Relationships mean everything to horses. In fact, the type of leader you are determines exactly how your horse behaves.
Relationships mean everything to the horse. The structure and rules within the herd give the horse a feeling of comfort and security.
There is a basic hierarchy within a horse herd, a pecking order from highest to lowest and every horse knows his place within the herd. Unlike humans, horses are not inclined to climb that social hierarchy if they do not have to.
In fact, horses will only try to improve their standing when they become aware that the horse above them in the pecking order is faltering in his leadership abilities. There are exceptions, but for our purposes it is helpful to accept this as a rule of thumb.
Horses are natural followers and they look for natural leaders. It is up to the human to develop their leadership abilities so that the horse will naturally follow him. If the horse detects weakness in the leader he will feel the need to take over, because the safety of the herd is at stake. In other words, if you don't lead, your horse will.
There's a common mistake people make regarding this concept:
They think they have to be the "boss". They get "bossy". They turn the leader-follower relationship into a master-slave relationship. There is a huge difference. There are horses in herds that get "bossy" and bully other horses, but the herd does not willingly follow a boss. The boss will usually be a loner, largely avoided by the other horses. The boss can make the other horses do things, and the "bossy" human can do the same, but the followers are not inspired to follow willingly.
The dominant style of horsemanship for thousands of years has been this kind of "show them who is boss" style.
If you watch a horse herd closely, you will discover another type of leader, what Mark Rashid calls "a Passive Leader".
This type of leader is clearly in charge of the horses that surround her, but she does not bully them or "boss" them around.
The Passive Leader does just what needs to be done to accomplish a particular task, no more and no less. If she wants another horse to move she uses only the energy required. She will politely suggest the other horse move and then back it up only if she needs to.
The Passive Leader does not waste energy bullying or flagrantly displaying power. The other horses respect this type of leadership and will follow her willingly.
This passive leadership is what we should emulate. Everything we ask of our horses should be asked in a manner that respects the sensitivity of the horse.
If we consistently follow this rule, the horse will respect our leadership.
Not only will the horse respect our leadership, but they will want to be with us. They will be eager to follow us. We will develop a partnership and relationship with the horse that is intriguing to the horse. They will look forward to being with us and doing the things we ask of them.
Study what relationships mean to the horse. Do what you can to become a passive leader.
Whenever you suggest to your horse that he do anything, ask yourself the question Ray Hunt asks his students time and again, "Can you do less?"
Do less and watch the relationship flower.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Heart to heart
A new study by researchers in the Department of Animal Environment and Health at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Uppsala apparently shows that horses’ heart rates can be affected by a human’s heart rate. The study had people both ride and lead horses near someone holding an umbrella. The person with the horse thought the umbrella was going to be opened on the fourth time around, but it was not. There was an increase in both the human’s and the horse’s heart rate even though the umbrella was not opened, and the fourth pass was similar to the three previous passes.
This study is evidence that subtle gestures we may or may not be aware of can influence our horse. Heart rate is one of them to consider. If we are leading or riding a horse who is fearful, we must always remember to be calm, no matter what the situation may be. Calmness can prevent situations from arising, and if they do arise, it can prevent them from escalating. We also have to remember that if we are fearful when riding or when leading a horse, the horse will pick up on that. The most helpful thing we can do is learn how to centre when being around horses. Horses are herd animals, and it’s only natural for them to pick up on our nervousness and wonder if there is a reason to be nervous.
The next time you’re with a horse, consciously think of being centred and calm. Take deep breaths from your diaphragm. Let all of the stress that you may be experiencing, all of the thoughts of things you “have to do” leave your mind. When you’re with your horse, your focus should be on the relationship the two of you have. Being with horses is a wonderful way for us to be more balanced, centred, and connected. The natural world does not multitask; it is centred and focused. We can learn a lot from that way of being.
Another thing to keep in mind is that there are many other factors that influence our relationship with horses that we may not consciously think about. While this study focused on the factor of heart rate, think about others that might be creating communication between you and your horse without you even thinking about it. When you lead a horse near a potential scary situation, do you breathe faster, perhaps grip the lead rein tighter? When you’re riding, and you are worried something might spook your horse, do you hold your breath or breath very shallowly, sit up straighter and become more tense, close your fingers around the reins so that you’re putting pressure on the reins without realizing it?
What this study shows us and what it allows us to begin to consider are all of the tiny ways in which we influence and communicate with our horses all of the time. It also allows us to realize that we can have a much more subtle and sensitive relationship with our horses. And if that is true, if we have been relying too much on heavy handiness with our horses, what else have we been missing with our horses that may lead to a better relationship?
This study is evidence that subtle gestures we may or may not be aware of can influence our horse. Heart rate is one of them to consider. If we are leading or riding a horse who is fearful, we must always remember to be calm, no matter what the situation may be. Calmness can prevent situations from arising, and if they do arise, it can prevent them from escalating. We also have to remember that if we are fearful when riding or when leading a horse, the horse will pick up on that. The most helpful thing we can do is learn how to centre when being around horses. Horses are herd animals, and it’s only natural for them to pick up on our nervousness and wonder if there is a reason to be nervous.
The next time you’re with a horse, consciously think of being centred and calm. Take deep breaths from your diaphragm. Let all of the stress that you may be experiencing, all of the thoughts of things you “have to do” leave your mind. When you’re with your horse, your focus should be on the relationship the two of you have. Being with horses is a wonderful way for us to be more balanced, centred, and connected. The natural world does not multitask; it is centred and focused. We can learn a lot from that way of being.
Another thing to keep in mind is that there are many other factors that influence our relationship with horses that we may not consciously think about. While this study focused on the factor of heart rate, think about others that might be creating communication between you and your horse without you even thinking about it. When you lead a horse near a potential scary situation, do you breathe faster, perhaps grip the lead rein tighter? When you’re riding, and you are worried something might spook your horse, do you hold your breath or breath very shallowly, sit up straighter and become more tense, close your fingers around the reins so that you’re putting pressure on the reins without realizing it?
What this study shows us and what it allows us to begin to consider are all of the tiny ways in which we influence and communicate with our horses all of the time. It also allows us to realize that we can have a much more subtle and sensitive relationship with our horses. And if that is true, if we have been relying too much on heavy handiness with our horses, what else have we been missing with our horses that may lead to a better relationship?
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Heart to Heart
We have all heard the quotation from Sir Winston Churchill "There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man." Who can argue with the thought? It is why, perhaps selfishly, we love horses so much. If you could see scientific data, gathered by the use of high technology, that proves how your horse feels about how good the inside of you is for the inside of him, would you be brave enough to look at the facts? Ellen Kaye Gehrke, Ph.D, a consultant and professor of international business and management, is using it as she and her research team engage in a series of scientific studies to measure the presence of emotional coherence and incoherence between horses/horses and horses/ humans. Gehrke has cold hard data that may warm your heart.
Gehrke is an intrepid explorer of the world of horses and people. She points out that an entire Equine-Assisted Activities (EAA) industry has sprung up based on the assumed bond that horses and humans share. “The EAA field has long asserted that horses tend to mirror or reflect the human emotional experience, and claim that horses are effective partners for facilitating human healing, and achieving higher levels of personal growth and leadership development. However, there has been relatively little quantitative research demonstrating the psycho-physiological linkages that occur between the human and the animal—particularly with equines. We have all heard the statement ‘horses can sense when you are afraid.’ With this research we are beginning to understand how they can know.”
Gehrke’s research employs the practice of measuring Heart Rate Variability (HRV), the beat-to-beat changes in the heart rate. Any electrocardiogram (ECG, EKG) test administered in a doctor’s office measures the electromagnetic signal which the heart uses to send neurological information to the brain and the rest of the body on different levels. The heart has its own genius; among many actions it takes, it can cause a blood pressure wave which changes the electrical activity in the brain, and it also plays a part in balancing stress hormones. This electromagnetic energy tells the story about what is going on inside us physically and emotionally, Gehrke explains. “HRV dynamics are particularly sensitive to changes in emotional states, and positive and negative emotions can readily be distinguished by changes in heart rhythm patterns, which are independent of heart rate. During the experience of negative emotions such as anger, frustration, anxiety, sadness or depression, heart rhythms become more erratic or disordered (or incoherent). Conversely, sustained positive emotions such as appreciation, love, or compassion are associated with a highly ordered, or coherent, pattern in the heart rhythms, and can be regarded as an indication of physical and mental health states.”
She recognized that the HRV measurement might be a way to quantitatively measure HRV synchronization between a human and a horse, so she teamed up with the HeartMath research team to determine if the bonding relationship could be measured. Since HeartMath is a recognized leader in researching the critical link among emotions, heart-brain communication, and cognitive function, it made perfect sense to work together. Gehrke already knew anecdotally and from her own experience that strong bonds can form between horses and humans. However, she wanted to explore quantitatively whether it was possible for the HRV of horses and humans to reflect that "mirroring" relationship that is so often referred to in the Equine-assisted Activities field. Thus the journey began.
In order to determine if this avenue of investigation was even worth pursuing the research, Gehrke and the HeartMath team conducted a controlled experiment to determine if any synchronization would occur when horses and humans interacted. Results were favourable, yet there was something there. "Next, we did autonomic assessments for 12 horses of all genders, sizes, breeds and ages. We found that the horses all had about the same heart rate patterns. You can see on the graphs when they're sleeping or playing, for instance. Then we did experiments on pairs of horses. We were very curious to see that the heart rates of the horses who were inseparable friends were entrained, or aligned, with each other. This proved true the statement that horses are sentient beings...reflecting various emotional states when stressed or happy. A pair of horses that were known to be indifferent to each other had completely different and unsynchronized heart rates.”
The team also discovered that horses have similar patterns to those that humans have when they are in coherent and incoherent emotional states. The heart of a horse is five times bigger than a human so the possibility of entrainment doesn't exist--however, results did show mutual synchronicity. Interestingly, Gehrke and HeartMath noted that horses seem to live in a more coherent state most of the time and humans tend to live in more incoherent states. This could be significant when examining the horse-human bond.
“After the first three pilot studies,” Gehrke continues, “we began to wonder if we could prove with scientific data the claim that horses reflect the inner state of the human. So we did some work with humans and horses. We measured the HRV between a horse-human pair that were very familiar with each other and then the same horse with a human it was unfamiliar with. We found that it didn't matter whether the horses knew or didn’t know the person. The horses perceived, in the moment, coherent or incoherent human HRV and began reflecting that human HRV in their own behaviour. It became apparent that the horse's heart rate would synchronize with the human's, although it did not appear that the human would reflect the horse’s emotional state."
Gehrke participated in the study with her own horses. She and her horses wore 24-hour ambulatory ECG recorders so their HRV could be measured in different situations and under different conditions. The protocol followed was the same for each of the horses. During specific periods Gehrke groomed, fed, rode and just relaxed with them, and the HRV results made it clear that Ellen’s horses were responding to her different states. She had learned one of the HeartMath techniques called Heart Lock-In®, which is similar to biofeedback. The Heart Lock-In helps us to learn to sustain our focus on positive emotions such as gratitude and love; emotions which when experienced actually create positive physiological responses which can immediately be seen in readings on the equipment. When Gehrke seated herself and entered the Heart Lock-In periods separately with her horses, she focused on her love and appreciation for them. Three of her four horses immediately walked over and engaged with her. stayed with her for The HRV patterns of the three horses that joined Gehrke during this period became more ordered.
Ultimately, the work of Gehrke and her team confirmed that it would be possible to quantitatively measure the presence and level of human-equine relationships. The series of four pilot studies performed so far have opened up new possibilities to understanding the horse-human bond. Gehrke is currently researching funding to allow her to continue her work, and gives great credit to The Institute of HeartMath. “The project was my idea, but HeartMath has shown great interest in it. “What we have seen proves that when a human is in a positive emotional state, the horse’s state becomes one of positive emotion. It can be argued that being in a positive emotional state is good for both humans and horses, and with this information, we want to help improve the relationship between our two species.”
Heart to heart, one heart at a time….
Gehrke is an intrepid explorer of the world of horses and people. She points out that an entire Equine-Assisted Activities (EAA) industry has sprung up based on the assumed bond that horses and humans share. “The EAA field has long asserted that horses tend to mirror or reflect the human emotional experience, and claim that horses are effective partners for facilitating human healing, and achieving higher levels of personal growth and leadership development. However, there has been relatively little quantitative research demonstrating the psycho-physiological linkages that occur between the human and the animal—particularly with equines. We have all heard the statement ‘horses can sense when you are afraid.’ With this research we are beginning to understand how they can know.”
Gehrke’s research employs the practice of measuring Heart Rate Variability (HRV), the beat-to-beat changes in the heart rate. Any electrocardiogram (ECG, EKG) test administered in a doctor’s office measures the electromagnetic signal which the heart uses to send neurological information to the brain and the rest of the body on different levels. The heart has its own genius; among many actions it takes, it can cause a blood pressure wave which changes the electrical activity in the brain, and it also plays a part in balancing stress hormones. This electromagnetic energy tells the story about what is going on inside us physically and emotionally, Gehrke explains. “HRV dynamics are particularly sensitive to changes in emotional states, and positive and negative emotions can readily be distinguished by changes in heart rhythm patterns, which are independent of heart rate. During the experience of negative emotions such as anger, frustration, anxiety, sadness or depression, heart rhythms become more erratic or disordered (or incoherent). Conversely, sustained positive emotions such as appreciation, love, or compassion are associated with a highly ordered, or coherent, pattern in the heart rhythms, and can be regarded as an indication of physical and mental health states.”
She recognized that the HRV measurement might be a way to quantitatively measure HRV synchronization between a human and a horse, so she teamed up with the HeartMath research team to determine if the bonding relationship could be measured. Since HeartMath is a recognized leader in researching the critical link among emotions, heart-brain communication, and cognitive function, it made perfect sense to work together. Gehrke already knew anecdotally and from her own experience that strong bonds can form between horses and humans. However, she wanted to explore quantitatively whether it was possible for the HRV of horses and humans to reflect that "mirroring" relationship that is so often referred to in the Equine-assisted Activities field. Thus the journey began.
In order to determine if this avenue of investigation was even worth pursuing the research, Gehrke and the HeartMath team conducted a controlled experiment to determine if any synchronization would occur when horses and humans interacted. Results were favourable, yet there was something there. "Next, we did autonomic assessments for 12 horses of all genders, sizes, breeds and ages. We found that the horses all had about the same heart rate patterns. You can see on the graphs when they're sleeping or playing, for instance. Then we did experiments on pairs of horses. We were very curious to see that the heart rates of the horses who were inseparable friends were entrained, or aligned, with each other. This proved true the statement that horses are sentient beings...reflecting various emotional states when stressed or happy. A pair of horses that were known to be indifferent to each other had completely different and unsynchronized heart rates.”
The team also discovered that horses have similar patterns to those that humans have when they are in coherent and incoherent emotional states. The heart of a horse is five times bigger than a human so the possibility of entrainment doesn't exist--however, results did show mutual synchronicity. Interestingly, Gehrke and HeartMath noted that horses seem to live in a more coherent state most of the time and humans tend to live in more incoherent states. This could be significant when examining the horse-human bond.
“After the first three pilot studies,” Gehrke continues, “we began to wonder if we could prove with scientific data the claim that horses reflect the inner state of the human. So we did some work with humans and horses. We measured the HRV between a horse-human pair that were very familiar with each other and then the same horse with a human it was unfamiliar with. We found that it didn't matter whether the horses knew or didn’t know the person. The horses perceived, in the moment, coherent or incoherent human HRV and began reflecting that human HRV in their own behaviour. It became apparent that the horse's heart rate would synchronize with the human's, although it did not appear that the human would reflect the horse’s emotional state."
Gehrke participated in the study with her own horses. She and her horses wore 24-hour ambulatory ECG recorders so their HRV could be measured in different situations and under different conditions. The protocol followed was the same for each of the horses. During specific periods Gehrke groomed, fed, rode and just relaxed with them, and the HRV results made it clear that Ellen’s horses were responding to her different states. She had learned one of the HeartMath techniques called Heart Lock-In®, which is similar to biofeedback. The Heart Lock-In helps us to learn to sustain our focus on positive emotions such as gratitude and love; emotions which when experienced actually create positive physiological responses which can immediately be seen in readings on the equipment. When Gehrke seated herself and entered the Heart Lock-In periods separately with her horses, she focused on her love and appreciation for them. Three of her four horses immediately walked over and engaged with her. stayed with her for The HRV patterns of the three horses that joined Gehrke during this period became more ordered.
Ultimately, the work of Gehrke and her team confirmed that it would be possible to quantitatively measure the presence and level of human-equine relationships. The series of four pilot studies performed so far have opened up new possibilities to understanding the horse-human bond. Gehrke is currently researching funding to allow her to continue her work, and gives great credit to The Institute of HeartMath. “The project was my idea, but HeartMath has shown great interest in it. “What we have seen proves that when a human is in a positive emotional state, the horse’s state becomes one of positive emotion. It can be argued that being in a positive emotional state is good for both humans and horses, and with this information, we want to help improve the relationship between our two species.”
Heart to heart, one heart at a time….
Saturday, February 25, 2012
An Extraordinary Relationship with an Extraordinary Animal
There is minimal research on the large animal-human companionship bond. The purpose of the phenomenological study was to identify the meaning of the relationship between women and their horses and the impact on their adult lives of the human-horse bond. Analysis is based on in-depth interviews with five adult 4-H alumni horsewomen. The meaning of the relationship was a deeply emotional response to a reciprocal relationship between women and their horses. The central finding was the role of the horse in providing needed social support for the women to meet the challenges of life on an everyday basis
Life Without Horses Is Unimaginable
For these women, the meaning of the horse-human relationship was the deeply emotional response they felt to the satisfying reciprocal relationships that developed between themselves and their horses. In discussing the bond they felt with their horses, they described a compatibility the source of which even they could not easily identify. Their interest in horses could be described as part of their being. Marilyn mused about her affinity with horses: "You know, sometimes you think it is a gift."
Whether married or not, whether they had children or not, and regardless of family income, life without horses for these women was unimaginable. These women had family responsibilities, employment obligations, and education expectations. They also experienced a persistent attraction to horses both in childhood and in adult life.
Explanations referring to the bond they felt with horses included, "As a teen, I hung out with my horses all the time" and "I wouldn't miss a day riding my horse when I was younger. I wish I could do it now." "I liked boys, but they were not my focus. My focus was my horse." Nora stated flatly, "I never could give up my horses."
In several cases, life from childhood on was about very clear choices involving horses. When Marilyn was 18, her mother told her she could no longer attend 4-H horse meetings:
She told me that if I went to the meeting, I'm not to come home. She put the ultimatum out. I spent the balance of my day, without her knowing, moving my stuff out of my bedroom window and loading it into my car—bridles, saddles, a couple bags of clothes, etc. I made that choice then. Mom did not speak to me for a year.
The meaning of the horse-human relationship to these women was filled with emotion. Their words to describe the meaning included "best friend," "comfort zone," "just like people," "family," "a definite relationship," "passion," and "therapy." Each had devised individually prescribed programs for improving her own quality of life on an informal basis through activity with horses. Those activities, by their regularity and because of the responsibility women took towards caring for their animals over time, strengthened the bond and deepened the meaning of the relationship for each woman.
An Intense Interest in Horses
Among the women in the study, parents or grandparents provided their introduction to horses. All five women discussed periods in their lives characterized by a passion for horses. Nora referred to the attraction as being "horse crazy." Marilyn called it an "addiction." All wanted to share their strong feeling for horses with others and to offer others the opportunity to experience the fulfilment with horses that they themselves had experienced. Linda, who was a schoolteacher, said:
I don't know if people understand who I really am. At school, I'm not the real person I really am. Until they (colleagues) come here and meet the horses and see the barn, see what we've got here, I don't think they get it.
For Sandy, passion for horses was "living and breathing horses." When she talked about her bond with her horse, she explained:
When you spend that much time with something, they are just like a graft on your arm; it is like they are part of you . . . like children or your husband, when you wake up, that's the first thing on your mind.
When asked what it took to be an award-winning 4-H horsewoman, Marilyn replied, "First you need the passion." She skied and travelled with husband and children, but:
I'm in my comfort zone with horses and no matter how much work the horses may be, that's where my skills are. For me, that is vacation. Every aspect of my life, every energy, and every brain cell is ways of tying horses and youth and families together . . . trying to share that same passion and find people who have that same interest.
The Horse As a Source of Stability in Life
In the horse world, the phrase "collected horse" refers to a positioning of the horse's body for balance, when the hind legs of the horse feel firmly and solidly situated underneath its body before horse and rider move off together. A collected horse is balanced, responsive, in control, and sensitive to its rider. Its mind is with its rider. In the study reported here, a central finding was the role of the horse in providing sure footing and the needed balance to its female owner for her to face not only life's special challenges, but also to move ahead with confidence, courage, and competence in everyday living situations.
Comments by the five women indicated that, at various periods in their lives, horses were necessary for their "sanity," good health, and capacity to deal with issues of life beyond the daily care of horses. None deviated from the stated conviction that, whether or not there was an actual horse on the property, she was better able to cope with the rest of life when her life also included horses. What the women seemed to have in common was personal experience with at least one horse that, to its owner, had a presence that was a powerful stabilizing effect in her life.
Social support has been found to be a strong buffer against the potentially negative effects of stress in human life. In human interaction, social support has been singled out as the primary non-health factor associated with well-being in people. The horses were participants in determining quality of life issues among the women in this study. The grounding provided by horses in each woman's life was comparable to social support among human beings.
Each woman told of times when she carried emotional burdens to her horse, to confide in her animal what she believed would have been more difficult to tell human friends and family members. The horses' responses in such situations appeared to their owners to be adequate. Research indicates that, in human friendships, it is the presence of a confidant that is the measure most strongly associated with mental health outcomes (Siegel, Angulo, Detels, Wesch, & Mullen, 1999). For these women, the horse seemed to provide the support that was extremely important in coping and working to attain well-being for self and family.
The Horse As Companion and Friend
The strength of the bond with their horses as described by the women was significant. As these women discussed their relationships with their horses, they described a sense of horses as animals with extraordinary presence and powers. While they acknowledged safety issues when working with horses, it was a matter of the woman and horse needing to work more successfully together to accomplish goals the women saw as mutually agreed upon between horse and rider. The friendship relationship as described by these women was give-and-take, and the women seemed to give their horses, at times, more-than-equal credit towards the success of the relationship.
The temperament or appearance of the horse did not negatively affect the bond between horse and woman. Nora, who described her first pony as "stubborn," further explained, "There will be days when you cannot stand that animal, and you just want to clunk it. But other days? It's kind of like working with children basically. Unconditional, but with horses."
The women discussed how they would explain to a non-horse owner what it was all about to own, work with, and care for a horse. For Sandy, it was a friendship that provided mental and emotional therapy. For Bonnie, it was the comfort and freedom of riding. Nora stressed teamwork. Linda said, "We talk about them more like people than like pets. They are family and they are partners. They respect you if you respect them and it's a team thing. "
The friendship the women described fits the definition of human friendship offered by Savin-Williams and Berndt (1990), being important, enduring, relatively problem-free relationships accompanied by new learning experiences and understanding. These women found trust, emotional closeness, and intimacy in their bond with horses, similar to traits that people would expect to find in their friendships with each other.
You spend time trusting the animal that trusts you and you find that one in a hundred that makes the same connection with you. You are not going to find any better reward. The bond with a true pet is the same bond, that same respect and compassion you have had with another human being.
Discussion and Implications
Inherent in findings reported here is support for the social value of horses. The relationships between these women and their horses were comparable to human-to-human relationships but appeared in some ways to surpass the power of human-human relationships in stabilizing life. For the women in this reported study, bonding with their horses presented a significant method for buffering life's stresses and augmented their own strengths in coping.
As described by these women, the horse-human bond was intelligible, meaningful, and beyond the commonplace. The exceptional nature of horses, as seen by study participants, created exceptional bonds between the women and their horses. The descriptions by these women of the horse-human bond echo animal-human companionship research findings of the emotional, psychological, and physical health benefits to human life of the human-pet bond, regardless of animal species.
The findings regarding the horse-human relationship with women in the study are consistent with the view that animal therapy is appropriate to and important among people who are well and functioning effectively in society (Levinson, 1984). For these women, including animals in human lives made sense and was a much valued way to receive love and comfort, two conditions Levinson recognized as necessary to human life.
Life Without Horses Is Unimaginable
For these women, the meaning of the horse-human relationship was the deeply emotional response they felt to the satisfying reciprocal relationships that developed between themselves and their horses. In discussing the bond they felt with their horses, they described a compatibility the source of which even they could not easily identify. Their interest in horses could be described as part of their being. Marilyn mused about her affinity with horses: "You know, sometimes you think it is a gift."
Whether married or not, whether they had children or not, and regardless of family income, life without horses for these women was unimaginable. These women had family responsibilities, employment obligations, and education expectations. They also experienced a persistent attraction to horses both in childhood and in adult life.
Explanations referring to the bond they felt with horses included, "As a teen, I hung out with my horses all the time" and "I wouldn't miss a day riding my horse when I was younger. I wish I could do it now." "I liked boys, but they were not my focus. My focus was my horse." Nora stated flatly, "I never could give up my horses."
In several cases, life from childhood on was about very clear choices involving horses. When Marilyn was 18, her mother told her she could no longer attend 4-H horse meetings:
She told me that if I went to the meeting, I'm not to come home. She put the ultimatum out. I spent the balance of my day, without her knowing, moving my stuff out of my bedroom window and loading it into my car—bridles, saddles, a couple bags of clothes, etc. I made that choice then. Mom did not speak to me for a year.
The meaning of the horse-human relationship to these women was filled with emotion. Their words to describe the meaning included "best friend," "comfort zone," "just like people," "family," "a definite relationship," "passion," and "therapy." Each had devised individually prescribed programs for improving her own quality of life on an informal basis through activity with horses. Those activities, by their regularity and because of the responsibility women took towards caring for their animals over time, strengthened the bond and deepened the meaning of the relationship for each woman.
An Intense Interest in Horses
Among the women in the study, parents or grandparents provided their introduction to horses. All five women discussed periods in their lives characterized by a passion for horses. Nora referred to the attraction as being "horse crazy." Marilyn called it an "addiction." All wanted to share their strong feeling for horses with others and to offer others the opportunity to experience the fulfilment with horses that they themselves had experienced. Linda, who was a schoolteacher, said:
I don't know if people understand who I really am. At school, I'm not the real person I really am. Until they (colleagues) come here and meet the horses and see the barn, see what we've got here, I don't think they get it.
For Sandy, passion for horses was "living and breathing horses." When she talked about her bond with her horse, she explained:
When you spend that much time with something, they are just like a graft on your arm; it is like they are part of you . . . like children or your husband, when you wake up, that's the first thing on your mind.
When asked what it took to be an award-winning 4-H horsewoman, Marilyn replied, "First you need the passion." She skied and travelled with husband and children, but:
I'm in my comfort zone with horses and no matter how much work the horses may be, that's where my skills are. For me, that is vacation. Every aspect of my life, every energy, and every brain cell is ways of tying horses and youth and families together . . . trying to share that same passion and find people who have that same interest.
The Horse As a Source of Stability in Life
In the horse world, the phrase "collected horse" refers to a positioning of the horse's body for balance, when the hind legs of the horse feel firmly and solidly situated underneath its body before horse and rider move off together. A collected horse is balanced, responsive, in control, and sensitive to its rider. Its mind is with its rider. In the study reported here, a central finding was the role of the horse in providing sure footing and the needed balance to its female owner for her to face not only life's special challenges, but also to move ahead with confidence, courage, and competence in everyday living situations.
Comments by the five women indicated that, at various periods in their lives, horses were necessary for their "sanity," good health, and capacity to deal with issues of life beyond the daily care of horses. None deviated from the stated conviction that, whether or not there was an actual horse on the property, she was better able to cope with the rest of life when her life also included horses. What the women seemed to have in common was personal experience with at least one horse that, to its owner, had a presence that was a powerful stabilizing effect in her life.
Social support has been found to be a strong buffer against the potentially negative effects of stress in human life. In human interaction, social support has been singled out as the primary non-health factor associated with well-being in people. The horses were participants in determining quality of life issues among the women in this study. The grounding provided by horses in each woman's life was comparable to social support among human beings.
Each woman told of times when she carried emotional burdens to her horse, to confide in her animal what she believed would have been more difficult to tell human friends and family members. The horses' responses in such situations appeared to their owners to be adequate. Research indicates that, in human friendships, it is the presence of a confidant that is the measure most strongly associated with mental health outcomes (Siegel, Angulo, Detels, Wesch, & Mullen, 1999). For these women, the horse seemed to provide the support that was extremely important in coping and working to attain well-being for self and family.
The Horse As Companion and Friend
The strength of the bond with their horses as described by the women was significant. As these women discussed their relationships with their horses, they described a sense of horses as animals with extraordinary presence and powers. While they acknowledged safety issues when working with horses, it was a matter of the woman and horse needing to work more successfully together to accomplish goals the women saw as mutually agreed upon between horse and rider. The friendship relationship as described by these women was give-and-take, and the women seemed to give their horses, at times, more-than-equal credit towards the success of the relationship.
The temperament or appearance of the horse did not negatively affect the bond between horse and woman. Nora, who described her first pony as "stubborn," further explained, "There will be days when you cannot stand that animal, and you just want to clunk it. But other days? It's kind of like working with children basically. Unconditional, but with horses."
The women discussed how they would explain to a non-horse owner what it was all about to own, work with, and care for a horse. For Sandy, it was a friendship that provided mental and emotional therapy. For Bonnie, it was the comfort and freedom of riding. Nora stressed teamwork. Linda said, "We talk about them more like people than like pets. They are family and they are partners. They respect you if you respect them and it's a team thing. "
The friendship the women described fits the definition of human friendship offered by Savin-Williams and Berndt (1990), being important, enduring, relatively problem-free relationships accompanied by new learning experiences and understanding. These women found trust, emotional closeness, and intimacy in their bond with horses, similar to traits that people would expect to find in their friendships with each other.
You spend time trusting the animal that trusts you and you find that one in a hundred that makes the same connection with you. You are not going to find any better reward. The bond with a true pet is the same bond, that same respect and compassion you have had with another human being.
Discussion and Implications
Inherent in findings reported here is support for the social value of horses. The relationships between these women and their horses were comparable to human-to-human relationships but appeared in some ways to surpass the power of human-human relationships in stabilizing life. For the women in this reported study, bonding with their horses presented a significant method for buffering life's stresses and augmented their own strengths in coping.
As described by these women, the horse-human bond was intelligible, meaningful, and beyond the commonplace. The exceptional nature of horses, as seen by study participants, created exceptional bonds between the women and their horses. The descriptions by these women of the horse-human bond echo animal-human companionship research findings of the emotional, psychological, and physical health benefits to human life of the human-pet bond, regardless of animal species.
The findings regarding the horse-human relationship with women in the study are consistent with the view that animal therapy is appropriate to and important among people who are well and functioning effectively in society (Levinson, 1984). For these women, including animals in human lives made sense and was a much valued way to receive love and comfort, two conditions Levinson recognized as necessary to human life.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Why Horses Make the Best Therapists
How the Horse Influences Psychological Goals
Exercise in the fresh air away from cities and towns help to promote a sense of well-being.
Improved Self-Confidence
Confidence is gained by mastering a skill normally performed by able-bodied people. The ability to control an animal much larger and stronger than oneself is a great confidence builder. Participating in events such as shows and play days add to the sense of achievement.
Increased Interest in the Outside World
For those confined by a disability, the world tends to shrink in size. Riding increases interest in what is happening around the rider, as the rider explores the world from the back of a horse. Even exercising becomes interesting when done on horseback.
Increased Interest in One's Own Life
The excitement of riding and the experiences involved stimulate the rider, encouraging the rider to speak and communicate about it.
Improved Risk-Taking Abilities
Riding is a risk sport. The rider learns to master fears though the act of staying on the horse, as well as attempting new skills and positions on the horse.
Development of Patience
Since the horse has a mind of its own, the rider learns patience as he or she attempts to perform skills on the horse when the horse is not cooperating. Repetition of basic riding principles also helps to develop patience.
Emotional Control and Self-Discipline
The rider quickly learns that an out-of-control rider means an out-of-control horse. Shouting, crying, and emotional outbursts upset the horse, which in turn frightens the rider. Riders learn to control these emotions and appropriately express them.
Sense of Normality
By being able to master a skill considered difficult by the able population, the rider experiences him/herself as being normal.
Expansion of the Locus of Control
The rider begins to view him/herself as having control over his/her world as control over a powerful animal increases.
How a Horse Influences Social Goals
Friendship
Although riding can be a solitary activity, it is normally performed in groups. Riders share a common love of horses and a common experience of riding -- a good foundation on which to build a friendship.
Development of Respect and Love for Animals
Horses require a great deal of care and attention. Riders find themselves bonding with the animals. They develop an interest in them and learn to care for them. They learn to put the needs of the horse first.
Increased Experiences
The varieties of experiences involved in riding are endless. From tacking and grooming to hacking in the countryside, going to horse shows to learning the parts of a horse, the rider is constantly experiencing and growing. The horse also provides the rider with the ability to go places otherwise inaccessible due to the disability.
Enjoyment
There is no doubt about it, riding a horse is fun. Riders experience excitement and pleasure every time they come for a lesson
How the Horse Assists in Academic Achievement
Before one can read, it is necessary to recognize the difference in shapes, sizes, and even colors. These can be taught more easily on horseback, as part of games and activities. There is less resistance to learning when it is part of a riding lesson. Through the use of signs placed around the arena, letters can be taught, and reading of individual words by word recognition can also be learned. Games involving signs for "exit", "danger", "stop" etc., help to teach important life skills involving reading.
Counting is learned by counting the horse's footsteps, objects around the arena, or even the horse's ears and legs. Number concepts are gained as the rider compares the number of legs on a horse to the number of his own legs. Addition and subtraction are taught through games involving throwing numbered foam dice and adding or subtracting the numbers. Because the concepts are taught through games, resistance to learning is decreased.
Sequencing, Patterning and Motor Planning
Something as simple as holding and using a pencil requires a great deal of motor planning. Knowing which comes first in a sequence of events is an important part of most activities. These and other similar skills are taught on horseback though the use of obstacle courses, pole bending, drill team, and many other games and activities.
Improved Eye-Hand Coordination
Eye hand coordination is necessary for such skills as writing. These skills are taught in tacking the horse, as well as various activities and exercises.
Visual/Spatial Perception
This includes our awareness of form and space, and our understanding relationships between forms in our environment. Included in this area are directionality (knowing right from left); space perception, which allows us to differentiate between items close in shape but spatially different (i.e. "h" versus "b"); form perception (i.e. differentiating "h" and "m"); figure ground (picking out an object from the background); and visual sequential memory (such as remembering symbols in a particular sequence or pattern). Both reading and math concepts involve visual spatial perception. Visual spatial perception improves as a natural result of control of the horse. Additional exercises are done on the horse to increase ability in this area.
Differentiation
The rider learns to differentiate significant from less significant stimuli in the environment. An improvement in this area occurs as the rider learns to attend to his horse and those things that may influence the horse as opposed to attending the environment in general.
Exercise in the fresh air away from cities and towns help to promote a sense of well-being.
Improved Self-Confidence
Confidence is gained by mastering a skill normally performed by able-bodied people. The ability to control an animal much larger and stronger than oneself is a great confidence builder. Participating in events such as shows and play days add to the sense of achievement.
Increased Interest in the Outside World
For those confined by a disability, the world tends to shrink in size. Riding increases interest in what is happening around the rider, as the rider explores the world from the back of a horse. Even exercising becomes interesting when done on horseback.
Increased Interest in One's Own Life
The excitement of riding and the experiences involved stimulate the rider, encouraging the rider to speak and communicate about it.
Improved Risk-Taking Abilities
Riding is a risk sport. The rider learns to master fears though the act of staying on the horse, as well as attempting new skills and positions on the horse.
Development of Patience
Since the horse has a mind of its own, the rider learns patience as he or she attempts to perform skills on the horse when the horse is not cooperating. Repetition of basic riding principles also helps to develop patience.
Emotional Control and Self-Discipline
The rider quickly learns that an out-of-control rider means an out-of-control horse. Shouting, crying, and emotional outbursts upset the horse, which in turn frightens the rider. Riders learn to control these emotions and appropriately express them.
Sense of Normality
By being able to master a skill considered difficult by the able population, the rider experiences him/herself as being normal.
Expansion of the Locus of Control
The rider begins to view him/herself as having control over his/her world as control over a powerful animal increases.
How a Horse Influences Social Goals
Friendship
Although riding can be a solitary activity, it is normally performed in groups. Riders share a common love of horses and a common experience of riding -- a good foundation on which to build a friendship.
Development of Respect and Love for Animals
Horses require a great deal of care and attention. Riders find themselves bonding with the animals. They develop an interest in them and learn to care for them. They learn to put the needs of the horse first.
Increased Experiences
The varieties of experiences involved in riding are endless. From tacking and grooming to hacking in the countryside, going to horse shows to learning the parts of a horse, the rider is constantly experiencing and growing. The horse also provides the rider with the ability to go places otherwise inaccessible due to the disability.
Enjoyment
There is no doubt about it, riding a horse is fun. Riders experience excitement and pleasure every time they come for a lesson
How the Horse Assists in Academic Achievement
Before one can read, it is necessary to recognize the difference in shapes, sizes, and even colors. These can be taught more easily on horseback, as part of games and activities. There is less resistance to learning when it is part of a riding lesson. Through the use of signs placed around the arena, letters can be taught, and reading of individual words by word recognition can also be learned. Games involving signs for "exit", "danger", "stop" etc., help to teach important life skills involving reading.
Counting is learned by counting the horse's footsteps, objects around the arena, or even the horse's ears and legs. Number concepts are gained as the rider compares the number of legs on a horse to the number of his own legs. Addition and subtraction are taught through games involving throwing numbered foam dice and adding or subtracting the numbers. Because the concepts are taught through games, resistance to learning is decreased.
Sequencing, Patterning and Motor Planning
Something as simple as holding and using a pencil requires a great deal of motor planning. Knowing which comes first in a sequence of events is an important part of most activities. These and other similar skills are taught on horseback though the use of obstacle courses, pole bending, drill team, and many other games and activities.
Improved Eye-Hand Coordination
Eye hand coordination is necessary for such skills as writing. These skills are taught in tacking the horse, as well as various activities and exercises.
Visual/Spatial Perception
This includes our awareness of form and space, and our understanding relationships between forms in our environment. Included in this area are directionality (knowing right from left); space perception, which allows us to differentiate between items close in shape but spatially different (i.e. "h" versus "b"); form perception (i.e. differentiating "h" and "m"); figure ground (picking out an object from the background); and visual sequential memory (such as remembering symbols in a particular sequence or pattern). Both reading and math concepts involve visual spatial perception. Visual spatial perception improves as a natural result of control of the horse. Additional exercises are done on the horse to increase ability in this area.
Differentiation
The rider learns to differentiate significant from less significant stimuli in the environment. An improvement in this area occurs as the rider learns to attend to his horse and those things that may influence the horse as opposed to attending the environment in general.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
What Horses Really Want
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Love, understanding, trust. These are the words that describe what people look for in relationships, and while they may guide our actions with one another, do they apply to our relationships with horses?
The question we are really asking here, is, do horses crave the same things that people do? In essence, do the needs of horses align with those of people? While the answer to this question may be obvious, it is worth asking nonetheless.
Clearly, horses needs are very different from those of people. Not bestowed with the comforts of an insulated world, the equine species lives at the center of what we consider our most primitive need — safety. While we have easily surpassed the hyper-vigilant state that is horses everyday experience, for them, life is still a minefield of scary objects. And yet we have even brought them into our world — away from the only safety they know — to face what, to us, is not scary, but to them, often overwhelming.
To be sure, we ask them to walk down our streets, live in our buildings, even wear the clothes we make for them.
So in hoisting them fully out of their familiarity, how often do we consider what they really want? The answer, unfortunately, is not much. Watching any person, new to horses, approach a horse for the first time is a lesson in just how frequently our understanding horses’ needs become enmeshed with our own. While the intentions are good, for sure, people give them what they would want. Applying affection first, people fail to consider that horses, who are driven by the unending need for safety, do not find safety in affection.
Observing herd behavior — particularly that of a mare and foal — under distress, would not reveal a display of affection-oriented actions. Instead, the mare would very deliberately move the foal out of harm’s way — away from the scary object — and placing her body between her foal and what is threatening, she would offer protection. In this way, protection is an act of leadership, in the form of controlling the space.
In the example above, if the foal were to attempt to move out of his mother’s protective cushion, she would not allow it. And why? Because allowing the foal to move when his movement may induce harm would defy protection.
Yet, this is not to say that horses do not include affection in their repertoire of behavior. They do, however, they determine safety first. For example, when horses are introduced to each other for the first time, the first thing they do is determine who leads, and who follows. To do this, they may squeal, kick, or even bite one another. However, once this hierarchy is clear, it remains, and affection commences.
While this may be opposite that of typical human introductions — being affection before roles, rules, and expectations — it is probably not that far removed from what people actually want. After all, how often do we exchange pleasantries one minute only to find out much later, what the other really wants?
Love, understanding, trust. These are the words that describe what people look for in relationships, and while they may guide our actions with one another, do they apply to our relationships with horses?
The question we are really asking here, is, do horses crave the same things that people do? In essence, do the needs of horses align with those of people? While the answer to this question may be obvious, it is worth asking nonetheless.
Clearly, horses needs are very different from those of people. Not bestowed with the comforts of an insulated world, the equine species lives at the center of what we consider our most primitive need — safety. While we have easily surpassed the hyper-vigilant state that is horses everyday experience, for them, life is still a minefield of scary objects. And yet we have even brought them into our world — away from the only safety they know — to face what, to us, is not scary, but to them, often overwhelming.
To be sure, we ask them to walk down our streets, live in our buildings, even wear the clothes we make for them.
So in hoisting them fully out of their familiarity, how often do we consider what they really want? The answer, unfortunately, is not much. Watching any person, new to horses, approach a horse for the first time is a lesson in just how frequently our understanding horses’ needs become enmeshed with our own. While the intentions are good, for sure, people give them what they would want. Applying affection first, people fail to consider that horses, who are driven by the unending need for safety, do not find safety in affection.
Observing herd behavior — particularly that of a mare and foal — under distress, would not reveal a display of affection-oriented actions. Instead, the mare would very deliberately move the foal out of harm’s way — away from the scary object — and placing her body between her foal and what is threatening, she would offer protection. In this way, protection is an act of leadership, in the form of controlling the space.
In the example above, if the foal were to attempt to move out of his mother’s protective cushion, she would not allow it. And why? Because allowing the foal to move when his movement may induce harm would defy protection.
Yet, this is not to say that horses do not include affection in their repertoire of behavior. They do, however, they determine safety first. For example, when horses are introduced to each other for the first time, the first thing they do is determine who leads, and who follows. To do this, they may squeal, kick, or even bite one another. However, once this hierarchy is clear, it remains, and affection commences.
While this may be opposite that of typical human introductions — being affection before roles, rules, and expectations — it is probably not that far removed from what people actually want. After all, how often do we exchange pleasantries one minute only to find out much later, what the other really wants?
Identification of Emotion in Equine Therapy
One of the most commonly promulgated benefits of equine therapy is that for those who may have trouble being aware of just how they feel, or the even more challenging why, working with horses can help identify these feelings. Yet, for those in the field of equine therapy, the mechanisms behind this process are somewhat up to debate.
Much of the difference in understanding as to how horses can actually help people put their finger on how they are feeling is related to the fact that horses do not respond to people in the same way that people do. Horses are said to be much more intuitive to human defense mechanisms, and are not easily bluffed. Where another person may not recognize the projection of a troubled other, the horse will indeed have a response that is reflective of the very emotion from which the person is trying to defend. This is the main reason that projective identification is not possible in equine therapy.
A person, in discomfort, may attempt to deflect his negative feelings onto another, and the other, unknowingly, will act these out, thereby enacting a situation where the discomfort, which is detested, becomes reality, horses will act quite differently. Instead of acting out the projection, a horse will respond to it. And the response the horse offers will always be within the context of a herd animal, and thus herd behavior.
For example, let’s say that the troubled person projects his/her feelings of anger onto another person, and the person then acts out angrily, thereby creating the undesirable emotion. Ok, now lets take this same scenario into the arena. A person who projects his anger onto the horse, proclaiming that the horse is actually the angry one, will not necessarily produce an angry horse. Rather, the horse will respond to the person’s hidden anger by attempting to bring it to the surface. This can be done in several ways. The horse may “haze” the client — circling around him in progressively smaller circles in an attempt to dominate space. The horse may also repeatedly move into’s the person’s space, nudging him out of the way.
By using her body, the horse essentially places the person in a position where anger would be a healthy response. This is all done to draw the anger to the surface — out of the unconscious — thereby making the person “readable” to the horse, and a viable herd member. In order to understand this, it is important to remember that herd animal relate predominantly through physiological responses, and unconscious drives, emotions, and motives, have physiological traces. For horses, hidden emotions are like hidden physiological responses, making communication, and the establishment of the horse’s safety — through a congruent and connected herd — impossible. So in order to preserve her own safety then, the horse must make the person — her current herd member — more congruent, through evoking his hidden unconscious material. For while people can operate with closeted emotion, horses cannot, and therefore, identifying any emotion that is covert, and responding to it is an automatic process for the horse.
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