MEET THE HORSE WITH PEACE AND UNDERSTANDING

Do horses have the intelligence to understand when we are trying to help them? Is it possible that they not only understand, but will even allow themselves to put up with discomfort in order to help us out?

I don’t doubt it for a minute. In the 11 years my TB mare has been with me, she has demonstrated it frequently – as long as I am meeting her with the energy of empathic understanding and total peace.

Recently, it was with the wormer. I am telling this story, as it demonstrates a completely different approach to something that many horses are adverse to. Maybe we just need to change how we go about it!

We egg count our two horses, Rosie and Jazz. But there is no avoiding the December wormer.

Once upon a time, when I knew no better, I would hang on grimly to Jazz as she waltzed around the stable, head in air; anything to avoid the dreaded wormer syringe entering her mouth. Three rounds of the stable, and she would finally give in and succumb to her fate. Nevertheless, it always felt forceful and out of alignment with the peace and calm I like to create around my horses.

Now we adopt a different method.

As the horses are relaxing and dozing by their favourite blackberry bush in the field, my daughter and I approach them with the wormers hidden under our coats.

We become part of their quiet reverie, letting their peace and calm wash over us, until our energy feels fully blended with theirs.

I explain what is going to happen and why it is necessary, apologizing for the horrible taste of the wormer. Although they don’t understand my words, I know they pick up on the energy of my words, and so my full intention is made clear.

When we are all fully relaxed, and peace is pouring out of every pore, I produce the wormers, taking off the caps, and adjusting them as required.

At this point, Rosie is interested and playing with the box. Jazz, who is ten years older, knows instantly what is coming. She starts to react to the impending nasty taste in her mouth, by rolling her tongue over her mouth. She is reacting to it before I have even attempted to put it in her mouth. But this is the full extent of her objection. She makes no attempt to walk away, or even move her head away. It is taken willingly and obligingly, and even when I realise it isn’t all in, she is just as amenable about the syringe entering her mouth for a second time.

Rosie normally sticks her head in the air like a giraffe, and being 16.3hh it is no mean feat to get the syringe into her mouth. But not this time! She doesn’t react at all to the syringe. A more obliging horse it would be hard to find!

We spend another ten minutes with the horses, grateful that they don’t hold the horrible taste in their mouths against us. Rosie rests her head on my daughter’s chest, and Jazz rests her muzzle in my hands.

In the energy of trust, peace and gratitude, it is amazing what can be achieved. Why, I wonder, did we ever get into the habit of trying to dominate horses and force things on them?

Every day, I am so grateful for our horses and the lessons they teach us. How to get out of our minds, feeling and blending in with them through our hearts. It is a privilege to be part of their world!