Horse Logic

Horse Logic Did You Provide a Job Description?

by Nicole Birkholzer

Did you know that your horse wants to know what you expect of him? Making sure your horse understands your requests or the job you want him to perform can resolve a lot of miscommunication issues.

Most likely, your horse has been trained by someone else before he came into your life. This was true for Rio, a

stunning steel-gray Quarter Horse. He had been trained out of state for reining and had successfully competed. When Jill tried Rio, she knew right away that this was her next prospect to take her training business and competing to the next level. She felt an instant connection with Rio and was excited to connect under saddle.

A few months into their partnership, Jill reached out to me. She felt that Rio was holding back and wondered what he needed to succeed with her.

When I tuned in to Rio, he immediately shared that Jill used her inner thighs a lot during their rides. He was surprised by the activity of her legs and wasn’t sure how to respond to it. Jill explained that she was using her legs to encourage Rio to move forward with little success. Jill shared that most of the riders in the reining industry use their heels and spurs to motivate the horse to move out. She had found that using her thighs and lower legs was a kinder and more effective way to gain speed; however, Rio didn’t respond as expected.

Turning the conversation back to Rio, I explained to him that Jill was using

her legs to move him into the next higher gear. Rio’s job was simply to read the squeeze as a signal to speed up. I then suggested that Jill use her heels briefly and then follow up with a squeeze to make the connection for him. Rio agreed that it would be helpful if Jill created a bridge to remind him of the meaning behind the new body signal.

A few weeks later, I ran into Jill and asked how Rio was doing. Jill replied that Rio was a different horse. During their next ride following our conversation, Rio responded to Jill’s aid like a charm. And, she had taken him to a schooling competition where he effortlessly scored just one point below the perfect score.

Bringing Jill and Rio together was simple. One conversation provided clar-

Rio Rio and Jill

ity. This just goes to show that our horses are more than willing to support us, if they know how.

The same was true for Dunn, a beautiful chestnut Quarter Horse. Dunn works as a therapy horse in a program that offers team-building exercises. Because of my background in therapeutic horseback riding and coaching with horses, I enjoy communicating with equines from these programs.

I had previously communicated with the other horses in the program, but Dunn had seldom spoken up. This time, the program director contacted me because she was concerned that Dunn did not enjoy working with clients. For exam-

ple, when clients tried to lead Dunn to a specific place or over an obstacle, Dunn would often pin his ears and even try to snap at the person or bite the lead rope. Based on these behaviors, the director felt Dunn was angry, and she wanted to understand why.

The director shared that their clients were taught simple natural horsemanship techniques to help them experience their bodies in collaboration with the horse in the program. For example, a client might ask the horse to move his hind end over a few steps by focusing on the horse’s flank and hind end. If the horse did not respond, the person was asked to tune into their own body and increase energy into their solar plexus to encourage the horse to move.

When I tuned into Dunn, he immediately explained that he was not angry, but frustrated — with these sessions specifically. When I asked him why they were frustrating, he explained that he was bored with learning the same thing over and over. He also explained that he was a well-trained horse and being asked to perform these moves by people who were not clear about what they wanted was frustrating.

I quickly asked the other herd members what they thought of their work. Did they have the same impression or frustration? Two of the horses immediately perked up and showed me a visual of how they handle the clients. When the horses

enter the ring with a client, they feel the often-muddled movements and energies coming from the client. Both horses explained that they simply let that energy wash over them.

They know not to respond to that type of energy and motion. Instead, they wait for the person to work through their emotions and organize their movements before responding. In short, these horses understand that they are here to teach people to be in balance. Once the person is in balance, they can work harmoniously together.

As I explained this to the director, Dunn suddenly spoke up. He said, “Teacher? I did not know that the horse was the teacher.” He then showed me various short clips, like video footage, from his

Dunn

younger years. Someone was teaching him how to move his body on a long line. He learned to move this way and that way and eventually became a well-trained horse.

Since starting at this program, Dunn felt he was not good enough. He wondered why someone would put him through the same paces every week, sometimes several times a week, when he knew all those moves already.

Dunn did not know his job description. He had arrived three years earlier to be part riding horse for the owner and part co-facilitator in the equine program. Unfortunately, because no one had explained the who, what, and how of the second part of his job, Dunn was frustrated and bored with being repeatedly put through the same exercises and felt poorly about himself.

It was clear what had to happen. First, Dunn had to understand what his job as a therapy horse entailed. I explained that he was in this program to teach people about themselves, and suggested that the three of us develop a statement describing the job. We landed on: I am in my power as a teacher to show humans who they are and what they can work on to become more embodied and coordinated to become good communicators.

I know it is a mouthful, but we squeezed all aspects of Dunn’s job into this statement. In his power as a teacher, Dunn’s job is reflecting to humans how they show up, and the need for them to be more embodied and coordinated (aware of their body and energy) in order to communicate clearly and effectively.

I asked Dunn if he was ready and willing to embody this statement as his new mantra, and he agreed. I suggested using plant medicine to help integrate this new understanding, and Dunn agreed. He picked German chamomile, which I found fascinating. I usually think of chamomile as a belly soother, but when I read the benefits of chamomile out loud, Dunne explained that he picked it because German chamomile also quiets “hot” emotions — inspiring patience, hope, and forgiveness.

As we used chamomile to help Dunn integrate this new belief, I could feel a sudden buoyancy from him. His energy felt lighter and I heard him say, “I am faculty!” The director and I cracked up. “Yes,” I said, “You’re faculty. You’re the teacher!”

I could feel the relief Dunn experienced as he realized how much this new understanding was changing his life. I don’t know if you have ever had a moment like this — when one of your beliefs is turned on its head, and you see a new perspective that changes every part of your life? That happened to Dunn when he realized that he could shift his entire experience into a new paradigm: He was the teacher.

Even if Dunn was awkwardly asked to move this way or that way by clients, his job was not to follow the request blindly but to calmly and quietly reflect the person’s awkwardness. It was up to the person to inquire within and adjust. He and the human facilitator were there to hold that space for the client.

Dunn asked the director to explain this shift of perspective to all human staff. Dunn explained that this was a new understanding, and he was new in this role of teacher. He wanted the team to remind him occasionally of this new role.

I explained to the director that it was paramount to support Dunn in this new endeavor by saying to him every time before a client session:

You are in your power as a teacher to show humans who they are and what they can work on to become more embodied and coordinated to become good communicators.

And, if Dunn shows any frustration when working with a client to remind him again that he is the teacher.

“Just to demonstrate,” I explained, “If I saw Dunn pinning his ears or snapping at a client or me, I’d say, ‘Wait a moment; remember, you are well-educated and are here to teach what you know.’ And I bet Dunn will catch himself and realize his new role.”

Dunn was a riding horse. When he came to his new home three years ago, he did not realize that he was, in part, hired as a professional. The program director reports that Dunn is now feeling and acting much better in his sessions.

If you expect a response but do not

get the desired result, verbally explain to your horse what you need. And if you expect your horse to fulfill a specific job, provide a clear job description.

The biggest secret is not that we can speak telepathically with animals. The biggest secret is that our verbal communication can provide clarity and solve issues yin a single chat.

Nicole Birkholzer professionally and telepathically communicates with animals across the world. In her phone sessions and workshops, she helps you discover the secret to communicating with your animals successfully. Nicole shares the world through your animal’s eyes in her podcast, Let’s Have a Chat! She’s the author of Pet Logic and Horse Logic. To learn more, visit mindful-connections.com.

LET’S HAVE A CHAT! with Nicole Birkholzer

DO YOU WONDER when your companion shows a quirky or unexpected behavior? There is a reason for it. Tune in to “Let's Have A Chat!” as Nicole Birkholzer, animal communication specialist, author, and inspiring speaker explains the world through our animals’ eyes. Listen in and discover the secret to communicating with your animals successfully. mindful-connections.com