SOME NEED THE SCIENCE, SOME NEED THE MAGIC: WE ALL NEED THE HORSES By: Lynda Watson

We go to the horses to find answers that we think might be outside of us only to have them turn us around and point us back inside ourselves to find they were there all along.

One might come to the horses thinking they know what they want out of their time with them, but I can guarantee the horse knows what a human needs, and they have no problem reflecting that to those that seek their wisdom. There is huge value in science as well as magic and we are well suited to find a balance between the two. The science is in the levels, rates, waves, etc., and how they affect change in the human. The magic lies in that which we can’t explain or quantify. How does a horse know to walk over to a human being, lay their soft warm muzzle on that person’s heart and create space for the tears to flow? These are tears that have been held in by that human for far too many years. And how does the horse do it? Ready? Here is the pure magic. They do it just by being a horse. So, let us delve a bit deeper into both of these and explore our reflections.

SCIENCE

Shall we start with the Science? Some folks may be sceptical without scientific evidence. The magic lives in our bodies but we are inclined to start in our heads. Many a session starts with the science, an explanation of the facts. Why horses? How can a horse help me with my critical

thinking, grief, anxiety, etc.? Really, a horse? It has been my experience with folks that are new to the field (pun intended), the ‘how does it all work?’ question looms forward in their mind. Presenting current research prior to an experience with a horse, is to start to clarify questions. The person can then understand, cognitively and will be able to tell themselves, ‘ok, its safe body, off you go and have the experience’.

Joe Dispenza says, in regard to our ancestors and our present day lives, “…when a lion was chasing your ancestors, the stress response was doing what it was designed to do — protect them from their outer environment. That’s adaptive. But if, for days on end, you fret about your promotion, over focus on your presentation to upper management, or worry about your mother being in the hospital, these situations create the same chemicals as though you were being chased by a lion.”(1) I quote this piece as it clearly explains the effect our present day lives can have on us. What we used to be like, what we are like and then how horses can show us the way back.

Many studies show us what effect ongoing stress has on our bodies. The Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, USA tells us that: “…stress symptoms can affect your body, your thoughts and feelings, and your

behavior…Stress that's left unchecked can contribute to many health problems, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and diabetes.” And the list goes on and on…immune system disfunction, mental health issues, and chronic pain. Spending time with horses in their natural environment helps us reduce that stress. We become once again adaptive instead of maladaptive. Not always in a state of flight or fight. Horses can be in a state of hypervigilance yet fully relaxed. I’ll get to that in a bit.

Let’s start with the physiology of a horse in comparison to humans.

Vital (adult resting) Horse Heart 28 -40 beats/min Breath 8-12 breaths/min Temperature 37.2 –38.3C / 99-101F Human

60-100 beats/min 12-20 breaths/min 37C / 98.6F

As you can see from the table, a horse’s heart and breath rate are slower than that of a human and their temperature is higher. Science has shown that when we spend time with horses, we synchronize with them. Therefore, when we stand beside a horse or quietly, mindfully groom them, our heart and breath slow and we ‘feel the warmth’.

I spent many a moment as a teenager with my hands wrapped around a horse’s neck and my face buried into their mane unaware what science was happening. I only knew at that time that I would relax, calm and feel much better for time spent just being quiet and close to my horse. I have been witness to many folks doing the same. A deep breath coming from the depths of a highly anxious individual or a moment of ‘feeling’ from a client that hadn’t felt anything for years due to generational trauma. Felt like magic. Magic backed by science.

In the study entitled: The Bond Between a Horse and a Human by Debbie Crews of Arizona State University, 2009 (2), interesting results were found regarding the equine-human relationship. Using an EEG to measure and record results, it was found that the act of grooming a horse created the most synchronized states between horse and human. “This is an important finding for humans whose internal state may not be operating in a synchronized manner…It is possible that the horse, as an outside influence can influence EEG patterns and the state of the human.” There you go! This is some of the science behind the magic of the horse human relationship.

Dr. Anna Baldwin conducted horse human research in partnership with The Heart Math Institute to see if the heart rate variability (Heart rate –average beats per minute, heart rate variability (HRV) - the changes in time or variability between heart beats) between horses and humans would synchronize when together. With the focus on the human offering gratitude and asking permission, it was found that the horses would affect the humans HRV and assist the body in coming to a state of synchronicity. The human could experience excitement without emotional stress. Look back to our Joe Dispenza quote and how humans tend to live in that state of stress. Spending time with horses can bring us to a state of reducing emotional duress. With a great facilitator alongside the horses we can learn to bring that body/mind knowledge back to our everyday life.

TOP 3

There are numerous reasons that spending time with horses can be such a powerful experience. In 2018 I posed a question to a large group of Equine Facilitated Learning professionals asking them: what are the top 3 things folks have learned alongside the horses? The responses were: #1. Non-verbal communication #2 Authenticity #3 Presence.

Let’s see ‘why horses?’ using those 3 skills. Why is it that spending time with horses can be so transformational for us humans? It is science as well as Nature! Horses are doing what comes naturally to them in their natural environment and that is when we can learn the most about ourselves.

#1. They are fully non-verbal (except for the occasional nicker or whinny). We as humans use non-verbal communication 93% of the time yet we tend to dismiss that aspect of our communication. Horses bring us back to that, back to our body. When we spend time with the horses and watch how they communicate with each other and us, we become more aware of our own non-verbal communication as a human. In turn, we take that back to our daily lives being more aware of the verbal and non-verbal language we are speaking and that others are communicating to us. This ties into energy and electromagnetic fields (3). What happens when we are in the proximity of one person in comparison to another person? How do we

communicate our feelings, etc.? Imagine the expanse of the horse’s electro-magnetic field and what it communicates to us.

#2. Another reason horse time can be so influential to humans is their ability to see us as we are. They pass no judgement on who we are, where we are from, what we have done or not done. For so many people that is such a special and unique place to be. To be with another being that makes no judgement, has no expectations and who makes no demands on us. Magical! The only thing the horse asks is that you be you. When we show up in their space, with inauthenticity/incongruency our blood pressure is elevated. We are immediately not a safe being to be around. We create uncertainty in that environment.

#3. Horses live fully in the moment, fully present and fully aware of who we are at that exact time and in that space. It might be different, a day or a year from that moment. They see us in the present time. They need to…their life depends on it. This takes us back to the quote about the lion chasing our ancestor. A horse needs to be hypervigilant yet needs to save its energy to run if needed. If it is in a state of constant stress, then it will not have the energy to move quickly when the enemy presents itself.

In fact, each of these 3 qualities are vital to the survival of the species as a collective, and individually. They must be present to ‘feel’ the energy of the herd (the non-verbal). They must be authentic. In fact, when in their natural environment they are nothing but authentic. These qualities all tie into the science of how it all works.

We enter their environment. They read us just like they read any being that enters their space. They show us, in a very short time whether they feel safe with us or not. Are we a friend or a foe? If we are willing to listen, really, really listen to their signals and cues and adjust ourselves accordingly, then and only then will they accept us as friend and let us join the herd.

That in itself is truly magical. And on that, I would like to finish with a scientifically magical story.

MAGIC

I was farm sitting a while back and had decided to go and spend some quiet time in the field with one of the herds. It was a warm summer day and this particular herd had decided it would rest in the warm sun.

It was a small herd with most of them curled up on the cool grass. One horse in particular would often be the sentinel for this herd, watching the horizon and environment for any potential threats. I was drawn to go and stand with him. I approached with a calm breath and was aware

of his signals as to how close I could stand and what was safe for him. He gave me permission to come in close. I stood about 3 feet away from him at his neck, facing the same direction that he was. I wanted to see the environment as he saw it.

He stood strong and calm. As we scanned the environment together, we watched the other herd on the property quietly grazing. On the farm next door, we watched a tractor move along the fields. It was something to watch but not something to fear. We kept ‘an eye’ on the world around us. We both stood hypervigilant yet fully relaxed for some time. I could feel his breath and heart beat. In that moment I understood how present a horse needs to be. He was watching yet not stressed over the tractor that might or might not pose a threat. Not tipping off the herd unnecessarily. The horses lay quietly, enjoying the sun, in synchronization with his and my, heartbeat and HRV. Fully present, fully alert yet not emotionally stressed one bit. The science was all there but the moment was magical! In that time and space, I felt honoured to have my calm nature reflected back to me and the sentinel affirm that. I was one with the herd and one with myself. I could stand calm and strong! What a magical reflection.

We learn from the science and the magic. We find the answers within when we allow the horses to turn us around and face ourselves. We ALL need the horses! ~*~

1.Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself: How to Lose Your Mind and Create a New One, Joe Dispenza 2.http://precedings.nature.com/documents/3454/version/1/files/npre20093454-1.pdf 3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kyfm5_LLxow