I have been described as a horse Whisperer of late, and I got curious about this term, especially when Rob Cope-Williams asked me "What is horse whispering?" on live T.V. My on the spot answer was that horse whispering is an ecclectic word meaning communicating with the horses in the horse's own language. When I saw the footage I was satisfied with this answer, and it got me thinking about how, in fact, we impart to our riders the secrets of horse whispering.
The use of focus, body energy, breath, and four phases of firmness are the corner stones of horse whispering. I know!! How simple is that!! I am remembering a ride that Glenn and I took out yesterday. We had the 2 most gorgous brown eyed girls ever, one 6 years, and one ten years, and a Dad. I found myself seeing afresh the results of these simple principles. For both our girls it was only their second time riding. Our youngest was on a horse who is kind, and gentle, and enjoys being respectful to children. His name is Thymie. Our ten year old was on our cheeky, but talented large pony, Kelly. Both on quite large horses, especially Thymie. We went through our partnering up sequence and I talked about how horses think, and how we can help them in the world with feeling safe, and being a good leader for them to follow. We did a game on the ground, and one or two more mounted, then off up the Otahuna Valley in our horseman's halters. These 2 girls had touch control responses from their horses even though it was their 2nd ride, they had no bits, and looked tiny on these big animals. They had superbly taken in all the teaching in the partnering up. We had lead ropes on their horses if we needed to step in with some extra leadership, and off they went full of all the confidence and skill of a veteran rider. Incredible!!
Why should this work so well and be SO achievable?
Horse whispering huh? Focus, body energy, breath, and 4 phases of firmness
Add to this timing, safety, encouraging and clear teachers, and there it is.
Just what horses need to follow a leader they know is not going to eat them.
Lets look at each of these cornerstones and understand the efficacy produced.
Focus
This is what horses follow. You look and pay attention to something and your horse does too. It is just that we forget to do it because it just doesnt seem like it is enough.
It is not "making" anything happen.
Body Energy
Horses are very in tune with body energy. They need to read body language, each others and a predator's. And as it happens are experts at picking up on ours.
Control of our body energy is helped with our breath. Breathing out for low energy, and breathing in for higher enegy.
Phases of Firmness
Again they use phases of firmness with each other. When we do the same it is familiar, natural and ordinary for them to follow this gesture.
I remember asking Bryan McVicar about what difference natural horsemanship made to his relationship with horses. He said it was like he had been trying to talk to horses in French, then he changed to english, the same language they can both understand, the language of equus. Both horse and human can speak it, and all became clear.
In a nutshell this is the basis for the incredible degree of rapport and respect that occurs on our rides between riders and their horses. Try it for yourself. My staff and I are delighted to make your ride happen for you.
May the horse be with you
Kate Tapley
