Have computer narrator Jennifer read this article to you
Imagine a life where you are surrounded by creatures that are unfamiliar to you; that look, act and move differently from you and even worse, smell like they have just eaten your best friend for lunch? They keep you enclosed in a confined area from which you cannot leave and they randomly come and get you, tie something to your head and drag you away from your family and friends...whether you like it or not!
EqThey tie you up to things so you cant escape and put you into places where you feel unsafe and uncomfortable, away from your friends and safety. They strap something tight around your back and belly, put something hard and metallic into your mouth with which to control you, climb on top of you and use you for transport, kicking you to get you to go and pulling on the metal thing in your mouth to stop you. All the while making growling noises in a language that is unknown and frightening to you. Should you try to get away, or get back to your friends, you get reprimanded and growled at for your troubles. In fact the more you struggle, the more they tie you up and restrict your movement until you have no choice but to succumb and do as they want. How long would the average human last if they were subjected to the same kind of treatment that many horses are on a daily basis? With only one of two options to choose from; either to give up and submit yourself to them, or break free in anyway you can and risk everything in the attempt. Fortunately, most people do not treat their horses like this on purpose, mostly weve just never thought of things from the horses point of view and don't know any different. Isn't it amazing, all things considered, that horses will do anything for us at all! Lets go back to our strange creatures again and now and imagine one that takes the trouble to really look at things from your perspective and to find out what you really need. One that learns to speak your language fluently and makes an effort to communicate with you, asking you questions and for your opinion. What kind of relationship would you form with this creature? How much harder would you try to please them? The essence of Quantum Savvy natural horsemanship is understanding what makes horses tick and learning how to interact with them in a way that they understand and as they would do with each other. In this way, humans can learn to influence a horses behaviour with respect and communication by creating rapport, rather than by using force, gadgets and training. In a nutshell, we need to learn what truly motivates horses, what their basic needs are and how to communicate positively with them.
-This article was written by Meredith Ransley