No more lingering in the melon-colored dusk,

grazing late to the barn. The pasture is finished,

even the weeds only skeletons. Overnight, the

horses prefer barn-stored hay in the windbreak

of a south-facing barn. The light drops fast,

blood-splatter leaves in a green hedge. Pried from

my hand what I hold dear, instead wrapping my

arms over my chest, shoulders rounded to a truce.

“Come inside now, North Wind, burrowed into

the weave of my flannel. Bring the dark with

you.” Best to make friends with those reckoning

for payment due, this summer like none before.

…

Anna Blake at Infinity Farm

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Anna’s latest book, Going Steady: More Relationship Advice from Your Horse, is now available everywhere.

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Published on September 23, 2019 06:19

September 20, 2019

When Nice People Carry Whips.

“I just carry the whip. I don’t use it.” “I do liberty with my horse, it’s just an extension of my arm.” “I only hold one, it’s just part of the outfit.” “I would never hurt my horse.”

Other riders see carrying a whip as an evil thing. A sign of human cruelty. Fine, claim the high moral ground, but if your horse isn’t responsive to your requests and shows anxiety, then not using a whip hasn’t helped that horse be a solid citizen either. If we’re honest, there has probably been a time each of us has been frustrated enough to want a whip. On a bad day when nothing is working, even the idea of a whip can look like a beacon of white light in the fog of confusion.

We just want our horse to listen but the more we want it, the less they appear to do it. So, we escalate. It isn’t that we go crazy flailing a whip and draw blood. Never. But our anxiety rises, our ego or feelings of failure grow and impact the horse. Whether we use a whip or just ask louder because it’s what we’ve been taught, we do it because it is human nature to want our way. Maybe you don’t use a whip but instead, swing a rope. Still, you are kind, so you never touch your horse. You tap the whip on the ground or swing the rope close to the horse. Or maybe your voice tightens. It’s meant to be a threat; if the horse doesn’t respond, then a little more, and a little closer. A whip is a threat, but we can threaten without one just as well. Threats create a feeling of dread and insecurity. It’s stalking them like a coyote.

Sometimes I think the relentless waving and flapping we do, the continual threat a horse feels when a human is adversarial emotionally, is its own kind of cruelty. We get relentless and our cues are like run-on sentences with no punctuation. We ask, ask, ask. It’s pressure, whether we are waving aids around, or just nagging the old-fashioned way.

Whatever name you call the whip, and about twenty different names come to mind, what is it the horse thinks? We’ve all seen horses who are terrified by whips. We make judgments about his past, and how cruel training has ruined him. If only he had been loved. As if some version of love can’t be the base of wicked behaviors. Seeing a horse react fearfully is obvious, but that isn’t how the majority respond.

Most horses respond to loudness and training aggression by getting quiet. It’s a calming signal when a horse looks away or goes still, trying to let us know that they are not a threat. We ratchet up our training aid or our anxiety just a degree at a time, and the horse continues with his calming signals, hoping we will settle. The horse is answering our emotion, while we think he’s ignoring a task. Calming signals frequently look like training resistance, but we are so distracted by our desire for a certain answer from our horses that we miss the one they give us. We don’t want to dominate, but it feels like the horse isn’t listening to us. And the horse, eloquent in his calming signals, doesn’t think we are listening either.

Is it even possible for a horse to ignore a predator standing next to them? Can a prey animal ever forget his nature? Of course not, so the horse pulls inside himself more, and it looks like dull, flat resistance. Soul-killing for a human who loves horses and then feelings of inadequacy fill our body language, insecurity is internal pollution that impacts the horse’s confidence in us and himself. Would it be possible for a horse to read our white-hot, try-too-hard passion and love, our immense desire to do the right thing, as intimidating as a whip? If what we think is a positive message can be read by a horse as cruel noise, then what?

Overwhelm. Does it feel like everything a horse does is the rider’s fault? Placing blame, on either you or the horse, is a failure of leadership. Just stop taking it personally. Blame is about the least inspiring idea ever. At the same time, it’s always you that must change to get a different answer from a horse. We will never be able to control them, but if we can control ourselves, fundamental change is possible. Try to not see it as your fault, but rather your opportunity.

It starts with becoming aware. For now, don’t change anything. Just notice. Do you nag before he has a chance to answer? Do you cluck again and again without result? Does your lunge whip ever give a release/reward or is it wiggling in the air constantly, or is your rope always swinging? Can you feel the constant barrage of activity that shuts your horse down? As an exercise, give yourself a running commentary with each statement starting with the phrase, “I notice…” It’s easy to look at the horse’s behavior; he’s tense in the poll, he isn’t forward, he is over bent… but isn’t that the training equivalent of casting the first stone?

Instead of focusing on his actions, notice your own. It might go like this: “I notice I’m not breathing. I notice I feel tight in my chest. I notice my hands are busy. I notice I think too much about what my horse is doing to notice my own actions. I notice I need to start again.”

Yay. Because when we go into training mode, we need to think less in our brains and be more alive in our physical body. It’s staying energetically with our horse, who lives in the physical realm of calming signals. It doesn’t mean that we act out a frantic lap dance in the saddle. Horses never like the volume turned up too high. A horse rides the waves of our body language, where all truth about us is revealed. If our own energy is low and flat, usually from thinking too hard, we don’t need a whip. We need to inhabit our own bodies with the affirmative energy we hope to see in theirs. Like their calming signals model behavior they’d like to see in us, we can use our energy as a message back to them. One that they understand for its familiarity.

A whip is a way to win a debate, it cuts conversations short, but more than that, allows your body to have no authentic energy of its own. It’s your choice. Use the stick or don’t use a stick, but stop with the constant threats. Living under threat creates a culture of distrust.

Instead, challenge yourself to only say yes. Notice the focus needed to just be lighthearted. Fill your lungs with air spent in praise. Inspire active peace and energetic confidence with your body language. Controlling yourself will set your horse free. Then he can follow you by choice.

Anna Blake at Infinity Farm

Anna’s latest book, Going Steady: More Relationship Advice from Your Horse, is now available everywhere.

Working with riders of any discipline and horses of any breed, Anna believes dressage training principals build a relaxed & forward foundation that crosses over all riding disciplines in the same way that the understanding Calming Signals benefits all equine communication.

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Published on September 20, 2019 06:45

September 16, 2019

Photo and Poem: Black Bay

She was for sale: a black bay Arabian mare and

I was looking for a beginner lesson horse. Tacked

up when I arrived, I led her to the mounting block,

held the reins a bit too tight, poked her with my toe

as I stepped into the stirrup and then dragged my

leg over the cantle, sitting heavy as a test. Would

she tolerate a student? In the chaotic arena, a gelding

with his head tied around, barking dogs, a frantic

horse on a lunge line. I clucked and clamped my

thighs, the western saddle massive on her back.

She marched on; my spine resisted the sway of her

walk, as my mind resisted my own deception. Her

flank lifted my heavy calves and she blew out from

deep in her lungs, clearing her windpipe and I did

the same, taking her cue without thinking. Busted.

Her poll gave a small shake and I shrugged. The

mare went on to tell me about her canter, her mouth,

her training. I wondered about some dancing dressage

steps and she followed my lead. Thanking her with

a dismount, I loosened the girth, but the seller was

concerned. “So quick,” he said. “Did the mare do

something wrong?” His words sharp in the dusty air,

the mare’s eyes went still. Answering her first with a

breath, then him, “No, she told me what I need to know.”

for Embrace the Moment, my good mare, Grace.

…

Anna Blake at Infinity Farm

Anna’s latest book, Going Steady: More Relationship Advice from Your Horse, is now available everywhere.

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Published on September 16, 2019 05:36

September 13, 2019

The Real Helmet Heroes. (#ihad, #riders4helmets)

This week was ordinary in the horse world. We love horses, who have the quickest response time of any domestic animal. We love horses, who are prey animals with senses much more acute than ours and an instinct to spook, or bolt and run when frightened or alarmed.

There were no freak accidents this week, but naturally, someone got kicked in the head doing groundwork. It’s no surprise that someone had a wreck at the mounting block and someone else landed on a rock on the trail. Of course, someone’s horse tripped and fell; that’s what happened to Courtney. And a fair number of good horses predictably came apart, something they’d never done in their whole life. Someone got hurt on their first ride and someone got a TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) who’d been riding all their life. Someone is lucky to be alive and someone didn’t make it. And some little girl is wearing her purple helmet like a crown because it’s part of her horse outfit. It means she’s special and gets to ride.

Just like usual, no matter what story we tell ourselves, horses remain horses. Never under our control.

Awareness about helmet safety has grown over the years but also left a rift among riders. Some proudly say, “Every horse, every ride” and some defiantly refuse under any circumstances. Both sides take jibes at the other, while our national attention has focused on concerns about repetitive concussions in contact sports such as football and soccer. A study released by the journal Neurological Focus found most traumatic brain injuries involve horseback riding (45.2%) compared to contact sports (20.2%). Yikes, who are we kidding?

Riding is undeniably dangerous. But it’s in our blood, so passionate riders do the best they can for their horses, good training and the best care we can manage, but part of that is protecting ourselves, too.

Helmets save lives. It’s undeniable. That’s the message of the tenth annual riders4helmets International Helmet Awareness Day, the weekend of Sept. 14th and 15th. I’ve written along every year. I hope to appeal to a rider’s common sense. I try to stay positive as I warn about worst-case scenarios that are more common than we think. Even against undeniable research, some of us just won’t wear a helmet, not for our family or our horses or even for ourselves, so we can stay in the saddle as long as possible. I’ve heard every excuse from how uncomfortable helmets are (not anymore, technology has evolved dramatically) to my favorite, that the rider is too old to change (while holding a cell phone.) I wonder if you’d traveled and met the wide circle of riders I have, if you’d understand why my heart catches in my throat when I see a rider with a bare head.

I used to feel like I was failing, only preaching to the choir. Each year the reader’s comments told stories of courage and resilience, of helmets giving riders a greater chance to ride another day. I thought I was only reaching people who already agreed, but the problem I had in thinking that is the same problem people who don’t use helmets have: limited vision. I was missing the big picture. People don’t change from being called out or lectured to, or even asked by loved ones.

True change of any kind comes from those living the example. Science has proven that kind methods of horse training are more effective than old-school domination methods, but it takes seeing willing, confident horses working well to demonstrate its value. In the same way, when committed helmet-wearers put one on every ride with a smile, the world changes a little bit. When we strap a helmet on to load a horse as well as jump a jump, it’s an affirmation. When trainers wear them and ask their riders to join, it’s a culture. When parents wear helmets with their kids, the future improves because a physical example will always be greater than words.

Helmets are something that the U.S. is behind on. I often hear that the minority helmet-wearing riders get teased. I notice football players don’t get ridicule for their helmets, and horses make linebackers look puny, but here they are, grilling you. It’s a good day, smile at those bullies. It’s a backward compliment; if you weren’t on the right side, it wouldn’t happen. Besides, smiling makes them nervous.

Here’s to those horse people changing the world every day! Adult women in “horse-crazy” purple helmets and men who pull off a ball cap and strap on a helmet; bike, motorcycle, or horse. Here’s to the riders with a dorky sun visor strapped onto their helmet, fighting two issues at once. Here’s to driving home in your helmet because you forgot. Or helmet hair in the grocery store, because there are things more important, and besides, you still have your boots on. Here’s to taking your “hobby” seriously and doing the best in every way. Horses read that self-confidence and commitment, and give it back double.

Here’s to you, proudly wearing a helmet and celebrating your best life. If you have someone to thank for that, today is the day to do it. And if it was your idea, congrats on being a self-starter. Most of all, know the positive impact you are having in the world, the same ordinary horse world, by putting that helmet on, every horse, every ride. Stand tall in the credit you deserve. You are a hero.

…

Statistics: 60% of riding fatalities occur from head injuries. The number of rider deaths per year due to head injury is 60 (compared with 8 for football.) 45% of all TBIs (traumatic brain injuries) are horse related. Approximately 20% of accidents which result in head injury happen while the person is on the ground. As common for professionals as amateurs, there is no statistical correlation between skill level and injury likelihood. Head injuries are cumulative. An original head injury can be made much worse by additional concussions. Your injury risk depends on the height of the fall (24″ is enough), as well as the speed at which you’re traveling. Even a fall from a standing horse can be catastrophic.

If you have a hard impact blow while wearing your helmet, immediately replace it. There may be damage not visible to the eye. Replacing your helmet every four to five years is recommended.

Maybe it’s time to treat yourself to a new helmet, on sale at a 2019 participating retailer at https://bit.ly/2xM4EYJ

…

Anna Blake at Infinity Farm

Anna’s latest book, Going Steady: More Relationship Advice from Your Horse, is now available everywhere.

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Published on September 13, 2019 05:23