Being with horses means everything to me. I have changed form just telling them what I want them to do as a monologue to listening and having a dialog. For a proper dialog with a horse my voice is just a footnote, my body language and position do the speaking. Having a conversation that way with a horse, one with a healthy and social upbringing, can be very rewarding. The conversation can feel like a dance together.
Being together with a horse who has maybe not have had a healthy social upbringing. Who may have been misunderstood by humans or even mistreated. Such a horse is a whole different story.
One way of coping could be that the horse just totally ignores me, and forcing myself on him will not lead to a good conversation. Or they have learned to just “walz” over people if necessary with their teeth bared. Very effective and here to protect myself I do need to be forceful, but the key is to not put aggression in my action.
Most importantly, with these horses, is being consistent. I also need to be very precise and my timing need to be on point. And if they get stuck I will help them release tension. The conversation can only take place if they are able to listen and for that they need to relax. Bodywork is a great way to get that first relaxation if bodywork is possible.
Finding a save starting point for our conversation is mandatory. Being able to return back to this save point so they can think over the conversation is paramount.
