Shorty and the youth
According to a youth who recently came to Equine Wise Services for the first time, the horses in front of him in the paddock were violent. As Angie observed this she thought that he didn’t necessarily think that our horses were violent in comparison with other horses, but perhaps that horses in general were violent.
Now I recognize that many television programs are violent; and so also many video games too; and perhaps the same can be said about the lyrics of songs on certain popular radio stations. But our horses? “Violent” has never been the word I would have used to describe them.
This youth, upon entering the area where the horses were, stood very close behind me. He dramatically manipulated where I stood in the same way a riot control officer places his shield between his vulnerable body and the riotous mob. Fortunately though, this youth had the capacity to observe. Fortunately also, he was able to find out he could safely connect with each horse on its own. Once he was convinced it was safe, he would reach out a hand to touch.
When Shorty came to our herd, about six years ago, I suspect that he felt a bit like this youth – not about the horses, but about humans. It took a long time for Shorty to trust Angie, and then quite a while after that before he would let any other human get within touching range. Now he comes to sessions by his own choice (not all the time, but often enough). He comes and readily accepts our affection. At times he appears to create the energy of play, enjoying the process with the humans.
Now we can understand where this about Shorty came from – his previous owner didn’t much like mules and didn’t know how to handle them. We suspect during the guise of training that some physically hurtful techniques were used. And fortunately, when it came time for Shorty to be available at an “odd and unusual” auction, he found a human that loves mules and can relate to them in positive ways. Angie has been able to connect, create a space for Shorty (actually the entire farm as he can slip under fences which contain the other equines) and create a context for him to enjoy our human clientele.
Now as Shorty engages with the other equines in the paddock and arena it is sometimes with his teeth into a rump. And it is not unusual for him to engage in what we affectionately refer to as “the wheelbarrow race” his front hoofs coming from the rear to rest on the back of Honkey the Donkey (he can’t reach anyone else and if he tried, they’d let him have it). And it is also possible for Shorty to kick at humans – we have to be careful if clientele happen to box him in so there is no easy way of escape, or chase him in a way that would be threatening – and that kick has just ended in mid-air not connecting physically but giving a clear warning that he has had enough.
... getting his teeth in
... and getting him back
Obviously, as a psychologist, I deal also with humans who see the world as violent and potentially dangerous. In addition to the world of television and videogames, often children do grow up in real-world environments of anger and aggression. We live in a competitive world that rewards folk for what they get: and, most of our getting is at the expense of others. Family violence and school yard bullying are too often what children observe, teaching them about unhealthy behaviors of human desires and motivations.
Sometimes as humans we generalize, taking an observation made in one circumstance and applying it to many places and situations. Perhaps that is a bit what happened with our youth, the one who used me as a riot shield. Maybe he had watched horses at feeding time, establishing among themselves the order they can go to the feed provided for them. Perhaps he had witnessed horses that had developed aggression toward humans as a way of keeping themselves safe (and given what some humans do to horses, that aggression can be understood).
But when we generalize aggression or violence to most or all situations of our lives we can act that out in turn, giving back what we think the world is giving to us. We might even engage in a pre-emptive intimidation, giving out violence even before it is given to us.
Well, Shorty has come a long way. His time at Jenovation Farm and working in the Equine Assisted Therapy program have brought out aspects of his character that the previous owner might consider a real surprise.
And we can hope that can be the case for our youth as well. The youth gets to come back to us for a few weeks running. Perhaps Shorty has a thing or two to show him about the world of humans.
Whinnying off for now
Terry
P.S. With respect to this youth, we have noticed that he doesn’t feel the same way (expecting violence) with the donkeys. Now that is interesting, and perhaps feed for an upcoming blog.
P.P.S. We invite our readers to write back in. One of our readers has graciously given permission to print her email and my response to it, thanks Peg. If you want to check out the blog which Peg was replying to go to the top of the page and click on the words “the perfect storm” to go back in the archives of this blog.
Terry and Angie…
I think you got me to step over the RSS pole. Being subjected to a variety of humans seems burdensome or unfair for the horses. Do they reveal bordem or bemusement or “beleaguredness”? What’s in it for the horses?
Peg Shuman
Dear Peg
Thanks for taking the time to write.
The subject of the effect of equine assisted therapy work on the horses has been a very hotly debated one over the last few years. We believe that what we do with horses probably is much less aversive to them than many of the other things that are done to horses in the name of human endeavors, things like horse racing where there are extreme measures applied to horses to make them run at their fastest. Angie’s love for her horses, consistent care for their well-being and insuring good living conditions for them extends to which equines are used for which session activities – she is aware of which horses are sensitive or likely to be adversely effected by particular activities.
We do see our horses show some signs of getting soured on human efforts to get them to do some things (as I am sure you get soured on humans too). We believe that providing the horses with a good balance of horse/human interaction, some therapy and other respectful and well-communicated interaction, can prevent or ameliorate that souring. We also see our horses consistently coming over to the humans during the debriefing time and standing with us in a way that suggests they are attracted to the sincerity and honesty of what the humans are doing there. We also have an equine (Shorty) who runs free on the farm (not confined by the fencing due to his size) and often chooses to come with the other horses into the therapy arena when he knows that our human clients are there and other horses are going for the sessions. His choice to come says something of how desirable the activities are from an equine perspective.
The venture of helping humans live more effective, less aggressive and selfish lives, can be an onerous and risky one. The damage done by human greed and disrespect for other creatures (human and of other species) is one that we should all take seriously, and use the full range of our creativity and insight to resolve. I am so glad that our equines are willing to work in cooperation with us to do that.
Again, thanks for writing.
Terry
November 23rd, 2009 at 9:15 am
If your success is not on your own terms, if it looks good to the world but does not feel good in your heart, it is not success at all.