When you engage in any new venture, you realize there's a whole new language to be learned. In the equine world, it seems never-ending. First you have horse anatomy. I personally loved "A&P" in college so I picked up on this pretty quickly...poll, withers, stifle, hock, pastern, chestnut, frog - the list, of course, goes on. Then you have tack and parts of tack. That's all the stuff we humans put on the horse for leading and riding...halter, bridle, bit, cantle, pommel, girth/cinch (depending on whether you ride Western or English) - and that list goes on. Grooming tools...curry comb, Dandy brush, scraper, mane comb, hoof pick, etc. Styles of riding...Western pleasure, cutting, roping, barrel racing, hunter/jumper, dressage, endurance, competitive trail, gymkhana, vaulting - need I say more?
Then there's the need to learn to read a horse's body language, if you want to stay safe...perked or pinned ears? wild or soft eye? flared or relaxed nostril? swishing tail/stomping foot and are they caused by aggravation or flies? And how to read a horse's sounds...shallow breaths or blowing out? chomping or licking/chewing? whinnying or nickering?
Many of the clients who come for therapy cannot express themselves in words and use their bodies, hand signs and sounds. It's imperative we learn that, too.
I'm just throwing these well-defined and important lists out there to introduce to you something even more significant...the not-so-obvious silent language. The use of energy in our postures, gestures, facial expressions and breathing. Not only to be aware of their uses around the horses but with the clients who come for therapy...or for that matter, with anyone you encounter on a day-to-day basis.
One can be extremely loud in their silence just by raising their head and chest, or arcing an eyebrow...or picking up their walking pace, swinging their arms. Were you ever approached by someone who almost blew you backwards because of their energy? Horses pick up on the slightest of detail. They are extremely sensitive, so intuitive to a person's mental/emotional state, as they should since we are predators and they are prey. A person can take a breath in and the horse will raise its head and speed up...breathe out and the horse lowers its head, slows or stops. Amazing stuff. You can just stare at a horse and make them nervous - it's energy, it's pressure. Lower the eyes, pressure's off. Or stare but add a smile - makes a huge difference - and it makes sense for all of us. When an autistic child comes for therapy who is already on sensory overload, our team attempts to lower its collective energies with soft words, deep breaths, smiles or averted eyes as the child attempts to process, giving their nervous systems time to reorganize. Profound.
A young client (I'll call her "T") came for therapy one day in an irritated mood. Her day had been less than ideal. At the end of her therapy on Cowboy, our gorgeous palomino Quarter Horse (who has a story all his own), she fed him his treat and just stood there in front of his lowered face. She had totally quieted in her half hour session and stared into Cowboy's softened eyes. He felt no pressure from her stare. "T"'s own eyes welled as she stroked his face and gently whispered, "I love you, too."
Tissue please.
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