THREE TREES

THREE TREES
The horse's pasture to the East...

Friday, February 11, 2011

SEEING IS BELIEVING


Ten years ago, when my first horse came into my life, I decided that the best way to learn about this new world would be osmosis. In other words, I needed to put myself INTO the world of the horse as much as possible. At the time, the only way for me to do that was to find a barn with horses. I did too. I've been, over the years, associated with eleven barns and visited countless others. I wish now that I'd kept a journal of them. I've lost track of all the places I've been. 

For less than half that time I've been involved with the Parelli Program. One of the first things I was taught (and that not one other person or trainer...NOT ONE!...suggested to me) was to observe horses. Watch my horses, other horses and herds, other people with their horses, stake myself out somewhere with field glasses and JUST WATCH. Don't interact...watch. If I was to become a skilled practitioner of Natural Horse-Ma-Ship, I needed to 'become' horse. And the best way to begin that process was to observe...horses.


So I did. And I still do every single day. It's fascinating, this time I spend as a voyeur of  horses. I've hung out with them, watched them, napped with them, sunbathed, ate, swam, and moved as a member of the herd. It's never dull. I've seen and heard things I have no explanation for...cried with them, laughed and spaced out, going to that Zen place that only a horse can do so well. If you put yourself REALLY into their skin, my guess is that the 'Zen place' is just a way for them to conserve energy until they have to move to find water, grass, shelter or safety...safety being at the top of the list. That they allow me, the ultimate predator, to be in their presence so completely verges on a miracle. I say "Thank you!" every day for that gift. 


I've been taught that the horse sees, very nearly, in a perfect circle around them. Their eyes are widely spaced and on either side of their head, giving them two sides...two brains...that need to be communicated with (trained). They are blind directly in front of them. If you hold your fist up to your forehead, you'll get an idea of where that blind spot is. It's big enough for a horse that, when you are approaching an obstacle that needs to be jumped, the horse relies on you to see it for him! Now that's trust. You and your horse will have to work in perfect partnership to be able to gage where the object is, how high it is and when to leap. And I haven't even begun to discuss how much balance it takes, physically, on both yours and your equine partner's part to do this safely and effectively.


I've also been taught that the horse sees in silhouettes. I know how important that is to them because, if I change my hat or coat, they will be more cautious of me until they can verify who I am through smell. But my question to myself is how much detail can they see? 


The further I go into my relationship with my herd, the more it seems that the way we communicate with each other verges on being psychic. So what is it they see when they "hear" my request? Are they seeing tiny muscles move in my posture or face? Are they 'seeing' energy fields that my inadequate human eyes can't see? If they see in shapes and silhouettes, how do they know what's going to happen before what happens happens? 

What is it that they see in me?

I am, ever yours, Nancy...puzzled and amazed at these everyday miracles






2 comments:

Natalya said...

Nancy, from my work with sheep I would say with reasonable certainty that, yes, your horses are more psychic than you might imagine.

I learned when milking my sheep by hand...lovely routine of zen-mind time in the barn with them twice a day...that they could measure the realm of my thoughts and when my thoughts passed a certain boundary, which I roughly mapped over time, they would instantly, actively, bring me back inside that boundary by gagging, stepping in the bucket, something I had to respond to instantly.

I have also found time and again that I will be working somewhere out of sight/hearing/thought of them, and suddenly have some sheep-related thought like "Mineral!" or "Water!" impose itself rudely in the midst of a totally unrelated stream of consciousness. On investigating, I would see that the lead sheep was indeed standing at the gate beaming energy at me, and the mentioned item would indeed be in need of attention.

Since sheep are vastly more own-species oriented than horses, I would expect such communication to be much greater with horses. I have not been around horses a whole lot, but the two that were here this summer did communicate and in this case with one it was not pretty...they are now gone because of it. I look forward to having my own horses someday, it will be a slowly-made decision with lots of time together first.

Nancy, smiling! said...

Morning Natalya! I think that the ability to communicate non verbally goes across species. I wasn't sure until I started doing "experiments". I've done things like "call" my dog ,when she's outside, by "asking" her to come in without her being able to see me or hear me. My cats do that too.
The more time I spend, quietly (without TV's, radios, telephones or any of the other so called conveniences), with my four legged friends, the easier it is to do this.
I've pretty much stopped talking all together when no one else is around. It hampers me.
I'm glad you took the time to write to me about your sheep. I've wondered about other species too.
Do you make cheese or yogurt from the milk of your sheep? Or are you using it to bottle feed? Just curious. I'd like to add in some other animals with my horses and have been thinking about sheep as a possibility. I'm still doing research on it. Want to make the mix is healthy for all concerned.
Nancy, smiling because the sun is out today!