It’s All About Listening….
Some time ago, the term “horse whisperer” came into being, not necessarily by the horse enthusiasts themselves, but largely by the people outside of the industry. The term claimed its fame thanks to Robert Redford who starred in the movie with the same title, while he posed as a rancher who developed a spine-tingling connection to an otherwise unmanageable horse. The romantic notion of being able to communicate with horses was propelled into the mainstream media and readily devoured by horse people and others far removed from equi-mania.
Long before the movie came out, and fairly early in my horse career, I had already started taking lessons in ‘natural horsemanship’. Not only could my friends and I already do what Robert did in the twinkling twilight (with the mysterious, hovering silhouette of the horse in the background), but we knew there was so much more to *communicating*. And it begged the question: if we weren’t whispering, what were we in fact doing?!
Along my path to becoming a more educated horse person, I learned a common-sense truth that follows me to this very day: the most effective way to whisper to a horse is in fact to LISTEN.
If you’re not a horse-person, you’d be amazed at how much horses communicate – to each other and even to humans. If you know how to listen, and how to interpret their body language, you would be an adequate interpreter of these amazing creatures. It’s not a secret other-wordly skill. Just be quiet enough and sensitive enough, learn the body language signs, and the world of horses will open up to you in a most organic manner.
So here we are in my first official entry of my blog entitled “Horse Listening”. My intention for the blog is not to necessarily expound upon incredible lessons, or pass on fantastic secrets and techniques, or even to tell you that I know anything of great significance. In this world of electronic communication, I want to stick to a timeless, ancient source of education: I just want to ramble! In a sense, I want to put forth a proposal, if you will, about a topic that has my attention at the moment. And then I just want to Listen.
I am hoping to open discussion about many and varied topics related to horses, riding, dressage and ultimately, life. Because if there is anything that the horses have taught me, it is that EVERYTHING about horses has a human parallel and every growth (and setback?) we gain through the horse world can be mirrored in our own lives. And the more we think we know about horses (and life), the more we discover that we in fact know so little. Each can be an ever-learning and developing process, and there’s stuff to be learned from everyone….
Feel free to drop a line in the comment box and contribute your thoughts on the subject, if you agree, disagree, or have an experience you’d like to share. Whether you’re into horses or not, this is a blog where you can contribute what you’ve learned by ‘listening’. Looking forward to rambling along this road of life with you!
Posted on August 5, 2011, in philosophizing and tagged athlete, dressage, horses, life, pets, recreation, riding. Bookmark the permalink. 12 Comments.
Well done! It is comforting to read about what our old masters knew all along …we have lost the art of being students. In other words , listen, think and observe.
Thanks for the comment, Jose! I find it amazing how every time I think I learn something new, or go experience something for myself, I discover that the “old masters” (or even the newer ones) have already clearly discussed it all…
Great post. I’m a natural horsemanship instructor and I tell my students right off that there is no whispering involved. It’s about learning to communicate in a way that the horse can understand. And if we can first interpret what the horse is telling us (are they looking for the right answer, are they confused, are they frustrated, do they need out help or do they need us to back off?) than we can adapt our signals and build a relationship where the horse is willing and respectful. Your article does a great job explaining the importance of listening.
Thanks, Michelle! You put it all in a nut shell. It really is all about being able to accurately interpret the communication coming from the horses.
You need to practice only three things, patience, observation and humility..
There is no mysticism, no magic, in this, only the recognition of kinship with horses.
The more a horseman says he has learned, the less likely he is to have learned anything at all.
Plenty of people have come across and borrowed an insight or two, and some have made a lot of money by popularizing what they seemed to think he knew. But what he knew will never be popular, nor did he ever make much money from it. You cannot sell modesty or undying curiosity. It is hard to put a price on accepting that everything you think you know about horses may change with the very next horse.
Bill Dorrance
An inspiration perhaps? Good thoughts!
Regards,
Smokie
How fitting and so true! Thanks, Smokie!
I ended up with my horse sort of by accident – I wasn’t looking to own a horse and had very little experience with them. The interesting thing is how difficult I found it to find guidance on how to communicate with my horse! I found shelves and shelves of books on horse health, horse breeding, horse riding, horse fancying… and not much on what my horse experiences! Luckily I found an instructor who could answer my questions when I said, “Why in the heck is he doing that?” and now I think we communicate pretty well with each other.
The listening advice is so, so true. How many times do I catch myself focusing on myself and my riding technique only to be startled out of my reverie when the horse shies because of a danger I didn’t even notice, but would have if I had been paying attention to what he was telling me? Love love love to see great stuff like this available on the internet. Keep up the good work!
Thank you so much, Malina. Good luck with your horse!
Although I rode a lot in my twenties, I just bought my first horse after many years away from the sport. He’s a four year old Quarter horse and teaching me so very much. I love your comment about the setbacks and growth. These past 6 months have been a huge learning curve in patience, assertion, perseverance, humility, and give. I absolutely adore him! Thanks for your articles…I look forward to each and every one.
Thanks so much, Jayne! Just so you know… that learning curve never really stops!! ;-P I go through one every few months. Just when you think you know it all, you have something new to learn! But that is the beauty of the “path”.
I love your blog, I have learned a lot from you already. Many mysteries explained. Thank-you
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