Equuality: Reflections on Life with Horses

Creating Balance

About the Book

Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony. -Thomas Merton

Many of the ponies we are asked to work with in our program have had "extensive training" before they get to us. This usually means they are spooky, shy, pushy, or some combination thereof, as many horse professionals have been trained to work from a purely physical standpoint.

Physical training goals often ask for greater and greater intensity: more trotting, tighter circles, bigger jumps, faster transitions. A horse who has been worked with intensity as the primary focus is not a happy horse. They are always worried about how big the next demand will be and what nagging or punishment will follow if they are unable to perform.

We recently took on a six-year-old Section A Welsh pony gelding who had been ridden, driven, and even jumped in shows with a youth rider. Even with all of this training and experience, he had a breakdown the first time we put a rider on him. He got extremely nervous and began alternating between freezing, bolting, rearing, and bucking.

As a breed, the Section A Welsh were developed for hard labor in the rocky, muddy mountains of Wales. They are extremely concerned with feeling balance in their bodies and having a clear understanding of their job. This pony had been put to work, but had not been given the opportunity to find his role. Mostly he had been asked to just hand over his body and hope for the best. Because he had also been pushed to do increasingly intense physical tasks before he was prepared, the pony felt real corporeal imbalance.

A happy soul, horse or human, is one that is balanced on the intellectual and emotional axis as well as the physical plane. This balance is created through order, rhythm, and harmony. We only ask a horse to give what he can offer, never pushing him past his limits. We must play in an environment that is emotionally stable, where the horse feels safe. We must create situations where the horse knows the expectations and is not surprised by violent changes in criteria. We set up puzzles for the horse to solve, rather than tasks for him to perform. We use repetition to increase his confidence and variety to keep him engaged. In these ways, and many others, we develop a happy horse who is balanced and fulfilled.

When we began to work this particular pony, our focus was to bring him back into balance. We observed that he tended to brace when standing and that his movement was whip-like rather than smooth and flowing. We determined that these physical issues and many of his emotional issues were rooted in the fact that he did not feel stable in his body.

We began creating games to play with him that would address his physical concerns. These games allowed him to come into balance intellectually, through the use of his analytical brain. There were no punishments, but ample rewards and clear expectations that created a safe environment, allowing him to come into balance emotionally as he came into balance physically.

The first couple of sessions were very challenging, both for him and for us. Each day felt like a roller-caster ride. Over time, the peaks and swells began to round out and we began to have sessions with consistent emotional and physical balance throughout. We achieved this balance by starting over as if he were a brand new colt. We did not progress to the next step in the process until he could offer the desired behaviors in a totally calm way. As he grew to be able to offer what he was confident we might ask for, he became a participant in the order of things, finally feeling like he had some ability to set the rhythm of the lessons. He had much to offer and his openness created harmony.

As is often the case, as soon as the pony decided he could let go of the bad things that he thought were true, the changes were fast and complete. Within two weeks he was hardly recognizable. He stood calm and relaxed. His movements were fluid, rhythmic, and straight. He would happily give rides to a lighter adult instructor and our twelve-year-old students. Our "forwardaholic nutcase" had transformed into a peaceful, kid-friendly mount. All it took to help him be happy was the use of harmony, rhythm, and order to create balance.