I have got to admit that I have been a bit down lately and all those people who say "should" and "ought" will tell me that I "should" let things go and I "ought" not to mind. It all started when I went out to about four horses in a row where the owners seemed very happy about the work I did and yet I have received no feedback whatsoever. One was a pony where the owner was really extremely worried about loading him to go to his new yard and after a little groundwork he loaded for me without a murmur. Now I know I shouldn't thrive or survive on positive feedback especially when the horses generally tell me I've got it right, but I do and I know I shouldn't get emotionally attached to every horse I meet, but I do and I genuinely want to know how they are getting on afterwards. I especially wanted to know the outcome of the blood tests on the little horse I mentioned last week. This week has already started off with some very satisfying sessions - Talin went long lining in the inclosure and was perfect and the little section A I went to see today allowed himself to be touched with a plastic bag on a stick and then had his saddle on without any problems.
Interesting then to meet Margrit Coates tonight at a book signing at Waterstone's in Salisbury. She was asked whether she manages to let things go after what is always an emotional experience with an animal - she says that she has reached a stage where she does but that implies that she hasn't always been able to which makes me feel somewhat better. It's a wonder I haven't met Margit before as she only lives two villages away from me and I have been hoping to bump into her for a long time; fortunately she has heard of me too and we are going to get together in the next few weeks to talk about our work. I really do envy her her belief in what she does and I am certain that any hands on work with horses reaches their soul and helps them to get over past experiences. I'd love to ask her to work with Piper.
On the way home I was trying to work out whether our work could be truly compatible - if she is able to get an "in" to what has happened to them before (I can only make informed, sometimes very informed guesses) then surely my work with the horse and the owners can make it less likely that the same stresses or abuses will happen again or that the same emotional triggers will be activated. By promoting a more logical understanding of the way horses work and urging owners to meet their physical and emotional needs I'd hope that new abusive situations could be avoided. I also hope that I have a generally healing hand - horses always seem to go well for me and to become much calmer. Margrit is in the fortunate position of being able to be quite outspoken whereas I have to be mindful of IH as an organisation and try to be have to be very measured and diplomatic in my approach (that's not come out quite right, I am sure she has to be too). There are times when I long to shout out for equine rights and to bear a banner proclaiming "ban the flash noseband" and "more freedom for horses".
I do wish the bubble would burst for Parelli with it's emphasis on complete domination of the horse. Unfortunately the end results can look fantastic but the horse has to mentally leave the room to get through it and let me say it again, it does involve hitting horses. Again it really brought me down when one client told me how absolutely brilliant I was but then said that she was going to take the Parelli route.
On Tuesday last week I watched a dressage to music demonstration and despite a week having gone by, I still feel a great deal of disquiet about watching horses with their mouths strapped shut and splother running from their mouths and over their chests. Are those horses truly enjoying their work as much as their owners are enjoying their riding?
I am really looking forward to meeting Margrit again and also to the Mark Rashid demonstration which starts on 11th July.
