Horses as healers

Note: This is unscientific and unproven, only smatterings of my own observations.



Thoroughbreds:

"They're hot."

"They don't think."

"They're dangerous."

"They're crazy."

Yeah, they can be. But as pointed out in this post on the Retired Racehorse blog, they can be amazingly patient and kind and careful. Check out Zenyatta and her autistic friend Jack.

Now I don't know a lot about autism (though I did just start reading Horse Boy and have read a book called Speed of Dark) but what I've read often mentions sensory overload--basically too much for the brain to deal with at any given moment and not having the neural processes in place to channel that energy and frustration in what are considered "normal" ways.

Sound a little bit like horses in general and what people consider typical in Thoroughbreds.

Bar seems to have a sensitivity and responsiveness to energy around him that often surprises me. At first, I thought it was just horse energy--other horses setting him off, making him nervous--which made sense from the track background. It's almost like getting outside the pattern and routine of the track presents that horse brain with more options than they can figure out how to deal with, so they do what works for them and over-react.

In working with him, I've seen that it's not just other horses and it absolutely is affected by whatever is going on around him, including and particularly my emotions and energy. The calmer I am, the more confident I am, the better he is.

I've also seen both Bar and Lena bring their own energy down when another horse is acting out, becoming an anchor while another horse spins out of control. Maybe that's what horses sense with autistic people somehow.

No, Thoroughbreds--especially those right off the track--are not for the absolutely green beginner--though sometimes I think I came really close to that description when we got Bar--and they do present challenges and hurdles even for experienced riders. I certainly don't advocate an OTTB as a cure-all, either.

But if Zenyatta is a typical racehorse--a hot, crazy, Thoroughbred--she also has a side Jack can reach. Perhaps it is only that Jack doesn't expect her to be anything but what he perceives--grace, beauty, and gentle power.

More horse therapy

My daughter Katie had her first horse therapy session in awhile and by the looks of things, enjoyed it thoroughly.

She spent the first part of her session riding how she wanted--fast, just enjoying feeling Lena's power underneath her. Then she sat back and rode a little more conservatively, but not too. Mainly she just rode to get back to it and remember how we all got into this horse mess in the first place.

Why hasn't she been riding? Well, as sometimes happens with young women, a boyfriend entered the picture and took her focus for awhile. The rest of it is her story to tell, but she has more time to ride now and today she took advantage of it.

It was a good thing to see.

Horse therapists

Be careful what you wish for, sometimes it happens in unexpected and traumatic ways.

Just the other day, I was wishing I had more time to spend working with the horses. I'm making significant progress with Bar using the new training methods I'm trying and it's so cool! I realize patience is also important, but we are talking about me, here.

Then yesterday, 30 people from my company (about 13.5%) got laid off so O'Reilly can try to weather the economic downturn. I was one of them.

Naturally, I headed straight to the barn after I left the office for the last time, small box of personal items on the back seat of my truck, wads of Kleenex in my pocket.

I worked with Bar and even convinced Lena that the new rope halter was not going to eat her, which was a big step for her. I sat in the sun, cried a little, had my hair nuzzled, handed out treats, and scratched soft velvety noses. I brushed mud from both of their coats, cleaned feet, and put Show Sheen in their manes and tails.

I can't control the economy, and I'm not quite sure exactly where my next step is going to lead, but I do know that--right now, at least--nothing beats the simple and clear interactions these two four-legged therapists offer. Nothing. Thanks, guys.



And thanks again to Derrick Story for helping me take pictures of my dark brown horse. Derrick was also a victim of yesterday's layoffs, but he's still my go-to guy for photography advice.