"Listening not Whispering"

Howdy Friends,

I sat in the car waiting as I often do while Ravishin' Robbie ran into the store to grab a few groceries. It's not so much I don't enjoy shopping, but walking in stores is sometimes a bother to my legs. And it offers a great time to people watch. The other day I was "people watchin'" when I noticed a child of, I suppose 7 or so, trying oh so hard to get her mother's understanding of a matter of what must have been great importance by the demonstration of arm flailing and hurried loud outbursts. Of course I couldn't understand the words, but the volume and tone sent a clear, "Are You Listening?" I chuckled because I knew the answer was a resounding, NO! For the mother was every bit as determined to make her point, at the same time.

Kessy knows she can count on me to listen

I never got the impression they were angry, quite the opposite, they seemed happy and excited, but were not able to communicate whatever was so exciting.

This made me think of a seminar I went to for sales training years ago. "Learning effective ways to listen." Never forgot it. But I must admit I'm not that great a listener, either. Unless I use this little trick. And you bet, I'm gonna share how I modified it for listing to your horse.

The trick isn't to watch the other person's lips or focus on their eyes or get in sync with their breathing, or any of the standard "rules for good listening." In fact you can do this with your eyes closed. Well with people you can. With horses you pretty much gotta look at them.

But with people it is really simple … Here it is … "Listen to every word as if you must jump in and finish the sentence." … That's it ... No gimmicks, no tricks. Just pretend at any moment you'll need to pick it up and finish the sentence. We even did role playing in the seminar, which I remember was a hoot!

So how do you finish the sentence your horse is saying? Well you listen closely; it will enrich your connection ... A brief side note here … When I'm doing my "Therapy For Therapy Horses" exercises, within a few moments of starting I'll get signals from the horse where they want my hands to go next. It is one reason why I'd love for anyone who has or works with horses to learn at least the basics of these. These exercises will teach folks to "listen to their horse" in a most comprehensive way.

But I'd like to share the other way you can finish your horse's sentence. Think about when you're leading her, and she stops. I'd like to suggest, you stop. Don't just think what you want, where you are going or want to go, but pause a second or three and look where your horse is looking. Sometimes it's obvious, she's worried about something she sees, ears and eyes focused right on it. That's an easy one and you should look at it too and wait a few seconds before asking her to move on. Finish the sentence together.

The real opportunity to finish your horse's sentence will come when she stops as you're leading her, you turn to look at her … and she isn't really looking at anything. She's just standing with soft eyes, relaxed ears and no concern on her face. This is your chance to hear her, and finish her sentence. If you stay soft, open your heart, mind and intuitiveness you'll pick up on it. It'll be a moment of deep connection. Think then of the end of her sentence ... Will she walk on to follow you, or relax another moment? Think a bit, wait for it, and then you'll see, your thoughts were in tune. You heard her – because you were listening … The opposite is also true … If when she stops you tug on the lead to move her on with no more than a brief glance her way shouting in your mind, "Come On!" … You will have missed what she was trying to tell you when she said, "I'm really loving this walk together."

I'm a big fan of ground work with a horse and doing slow easy things together will give you many opportunities to finish your horse's sentences. Remember to pause, join her thoughts and "predict" what she wants to do next, by finishing her sentence. While trail riding is another great chance to "learn to listen well," if she stops along the trail, pause, look and listen to her. The key to listening well is finishing the sentence in the way the "talker" would finish it. You know then, you are in tune.

Happy listening!

Gitty Up ~ Dutch Henry

"Horse Communication"

Howdy Folks,

 

Horse communication. There are a lot of folks who truly understand it. There are a lot of folks who wish they did. There are plenty of folks who disregard it, even consider those who believe in communicating with horses, or any animal, silly, or worse.

Kessy and me sharing thoughts

The first step to communicating with your horse, is simply to believe. Believe it is possible, and believe what you hear. As children we were all deeper in tune to receiving voices from animals, and our intuition, but as we grow and are encouraged to disregard those thoughts as foolishness, some of us follow that wrongheaded advice. Others question it, and some, like me, found that animals are the most honest friends of all. And continued to listen.

One of the most common objections I've heard over the years is, "If you can talk to your horse, why can't you make her, 'do whatever.'" … My standard reply is, "You can talk to your spouse, child, friend, why don't you always see eye to eye?"

One big reason I keep promoting what I call my, "Therapy For Therapy Horses," exercises, and all that Peggy Cummings and Linda Tellington-Jones teach is by doing those exercises you will learn to hear your horse, as you wait, watch and listen for your horses release, and response.

Horse communication is not about, "getting your horse to do something." When approached with a selfish or demanding type attitude, desire, or intent, you'll simply get static.

Communication is about hearing what is important to the horse, so you can love more deeply, help more richly and understand more fully. That's it. It's that simple, and anyone can do it. In fact, even an inflexible non-believer is communicating with their horse. But sadly, those individuals are broadcasting, they don't care, so why would their horse talk to them?

Horse communication is all about listening, trusting and believing. Start by simply believing the thoughts you feel. Doubt builds walls. Believing builds conduits. Will you always get it right? Nope. But then again, do you always understand people? I reckon not. However, by accepting what you hear and feel, your intuition will strengthen. The thoughts, feelings and pictures will become more and more clear. It takes practice, as does learning any new language or skill. If someone wants to learn to play the guitar, they won't get very far without practice.

Back to the therapy exercises. Begin by doing them, and listening. You'll be amazed at what you hear. Your horse will guide your hands, really. Listen for the instruction. I like to suggest this, because it combines physical exercises and mental exercises. Add to this, the thought of listening to your horse in everything you do together, riding, groundwork, feeding, whatever. As you interact allow your mind to wonder into your horse's thoughts. Hear what is important to your horse. The louder you listen, the louder they'll talk. Set aside your wants, and listen.

Another nifty exercise to increase your hearing is simply sitting with your horse, and asking what is important to her. As you hear/feel what she is saying, see the picture. Let the scene build; softly focus on the center of the picture. Trust it, see where it takes you. This one is fun, it only requires you allow the time for the scene to build. Be patient.

Trust in yourself, believe, and continue to learn. How far will it go? It's different for everyone. It's also wonderful for everyone. Kessy and I encourage you to explore horse communication. It'll change your life.

Gitty Up ~ Dutch Henry

There Is More To Our Story

Howdy Folks,

With perked ears and sad eyes, Blackie watched as the truck drove away. Her long time friend, Chance called out in fear. Dust soon swallowed the trailer, but the whinnies continued. Blackie raced along the board fence, head held over the top board, running as fast as her old legs could manage. She answered the calls with all the breath she had, and ran faster, ever faster, but soon the truck and the whinnies were gone. Straining over the fence she looked far away, far into the setting sun where her friend had gone. Blackie stood well into the night, searching the horizon for her friend's return. Which deep inside she knew would not happen. There would be hay at the barn, there always was, but tonight she would eat no hay.

In her long years Blackie had watched other friends leave. Too many. Sometimes it was she who was taken away. The first time, she was running free with her mama, and the others. She hardly remembers her mama, but she remembers that horrid, hot terrifying day. It started like any other, scampering about playing with the other young ones. Then the run came!

Chased from all sides, there was yelling, panic and pain. Blackie still feels the pain in her feet, and her chest from running so many miles trying to hard to keep up. Her legs were too short, she lost sight of mama, and she cried out. Like today, trying to run and call at the same time.

She never saw her mama after that day. Or her other friends. It was her first ride in a crowded truck. Tonight, looking over the fence for Chance, she remembered that first ride. A long ride, she remembers how thirsty she'd become. How tired. Where is mama? She'd cried out as long as she had voice.

The ride took her to a place so different from before. She'd never been inside, the air was tight, smelled and felt so strange, and there was so much noise. She had her first lessons there, human lessons. It was hard, at first, to understand humans, but after a while she learned to accept them. Even love some of them. For a while she played there, outside with new friends. Frolicking in the big fields was almost like being home again. It was there she was taught many new things, human things. Some were very fun, some confusing, but she always tried her best. In the evenings she and her new friends would gather together, groom each other and help each other understand. Blackie was different from the others, they had all been born right there. They seemed to learn faster than she, but the friendships they forged were just as real as the friends she'd left behind, before the big chase.

She walked from the fence, just far enough so she could lie down. If the truck and Chance came back, she would be right here, waiting.

It had been a long time since Blackie had thought of those early friends, but tonight she remembered each of them. That first summer, long ago, in the new place, had seen each of them leave, one at a time. Where were they tonight? Blackie stayed two more years. She had her first foal there. Those sweet months with her baby by her side, those are some of her fondest memories. She would have two more foals, each at new places. Each one she left behind as she was taken to new places.

Blackie rolled onto her side, stretched out her neck, heaved a heavy sigh. She thought of those babies. She wondered where they were tonight.

She pulled her tired legs under her, stood and shook. It always feels good to shake. She gave another look far away, and got lost in her thoughts. She thought of the places she'd lived. She remembered the friends she made along the way. She thought of the children so proud to ride her. For a wonderful few years she'd been proud to teach children to ride at the beautiful farm in the mountains. Those were fun days, and she'd had great friends there. Horses and human. She met Chance there. Chance told her his stories. She told Chance, her stories. They understood each other.

One day, she and Chance were loaded together, and they came here. For a while they taught children to ride here too. Then no more children came and it was just she and Chance, and Michelle. Michelle was nice, perhaps the kindest of all the people she'd known. There had been some bad places, and people, over the years, but here with Michelle things were very good. It was peaceful here.

She would miss Chance; she knew he would miss her. Perhaps he'll go to a place where there is a woman like Michelle, who can hear him. And know there is more to his story. There is always more to our stories, and we can tell them, if people listen. 

Blackie laid down, stretched out, and closed her eyes.

Gitty Up ~ Dutch

"What's in The Spirit of Your Horse's Nickname- Or any Word."-Pt-2

Part 1 of "What's in The Spirit of Your Horse's Nickname- Or any Word." Was posted yesterday-2-19-13

This is a 2 part story about the energy in a name. How it can emit happy positive awareness and energy or create roadblocks in your relationship with your horse. I also discuss the power of positive thoughts.

Howdy Folks,

Remember the old saying, "Sticks and stones can break my bones but names can never hurt me?" Not true is it? I submit the very reason that old jingle was given birth was to try to hide the hurt the names can deliver.

Nature does not like negative. Nature runs from negative. Negative causes unbalance in nature. You may feel that simply using a negative word in a "cute way" to name your horse makes a difference, but the words set about a different energy in "your own body." Words truly do mean things, and while we may try to alter their meaning for a name, underneath and within the word lays the energy of it. Good or negative.

One of the most remarkable examples of this is the work done by, Masaro Emoto with ice crystals. He has published several books discussing and illustrating the "Messages In Water." Emoto spent years freezing water to examine the crystals. His work, both celebrated and criticized, showed that water exposed to kind words froze into beautiful geometrical crystals while water exposed to unkind words froze into distorted and randomly formed crystals. I'm one of those who celebrate his work.

I also wonder about the distant thoughts connected with negative nicknames. When we think of our horse from the house or when we're at work, their name on our mind creates an energy. It can be a dance, or a standoff. Or confused energy. How we picture our horse, our relationship, our bond is affected by the name. Is it a joke, a put down, or a compliment, a sign of affection?

The energy you send, and receive is in direct relationship to your thoughts. Have you ever gone to a meeting and as you stood outside the door, just about to enter, your thoughts are racing, you feel excited, maybe you're worried. Maybe you're bouncing off the walls happy. Your energy is already ahead of you in that room mixing with the energy and emotions in there. You're picking up on the energy coming back to you. Everyone has felt it.

Kessy and Dutch

Perhaps you've felt it and brushed it off as just your worry, apprehension or excited anticipation. Of course there is some of that, but the energy from within you flows out from you and receives energy too. That energy is in tune with your thoughts ... I believe it can't help but to be.

So back to your horses nickname. When you think of her from afar, would you like to send thoughts from a name whose negative energy must be overcome? Wouldn't you rather send happy energy and thoughts? As you approach or introduce her to folks don't you want to think thoughts of happy and partnership?

Kessy and I hope you'll spread the word about the spirit in your horse's nickname. Kessy's name you ask? Kessy is my nickname for Kezia, the name of Job's second beautiful daughter.

Gitty Up ~ Dutch Henry