- Ray Hunt
Truer words have rarely been spoken. I have had this quote in my head for several days, thinking it over and marvelling at its depth and insight. Twice this week it has brought memories to mind with such clarity I knew I had to write about it.
Having a voice...
The first instance was when I read an article recommended to me on Facebook. I clicked on it with some interest as the title mentioned 'Uncoachable Kids' but it was clearly an article about horses. The author was a dressage trainer and rider with a lengthy riding background and accolades to her name. It discussed her conclusion that, based on her experience most horses go through a period where they are indeed, un-coachable. She described several younger horses and their resistance to the training that seemed to flair up, from refusing to go forward, to rearing and tail swishing, the list was a healthy description of what any person would consider negative behavior. Her conclusion, though, was to me the biggest puzzle to it all. She said she clamped her leg on, and pushed through it. Now, I'll be honest I didn't save the article so there's probably more here. But her conclusion bothered me, more so after reading numerous comments by people relieved to hear they weren't the only ones experiencing all these issues. (A few, actually a number, commented that there were other ways to address these problems.) Her conclusion, that horses can be un-coachable, or must be pushed through these behaviors to avoid becoming un-coachable, struck me as short sighted. But this was just the first instance....
Silencing the voice....
A while back, I was at the barn working with a new horse. While there a rider was working a horse in the arena as well, and I ended up witnessing another incident that springs to mind when reading that quote. The horse was quite pretty, but while they went around I observed the rider constantly wiggling (half-halting? Is that what it is now??) the reins to keep the horse very very low and very behind the vertical. The trot was rather slow, and uneven, and the effort the rider was making to keep it going showed when they leaned back and drew their leg up, the spur pressed into the horses side. If the horse did go more forward, head lifting slightly, it was quickly 'half-halted' down. The neck of the horse had an awkward twist, and its mouth fought against the noseband to grind and gap, looking for relief. The rider pulled up and asked a friend riding another horse how it looked. They commented it could be more forward, but 'at least the head was down'. Even while talking if the horse dared to move or change its neck position it was quickly set back into place and told to "stop being a brat!", even getting a smack at one point. I was told later that this horse was considered 'difficult' and despite being well on in years was just not advancing. The riders spurs were matted with hair....
When you stop listening....
At what point did we stop caring about what horses have to say? Why is what Ray Hunt said so profound? Shouldn't it be common sense? Why do we as humans feel its ok to treat horses, animals in general, like this? Because we buy them? In a day and age that finds slavery abhorrent I find it amazing we miss it when its right under our noses.
"People have to learn that whatever the horse does is right. You're the one who got into his life.... he didn't get into yours. It's amazing what the horse will go through to satisfy a human being."
-Ray Hunt
I'm not saying horses are perfect. There will be genuine times of disobedience. These times need to be handled with a firm, but fair hand. It corrects and then releases and rewards. It creates a dialogue, a relationship between horse and human. They become respectful friends and partners. They become dance partners. The horse is allowed, as a free being, to have an opinion. An objection to when work feels hard, something hurts, or they just don't understand. A slave is silenced. A slave's hands (mouth, neck) is strapped down, bound closed, made powerless and voiceless. A slave is told their opinion doesn't matter, their feelings don't matter, they don't matter. And slaves are eventually driven down into obedience, becoming voiceless and resigned to it. Horses eventually give up not because what we do to them is ok, but because we are relentless and they are smart enough to know they cannot fight our ego.
My Gift of Disobedience
My mare Anja taught me this. She was a big, bold, outspoken young filly when I got her. At 2 and 3 when I started doing basic training with her she was often incredibly reactive, easily distracted and prone to temper tantrums. I was told I had to nip this in the bud, be tough, teach her to submit. Now, I was and always have been very pro ground manners. Horses are big and powerful and have to live in our world so they need to learn to maneuver in it. But even these must be taught with the same care and precision and strength of character that teaching someone a new language requires. Because isn't that what they are doing?? So yes, I was firm and didn't allow her to walk all over me. But I was her translator to a new language, and I tried to always explain what was expected before getting firm.
Under saddle Anja could lock up and resist, or spook with amazing speed for such a massive horse. She was athletic, smart and agile. The voices telling me to be firm collided with reality of an intelligant, powerful animal. I quickly realized that if I wanted to survive and thrive with my new girl I had to approach it differently. So I did. I began to work on the ground more, playing with her, teaching her to do different tricks, what I view as 'conversing' with her. I still rode, but the play time taught me what she enjoyed doing, what she found easy, what she found hard, and what worked for getting her attention. From there I applied it under saddle. It was a long, slow journey, filled with mistakes and some frustration, but instead of an angry dangerous horse I had a horse I could redirect when she got stuck. And Anja taught me that resistance, disobedience is a gift. If you see it as communication, as a redirection, it will open up other strains of knowledge. Yes, sometimes horses are naughty. But mostly they are open, generous and loving. They daily take my breath away. Anja is 12 now, and the difference in her is amazing to me. She is my partner, and we love working together. It is not perfect, but I am so happy with her progress.
You don't have to believe me. But Ray's kinda hard to ignore....