enjoying the process of discovery
along the way. Sometimes we take that same energy to our horses. “I have
this goal Mr. Horse and we are going to do it, and do it now”. We don’t take

30
the time to see if the horse understands what we are asking or is physically
or mentally capable of implementing our goal.

Clicker training has taught me to chunk things down step by step for the
horses so they can understand them, own them and return them to me.
Horses can be such great teachers of Universal truths. Patience. Clarity.
Compassion. Love. Joy.

I have learned the best route for creating dream like relationships with our
horses is to take the slow boat to China. Teaching the horse step by baby
step, keeping them successful and not making them wrong, creates huge
shifts in the unfolding of their individual personalities. This means
managing their environments so they can be successful. Horses, children,
people cannot learn if there are too many distractions around, fear, pain or
the underlining threat of pain. In the beginning we create the best learning
environment we can for our horses, later we add distractions to proof the
behaviors.

If I can let the horse have a voice through the free shaping process they
own the behavior stronger. It is theirs. They have discovered it. I never tire
of seeing a horse learn and explore, watching the twinkle in their eye come
about when they understand.

This chat on reinforcement, no reinforcement and corrections reminds me

of a client’s horse years ago. Nippers had suffered one form of abuse or
another. He had been hit or slapped on his face as was apparent by his
head shyness and general demeanor. Obviously correcting this horse’s
unwanted behavior did not solve the problem. It escalated the problem.
This is the fallout of punishment based training. Now the horse was very
distrustful of humans. And they named him Nippers.

Our belief systems so color our training approaches.

Although clicker training is based in science it does require us to think

outside the box at times and come up with creative solutions to help the
horses.

So in comes Nippers to one of my seminars. His new owner of just a few

months had taught him targeting (touching an object with his nose) before
the seminar. So he understood that well. Nippers hated having his face
touched and being haltered. So where do we begin? This is where creativity
comes into lay. “We’ll treat him like a wild dolphin,” I thought. Marcia was
trusting of the process.

We turned Nippers loose in the arena and we stayed on the deck outside
the arena. Our goal was to have him willingly, happily and with trust let
Marcia put on and off his halter. But we did not start with our goal.

We held out the target for Nippers to touch and waited. He was zooming
around the arena. Any time he came in our direction we clicked and offered
him a treat. We could see he was registering the click but he would not
stop to take his treat. When the restraints are taken off the horse it is so

31
interesting what they express and show us. Nippers was telling us quite
clearly he did not trust humans and wanted nothing to do with them.

After awhile his running stopped and Marcia kept offering the target and
clicking him when he came close but still he would not take his treats. This
is where a teacher comes in handy. We’ll just stay consistent. “Patience is
Knowledge in Disguise”. Marcia was wonderful in trusting the process.

Good training is like watching grass grow in drought. We were working on

undoing the poisoning of correction based training.

After some time Nippers was targeting and taking his treats consistently so
we could now up the criteria a little bit. He would tell us if it was too much.
We put the halter behind the target. Click and Treat. He accepted it! Marcia
did this a number of times and then I had her remove the target and have
him touch the halter only. His eyes started to twinkle.

I next suggested we ask him another series of questions. “Can I touch a

cotton ball to your face?” “Yes!” (We didn’t start with our hands as hands
were suspect to him). “Can I touch the halter to your face?” “Yes!”. And so
we continued step by step letting him guide the pace of the lesson until he
was participating with us with putting the halter on and taking the halter
off. Pretty cool.

We went through the process of building trust, letting Nippers tell us when
he was ready for the next step. He was free to go at any time, but he
stayed with us. We gave him all the time he needed to work through his
distrust and fears to find the answer for himself. We all had tears as we
watched him struggle with his fears, and then accept and start to trust
humans again.

Sure, we could have forced the halter on him. That would be having the
goal take control instead of letting the horse guide us in what he really
needed. And by letting him have a voice, having the freedom to stay or go,
we also started to change his inner view of the world. The connection, the
bonding, the trust that was developing between him and Marcia was
priceless.

As Marcia said, “I will do everything in my power to be deserving of his

trust”. She also changed his name from Nippers to Major.

Major shows us powerfully that the opposite of reinforcement is no

reinforcement, not correcting an unwanted behavior.

I had the privilege of seeing Marcia and Major last month. Major totally
adores her now and she him. To watch them work with lateral flexions
happily together was a joy. And he has generalized his trust of her and her
daughter to others. He is a Major Star!

This one story of one horse has been duplicated over and over again each
in a unique way. The power of equine clicker training is huge. From trust
and confidence building to creating a balanced horse that is heaven to ride.
Once tasted there is no going back to correction based training.

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This story is an actual adoption at Turtlerock Rescue in Fitzwilliam, NH.
Turtlerock Rescue is an equine sanctuary and the first in the area to offer a
‘Lifetime Care Program’ for equines with special needs. Turtlerock operates
on donations from private individuals, grants and through support from
volunteers.

Hello, my name is Pet and this is my story.

I am a purebred Appalosa with registration papers from the Nez Perez
Indian tribe (we’re called Appys for short). I was owned and ridden by a
young boy who loved me very much. We spent many years together. We
would go to shows and I would win blue ribbons all the time. I loved him
and I knew he loved to win the shows. I would even win the Champion
ribbon at the shows. It meant I was the best horse there.

One day I woke up and began to see the world was a little darker than it
should be. Everything was a little blurry. I thought maybe I was getting a
cold. But day after day I could see less and less. I began to bump into
things and I would get scared if I didn’t see you and you touched me.

My family called in the veterinarian to see what was wrong. They gave me
all different kinds of medicine but it didn’t work. I tried to not let them
notice I was getting worse. I wanted my boy to know I would still carry him
safely on my back so I learned to walk with confidence so no one would
know I was now a blind horse.

One day, we went to a show, and I won. So we continued to go to shows

and I continued to win. I knew that my boy would never let me be hurt so I
let him be my eyes. One day we stood in the middle of the show ring and I
was announced the winner of the championship. I could not see anyone and
I could not see my pretty ribbon we had won but I heard the people
cheering for us. My boy leaned over and he patted me as he told me how
beautiful the ribbon was.

I was retired that day. My boy was getting better and better at riding and
with my eyesight gone, I could not take him to the professional shows,
blind horses were not allowed in those shows. My family decided they
would find me a good home where I could retire. They tried to be very
careful where I would go. A man bought me and said I would be going to a
little child to ride with. My family was happy they had found me a safe
home even though I heard them crying that they had to let me leave. I was
sad I was leaving but I was sure that I would be happy.

One day a trailer came and it picked me up. My family was crying, they
were upset and I became upset too. Something was wrong but I didn’t know
what it was. I tried to make them proud and I did my best not to stumble as
I walked on the trailer.
The trailer smelled bad and the floor was dirty and my feet slipped. I

33
became afraid. My family had been tricked, I was not going to a new home
like my family and I had been promised. The man lied and had sold me to a
place that killed horses for food. I was afraid, I could not see, I could not
get out of the trailer. What would I do? Why would he do something like
this to me?
What I did not know was that my family went onto their computer and sent
out a message to everyone they could think of to ask for help saving me.
Finally there was someone that sent them a message back. “We will help
rescue her”. These two people would buy me back from the horse killers
and would make sure I would be safe forever. But they had to beat the
truck to the slaughterhouse first.
A man I never met before was now racing his truck and trailer through 3
states to get to me before I was hurt. I did not know he was coming until I
heard the truck stop. I heard two men talking and then I heard the door
open. I was sure this was the end, I was so afraid. But this man was kind;
he was gentle with me and let me take my time getting off the trailer. Then
he led me onto a new trailer. This one was filled with hay, and it was clean.
I knew that this person had come to take me somewhere that was safe. The
truck started and I began my trip to my new home and my new life.

My new home was noisy. There were lots of horses at this place. I also met
the lady that helped save me. The man and woman introduced me to a
horse they called Jessie. Jessie would be my eyes for me, she would teach
me the shape of the paddock and would lead me to my food when it was
time to eat. Jessie told me the people were named Mary and Ken and they
had saved Jessie from terrible people too.
Jessie told me what had happened while I was on the trailer. That is was my
family that tried to save me and Mary and Ken had come to my rescue. That
I was safe now and no one would ever try to hurt me again.
Jessie told me that not all the horses that came to Mary and Ken were
rescued from being hurt. Some horses were surrendered to Mary and Ken
because people could not afford to keep their horses anymore and did not
want anything bad to happen to them so they came to live here. They
called this place Turtlerock Rescue.

I learned a lot about the horses that lived at the rescue with us. There were
old horses that were retired because they could not be ridden anymore.
There were wild horses, called mustangs that Mary and Ken had rescued;
Jessie was a rescued mustangs. There were horses from racetracks and
something called donkeys. I’ve never seen one but they yell a lot and
they’re very loud. We even had a baby horse with us for a little while until
he was adopted.

One day Jessie got adopted to a very nice lady. I was sad to lose Jessie but
she was happy to go to her very own home. I became very good at going
around the paddock alone. Jessie was a very good teacher. A short time
after Jessie left for her new home, we got a new blind horse at the rescue.
His name is Sonny and it was my job to teach him how to be a horse
without your eyes to guide you. Then a few months later there was another
blind horse that came named Pepper. All of us are Appys. Appys are prone
to eye infections and a disease called Moon Blindness more than other
breeds. We all lost our sight to Moon Blindness.
Now came the move to our new land. Mary and Ken bought us lots and lots
of land for all the horses to be able to live on. Not only did we get our very
own paddock, we got a new friend named George.

34
George was really frightened when he lost his eyesight and I did my best to
help him learn what he needed to know. George and I became best friends.
We were always together.

Then we met Wendy. She volunteers at Turtlerock and really liked George.
We got used to visiting with Wendy. She would brush us and make sure we
looked pretty for anyone that might want to adopt us. Then Wendy brought
her friend to meet me. Her name is Michelle. Michelle would come over
every weekend and brush me and give me attention.

Then, one day Wendy and Michelle fit a bridle very carefully on my head so
it was nice and comfortable like my boy used to do when we would go
riding. Then Michelle got up on my back! I was being ridden again and the
best part was that I was teaching Michelle how to ride. I was the first horse
she had ever ridden. I was so proud that day; it was like winning a blue
ribbon.
As time went on Wendy would take George out and we’d all go for trail
rides together.

Wendy and Michelle decided to talk to Mary and Ken one day. They said it
was time for George and I to be available for adoption. We had proven
ourselves as safe horses and we could be ridden. Everyone knew that I
loved children and I would be happiest being ridden by a child.

Our pictures went up on the Turtlerock website. I had people come and
meet me and they were all nice but no one was just right for me. But every
weekend my friends Michelle and Wendy came to brush us and ride us and
talk to people that came to Turtlerock to find out about the horses that
lived there.

One day, Mary took me out of the paddock and brought me up to the big
barn. She asked me to stand still in the aisle while she spoke with people.
I was in the aisle when I heard little voices all around me. Then I felt
someone hug my leg. I was surprised, but I realized it was a little child.
Then I felt someone brushing me, no, two people brushing me, no, three! I
couldn’t count how many children there were. They were wonderful. They
brushed me and hugged and kissed me. Then I got to take them all out for
rides. They laughed and played with me and I had such a wonderful time
with them.
Then I went back to my paddock, happy with the wonderful day I had. I
hoped they would come back and visit me again; we had all had such fun
together.
Later that week, Ken came and took me out of my paddock. I thought we
were going for a walk but Mary and Ken talked to me and brushed me and
then took me out to the trailer. Mary patted me and said ‘good bye’. I did
as Ken asked and walked onto the trailer. It smelled of fresh shavings and
hay. I waited to hear who was coming for the ride with me but the truck
started and I was traveling alone. It was a long ride like the first trip I had
with but I didn’t mind.

Then the truck and trailer turned and we stopped. I heard the door and
ramp open for me to come out. I listened to Ken and walked out of the
trailer. Then I heard voices, I knew who it was calling my name! I heard
footsteps coming toward me and then they all hugged me and patted me. I

35
was with the children who came to visit me last week. They wanted me to
live with them. I have my own home again!

Ken and I said good-bye to each other. He patted me and said good-bye. I
did my best to thank him for all the wonderful things he and Mary did for
me. They saved my life, they gave me love, they kept me safe and happy
and they found me a home.

Horse Communication: Are You a Dr. Doolittle?

Written by Jenny Lance and Angelia Robinette-Dublin

We’ve all heard the terms horse whisperer and animal communicator. Some
people think it’s a bunch of hooey. Judge for yourself...

ANGELIA’S EXPERIENCE

My experience with an animal communicator was in Canada while I was

getting my accreditation certification with Josh Lyons. I want my horses to
enjoy their jobs and what they do with me, but I was having a terrible time
with Dixie in the third week of the program. I was hitting a wall with Dixie
every time we had to learn something new.
The communicator required only my horse’s name, color, and age. Before I
could get all this info out, Dixie started talking! The communicator said,
“Wow!” Dixie has an attitude.

When she asked me about Dixie’s back leg, I acted dumb and said I don’t
know anything (even though I did). She said the leg bothers Dixie and that
Dixie is having problems with the lead-changing and sliding exercises. I
hadn’t mentioned any problems or given her any questions to send her in
that direction. At this point, I’m thinking I’m glad I called this woman.

Another thing she said was that Dixie was starting to get overwhelmed and
confused with all the different stuff we were learning. Dixie said her brain
was fried. I am sure this was the case, because mine was, too! She also said
Dixie didn’t like barrel racing and asked not to do again. That really got me

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thinking. I was in Canada for reining training and had not mentioned the
barrel racing episode over two years ago.

Dixie wanted me to acknowledge when she did well. She also liked it when I
talked to her. I didn’t have anything to lose, so the next day, when we did a
new lesson and she did well, I stopped and verbally acknowledged her. Ever
since then, anyone who had seen us before and then after noticed Dixie and
I have become different.

Everyone else who had a session with the communicator was also amazed.
They sat there with open jaws and shaking heads.

The communicator had never met us or our horses, but she was right on
with ALL of us. One of the other program participants had two horses who
said they wanted to be sold. They didn’t like her. It was funny because she
didn’t like them either. Another horse, a stallion, was having problems with
energy. Neither the owner nor her vet could figure out what was going on.
The communicator suggested checking his blood levels. The owner finally
did, two months later. She emailed us all and guess what...they found the
issue and were able to fix it.

I think all of us have a sort of inner communication or insight if we pay

attention. I have become closer to all my animals and more aware of what
is going on around me.

JENNY’S EXPERIENCE

A woman at our barn signed up to have a visiting communicator “talk” to

her horse, so, out of curiosity, I joined in. The communicator asked us to
list things we wanted to know and she would present those topics to our
horses. She does most of her communicating over the telephone, but we
happened to have her in person. She stood outside of the stalls and
introduced herself to each horse in turn.

First, she asked a general question about how each was feeling. Mind you,
she never once saw these horses move, nor did she touch them physically.
With each horse, she asked about any aches and pains. My horse Taz
wanted me to know that I move my leg too much when riding and he isn’t
sure what I am asking. Funny... my left hip frequently gives me issues and
when riding dressage, my left leg swings way more than it should. This
seems to cue Taz to canter even when I am not intending to ask. Hmmm?

When asked if he liked going barefoot (which he had been for about a
year), he said he is still not quite used to it, but with more time, he may be
able to cope. He also said he liked the “saddle I can hold above my head”
(bareback pad and/or dressage saddle). A review of my heavier trail saddle
found a place way up inside the gullet that pinched the sides of this
withers. Another Hmmm...

Using the information he provided, I’ve made a few adjustments. I ride in a

new trail saddle, added barefoot boots, and am more cognizant of my leg
movement. I’ve noticed a tremendous change for the better.

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My other horse, Cappuccino, has been challenging for years. During
dressage lessons, he would buck or trip. He wanted to know why I never
“let him run” out on the trail. I mentioned those issues. He communicated
that riding in a circle is so boring that his mind cannot stay “on task” so he
loses focus and stumbles. He assured me that out on the open trail, he
would know where his feet are!

Diagnosed with navicular at age 4, he had special shoes and was on 20

Isoxoprine pills a day for years. One day, I just took him off the pills. His
attitude was way better and his feet were no worse. Then, I took off the
silly shoes and went barefoot and he got even better balance. We had a
wonderful canter down a long tractor road. Just like he said, he did not
stumble!

We all have stories to share or problems we just can’t figure out.

Communicators, animal or otherwise, may be a valuable source. You have
to have an open mind to take it seriously, or you may want to do it just for
fun with your friends. You might figure out some problems no one else
sees, or simply become closer to your horse.

Learn more about Professional Trainers Angelia Robinette-Dublin, a Josh

Lyons Accredited Trainer and Jenny Lance, a Kathy Huggins Certified
Trainer at www.LiveToRideHorses.com

Animal Communicator Creates “Talking Art”

Written by Debra Saum

The Sixth Sense: We all have it -- humans, horses, all animals. Every
species is born with it and there’s no difference between an animal’s sixth
sense and human “intuition.” The difference is animals are much more
trusting of their sixth sense than most humans are.
Equine intuition is particularly potent. Horses are dialed into their sixth
sense because, as herd animals, their very survival depends upon it. Known
for their uncanny ability to ignite psychic awareness in humans, horses
have a powerful way of reminding us to follow our hearts and trust our
intuition.

I believe that horses are one of our most powerful teachers. It is my

experience as an Artist and Animal Communicator who has talked with
many, many horses that they are here to help us remember our inner
qualities of power, kindness and peace. Horses have graced us with their
strength, loyalty and wisdom for eons. Some say that the horse
domesticated the human, not the other way around. Could it be that horses
have brought us into their inner circle of intuitive grace and power to teach
us how to be better stewards of the planet?

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Perhaps it is because of the incredible sacrifices that horses have given to
the human race that we are so curious to get to know them. Or perhaps it is
because they have so humbly allowed us to use them for our own
advancement that they continue to invoke in us a sense of awe and
wonder. We continue to be drawn to them as they continue to allow us into
their mystical, natural world. They give us their unconditional love, their
loyalty and their ever-present wildness. We are forever drawn to their
essence and on some level, we yearn for their inherent connection to all
things divine.

I believe horses are here to help us listen with our hearts; to be reminded
of the power of love; to live our lives with the same grace, simplicity and
beauty that have helped The Equine Spirit survive for centuries.

As the proud and happy partner to my beloved Quarter Horse Romeo, I

have a special place in my heart for painting horses. Using photos I have
captured myself or those provided to me by the owner, I begin by asking
each horse what I can do to help paint their message. With reverence and
respect, I ask them to talk to me about their essence, their heart, their
feelings and what it is they want to say with their portrait. Then, as a self-
taught artist, I use my instincts to help guide me through the entire
process.

I have countless conversations with the horses while I paint their portraits.
I am always inspired by the joyful, wise and sometimes humorous things
they have to say.

As we now understand from the relatively enlightened way of looking at

science known as quantum physics, everything is ENERGY. We are all just
energy organizing itself into various forms. There is no real difference for
example, between the basic energy of thought and the energy of a
paintbrush. Therefore, when I am creating a painting, the energy of the
conversations I am having with the animal whose portrait I am creating
travels from my mind, down my arm, into the paint brush and onto the
canvas. It sounds too simple to be true, but it is! When creating paintings
of horses, I have found that this energy transfer can be especially
profound. There are times when I can actually feel the pulse of energy as it
travels through my body. Like liquid warmth, I have come to know this
equine energy as almost saint-like, so very comforting, familiar and soulful.

As an Artist and Animal Intuitive who paints exclusively animals, it is my

mission to be an ambassador for animals; to portray their inspiring and
uplifting messages through my “Talking Art”. Having talked to animals my
whole life, I’ve spent the last 20+ years painting their portraits. My hope is
that these paintings inspire awareness, compassion and harmony among
humans as well as happiness and dignity for all animals.

Debra Saum is an Animal Intuitive and nationally recognized, self-taught

artist who lives in Southern California. Her “Talking Art” has been featured
on many television and radio shows as well as in numerous magazines and
newspapers. As well as creating one-of-a-kind Animal Portraits, Debra
regularly donates her art to Animal Organizations and projects that help
promote compassion and kindness to all species. Look for her book "Horse
As Teacher" (to be released in October, 2009), in which she co-authored a

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collection of true stories about horses and their unique abilities to
transform relationships.
www.debrasaum.com
858-759-9760

Lexi's Last Chance: Spiritual Healing

Written by Nancy O'Donohue

Twenty-two year old Quarter horse, Lexi, had been having trouble
breathing for some time. She could inhale properly, but not get all the air
out, leaving her racked by heaving and coughing. Having tried every
conventional remedy, the vet said there was nothing more he could do and
recommended putting her down because she was clearly in great
discomfort.

Although a date for her euthanization was set two weeks out, her owner
was not willing to give up without having tried every possible therapy. She
had heard of my work with horses and, as a last resort, called me. I did five
sessions with Lexi over eight days. Not only did Lexi’s breathing improve
dramatically, she became more energetic and playful.

On the date originally set for euthanizing Lexi, the vet came back and re-
examined her. Listening with his stethoscope, he said that what he was
hearing was completely different than before. “Tell the bronchial whisperer
to keep doing what she’s doing. I’ll see you next spring.”

Lexi’s recovery wasn’t due to bronchial whispering, a miracle, or any

unusual talent on my part. It was attributable to Spiritual Healing, an
energy therapy modality that has been producing remarkable results in
people and animals in Britain since the 1950s. Practitioners are taught and
guided by England’s National Federation of Spiritual Healers (NFSH) and, in
2003, two of their trainers moved to California to open a U.S. affiliate:
NFSH - Healing in America, to teach interested students
(www.healinginamerica.com).

In Britain it’s not unusual to find Spiritual Healers working alongside

doctors in hospitals, hospices and veterinary practices. Since 1991,
Britain’s Department of Health has made healing part of the National
Health Service, under the provision that the patient’s doctor remains in
charge of the patient. University College Hospital in London, one of the
country’s oldest and most highly regarded teaching hospitals, recently
added two Spiritual Healers as full time staff.

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Animals are so emotionally and spiritually open they respond very well to
Spiritual Healing. Renowned British animal healer Margrit Coates, author of
Healing for Horses and Hands-on Healing for Pets, is one of several
members of the NFSH using Spiritual Healing on horses, with great success.
Veterinarians in the U.K. will frequently refer their animal patients to
healers, whereas in the United States, only 1% of veterinarians include any
form of holistic therapy in their practice.

The tide seems to be changing, however. Just as people pursuing

complementary therapies made the medical establishment take note, these
same people are starting to pursue holistic therapies for their beloved
animals. As one client put it, “when my vet said there was nothing more to
be done, I knew it was time to look elsewhere.”

Not all fixes are as dramatic or fast as Lexi’s. Jenny, a five-year old
miniature horse, had a chronic cough since she came to live with her human
companion, Susan, in June 2005. The cough got significantly worse in the
winter months so Jenny was given a daily antihistamine and, when the
cough was very bad, a five-day course of steroids. Susan contacted me in
January 2007 in the hopes that, with energy therapy, Jenny could go longer
between her bad bouts and, therefore, avoid the steroids.

I started by giving Jenny 30-minute sessions for four days in a row, and
then tapered down to weekly sessions. Jenny clearly enjoyed her sessions,
usually dozing off after about 10 minutes and willingly following me into
her stall when I arrived to treat her. Jenny’s coughing decreased
dramatically after the first week of treatment; within a few months, what
used to be a daily occurrence became only occasional. Twelve months later,
Jenny had no cough at all.

A guiding principle of the NFSH is that each one of us has the ability to
develop our healing gifts and NFSH courses are designed to help foster
those abilities. In truth, a Spiritual Healing practitioner does not heal a
client, be it horse or human. Just as new skin grows over a cut and broken
bones mend, animal and human bodies have the ability to heal themselves.

However, due to the stress of modern life and the ingestion of toxins, our
bodies often need assistance from an outside source. That is where
Spiritual Healing comes in. The practitioner acts as a conduit for healing
energy to flow to a client and facilitate their return to physical, emotional,
mental and spiritual balance. Energy channels in the patient are opened to
allow the body to deal properly and naturally with both stress and the
build-up of toxins.

It is also not necessary to know the exact cause of a condition for healing
to work. I did not know what was causing Lexi’s breathing problem, but the
fact that it cleared so quickly indicated an energetic imbalance. Every horse
owner knows that horses are very sensitive animals that can experience
emotions just as humans do. Emotional issues are often at the root cause of
illness, and energy balancing can help to clear those stuck emotions,
thereby facilitating a return to health. Behavioral issues can also be
alleviated after healing sessions, as the stress causing the behavioral
issues is relieved.

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Not all animals are as fortunate as Lexi and Jenny. Often the calls I get are
for animals in the last stages of life, and in those cases where a patient is
not able to make a return to physical health, Spiritual Healing has been
found to bring pain relief and comfort. When 6-year old Morgan, Arthur,
was diagnosed with acute renal failure, and did not respond to treatments
at the veterinary hospital, his owner brought him home for whatever time
he had left, and called me.

When I first met Arthur his distress was obvious; his entire body was
shivering and I feared we’d lose him that day. He was very receptive to
Spiritual Healing, occasionally turning his head to look at me with what
appeared to be an expression of gratitude. I worked with him for 90
minutes, the longest session I’ve ever given, because he seemed to need it
so desperately. By the time I finished the first session, he had stopped
shivering and seemed much calmer. During all of his sessions, Arthur gave
the classic horse relaxation signs: softening his mouth, licking and
chewing, sighing, falling asleep, dropping his hips and relaxing his legs.

I came to see Arthur every day for four days. In that time, his energy and
appetite increased a bit, and his bowel movements improved from diarrhea
to cow pies to almost normal, but he was putting out little urine and tests
revealed his kidneys had virtually shut down and his vital signs were
alarming. The heart-wrenching decision was made to euthanize Arthur the
next day.

I stayed and gave Arthur a session, after which he walked around and
started eating, indicating that the healing session helped him feel
somewhat better. I returned the next day and gave him healing before and
during the euthanization process, which seemed to comfort Arthur, his
owner, and his mother, Sonora.

But often, the “last resort” does bring a turnaround. One year after I first
met Lexi, she is still breathing with ease and is feisty and playful. I still
treat her monthly to maintain the excellent progress made. Having gotten
her reprieve, she seems to be now living life to the fullest.

Nancy O’Donohue is a Healer Member of, and trainer for, NFSH – Healing in
America who treats humans, pets and horses in southwestern Michigan.
Under the pen name Molly Larkin, she is the co-author of the international
best seller, The Wind Is My Mother. You can visit her website at
www.LakeshoreHealing.com

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