Horse Communication
Beyond Action & Words
The range of communication we receive from a horse can be the white-eyed look of panic to talk to the butt. I hear frequently from horse owners “I love my horse but she just walks away from me” or “I can’t catch my horse”. So how do we communicate with our horses in an effective way? How do we maintain our patience while controlling our frustration when our horse seems to care less that we love them, or responds in dangerous ways when we only want the best for them?
There is a myriad of training techniques that can provide you some answers to these basic issues, but there is also a form of communication that you can add to your toolbox of techniques that will strengthen your communication with your horse. So let me ask you, are you aware that scientists have determined that our brains are like a radio receiver and transmitter? Research has discovered that our brains have a neurotransmitter energy transmission range of about 10’ from our bodies, receiving and sending a vibratory energy frequency (VEF). This is why we can often finish the sentence of a loved one, or they say what we were just thinking – we are sharing our neurotransmitter energy field with them and are on the same vibratory frequency. But check this out - the neurotransmitters that are in our brains sending and receiving the virtual energy field (VEF) is not limited to the brain in our heads! Every organ in our body has neurotransmitters, and that includes our skin as the largest organ of our bodies - it’s like a brain in each of our organs. Just think about it, if we can communicate through our brain’s VEF, which is kind of like telepathy, imagine how we can communicate using our entire body’s VEF? So to put it into terms of horses, who have neurotransmitters in their organs too and they are large animals, the question begs what is your body saying to your horse on a VEF level and how can we use this transmission to improve our communications with our horses?
Horses need to trust us in order to be safer and calm around us right? For example, say you are working with your horse perhaps demonstrating your herd leadership, but your body is sending a message of worry, anxiety, or fear - how does your body line up with your intention of teaching your horse that you are their herd leader? The answer is Authenticity!! Being authentic, being honest, while aligning your intention is the magical combination for deeper communication and trust between you and your horse. This goes for humans too – you know that feeling when you meet someone who you feel you can’t trust, but can’t put your finger on why? Well that’s because your body is receiving the message that the person’s intention is not aligned with who they really are (authenticity), they are incongruent. Imagine how that must be for horses….. We may be feeling “off”, worried about our job or relationship with someone, but we “stuff it” and go work with our horses. We expect them to respond to our training gestures and commands, but they seem “off” and not responding as we wish. What is your body saying vs. your gestures and commands? If you are out of alignment with your intention vs what is really go on in your life, your virtual energy field (VEF) is going to reflect that. Your horse is feeling you are inauthentic, incongruent, so now you are untrustworthy, and what does a horse do when they can’t trust a human – all sorts of unexpected or dangerous behaviors.
Horses require authenticity in their leaders and as you know you do to. So how do we align our intention with what is really going on within ourselves (authentic self)? The answer is honesty and awareness, plain and simple. Be honest with yourself and check in with your body to see what you are really feeling and what your VEF is transmitting. For example, when I’m struggling with an issue that is non-horse related I recognize that this is going to reflect when I go to work with my horse. I also recognize my horse is genetically wired to require a herd leader at all times, but I want to be the compassionate herd leader nonetheless, so that requires me being honest about how I feel. Being honest with your horse is to actually verbalize what is going on with you – you’d be amazed what a relief you will feel once you verbalize your troubles to your horse and often this will invoke a sigh from your horse. Our words have a virtual energy field too which is why I encourage using your words when with your horse. Tell the truth about how you feel and what is going on, give it a try and experience for yourself the deeper rapport and improved communication with your horse.
Authenticity – Alignment – Intention – Magic is what you will discover when realizing there are greater components of communication besides our words and body language, that there is a vibratory energy frequency (VEF) that is communicating too.
As an internationally recognized Gentle Horse Trainer and member of the Association of Professional Humane Educators, Missy pioneered the WHOLE horse training methods on the foundation of DO NO HARM. Missy is the producer of the famed, “free for viewing” Training the Whole Horse® and Starting Under Saddle video series plus founder of HorseMAREship™, and DO NO HARM Productions plus creator of the All-In-One Bitless Bridle. For more information visit Missy Wryn’s website at MissyWryn.com or call toll free (888) 406-7689.