 | |
| Eyes of Wisdom, Purebred Sorraia stallion, Altamiro |
In the eyes of the Sorraia stallion, Altamiro (likewise in those of his mares and offspring), there emanates an earthy, encyclopedic wisdom that was either missing, or incompletely expressed among the domestic breeds of horses I have known. It is not a sagaciousness my human interactions with them have instilled - it has nothing to do with "training" or "conditioning", rather, it appears to be the natural state of beingness for all entities that live fully integrated with the wild, windswept environment. What I experience with these horses is that their beingness is a radiating self-awareness which perceives and interacts effortlessly with the pulsating entelechy of all that surrounds them.
 |
| Altamrio and his son, Interessado (out of Ciente, a Kiger Mustang mare of Sorraia type) |
Appraising this phenomenon from a broader focus I've noted that while the unbounded luminous liquidity of the eyes seems to provide the most direct display of this expansive intelligence, the same perspicaciousness exudes from the ridges of Altamiro's nostrils, the curve of his neck, the placement of his limbs, the intake and exhaling of his breath, the rotation of his ears...all have significant meaning.
 |
| Altamiro |
Ethological studies of equines define these aspects in ways that reduce them to behavioural and instinctual commodities - "fixed action patterns" which can be useful for us to gain familiarity with as we pursue particular activities with horses, but which have far too often the effect of stereotyping, pigeon-holing and distancing especially when they serve as a basis for training systems that exploit and subject these noble entities, further limiting our perception of what horses truly are.
 |
| The self-aware eyes of Bella |
 |
| Sedutor (Altamiro x Zorita) |
 |
| Altamiro and the amazing ever-shifting hue of the colour grullo |
 |
| Capaz (Interessado x Pinoteia) |
...And what are horses, truly?
 |
| Altamiro, demonstrating the "driving gesture" |
You will find no dearth of answers to the question (of what horses are) from published sources and from the abundance of strongly-opinionated "horse people". For most of my life I only "knew" horses in relation to what these sources and people defined them to be and I interacted with them accordingly, accumulating some wonderful memories as well as some regrettable ones - with not a one arising from a fully aware, self-actualized state of beingness in myself or the horses. Thus there was no lasting bliss, no enduring satisfaction... This journal entry is not about those times, however, and such recapitulations are best left behind.
 |
| Sandhill Cranes on their way to their nest in the Ravenseyrie marshland |
 |
| A Raven flying over Ravenseyrie |
 |
| Windswept mane of a young Sorraia |
 |
| Altamiro and the sunlit grasses, sharing the glowing colours of late summer |
Since taking up residence here at Ravenseyrie, more and more my humanness is vibrating on a frequency where winged shapes passing in front of clouds, equine manes rippling in quickened breezes and sunlit whisperings of dried grasses have more meaningful information to impart to me than does the voice of CBC radio or the content of the latest article on horsey matters.
 |
| Whitetail deer grazing nearby the "wild" horses of Ravenseyrie |
So much have the horses drawn me into their multi-dimensional culture and wilderness landscape that I no longer depend upon books or videos to tell me more about what horses truly are, and for the most part I have been able to shake off the many pre-conceived ideas such books instilled in me. I learn about horses, now, from the paths they have made through the forest, the bite marks they leave on the trees, the direction they take at midday when crossing the grasslands and from the way the birds and deer and other creatures react to their presence in different sectors of the preserve.
 |
| One of the many paths our "wild" horses have made in the Ravenseyrie forest |
 |
| Dancing Sandhill Cranes in the grassland at Ravenseyrie |
 |
| A "murmuration" of Starlings swoop low over the "wild" horses of Ravenseyrie |
 |
| Esperanda (Altamiro x Ciente) |
Not one bit of it is random and while some of it follows a seasonal repetition, there continues to be amazing, novel alterations and adaptations made by the horses which demonstrate to me there is nothing biologically or psychologically static about them. As often as they exhibit those "fixed action patterns" there are innumerable times when they deviate from applied classifications. In addition to observing and participating in the horses' activities (which are not so scientifically boxed after all), I find I am awakened, as never before, to the open spiral of the landscape itself as I view it now, not just through my eyes, but through theirs as well.
 |
| Altamiro, authentically himself in all things |
What I also see in Altamiro's eyes is complete authenticity, and it draws me away from who I imagine myself to be. What I feel, when among the horses and the grasses and the winds, is my original nature is no longer subverted by the confines of cultural shaping, thus quite frequently I cease to make a distinction between my human self and all that is. It is no longer just a woman observing the world around her...it is also the world observing her, appraising her with exquisite clarity, reminding her she belongs to a non-dualistic organic consciousness - a primal state of Universal Awareness from which all arises. Then, what humans have taught me about horses - that they are considered to be a prey animal, that I should be mindful of my body language, that I should never look a stallion in the eye, feed him from my hand or kiss him on his noble muzzle - and all manner of dos and don'ts completely melt away... There, simply (wonderfully), is a resonance of unity and love. Here there is no need to cerebrally contemplate how to respond to each other - the state of unity and love provides, spontaneously, the appropriate body language and right response - unfailingly, whether it be that the horses and I curl into each others bodies with soft murmurings or stamp our feet and shout to define a boundary essential in that moment.
 |
| Gosto (Altamiro x Bella) |
Living like this - even with the sometimes frenetic dynamics, perpetual changes and harshness of weather extremes, there is, for all of us, a lasting bliss, an enduring satisfaction and self-actualization...you can see it in our eyes.
 |
| Fidalgo (Altamiro x Belina) and Capaz (Interessado x Pinoteia) |
 |
| Altamiro, Pinoteia and Capaz |
 |
| Interessado and Altamiro, eye to eye |
16 comments:
I am constantly amazed at the changing colors of these horses coats. They truly are beautiful animals.
Gorgeous photos!
What you say is so true, especially: "...reduce them to behavioural and instinctual commodities - "fixed action patterns" which can be useful for us to gain familiarity with as we pursue particular activities with horses, but which have far too often the effect of stereotyping, pigeon-holing and distancing."
I get as frustrated when I hear horses thus talked about as I would if someone were pigeon-holing my behavior into "drives" and "instincts" and "complexes" etc etc. There is a desire in the mind to reduce things to machinery and mechanism, which is a particularly insidious form of oppression.
My daughter works with special ed kids, and she likes to text me the cool things they say. For example, the other day she was trying to get a boy to do math, and he said to her, "Stop trying to take away my imagination - I need it!" Another time, one of them said to her, "You teachers think you have soooo much power, but you'll never be able to stop me from dancing." And he proceeded to dance, and they couldn't stop him. And because it's a special ed school, which I'm convinced are much better places than regular schools, it was ok.
Are Altamiro and Interessado friends again?
Dear Lynne,
As always your words and photo’s form such a precious gift of unique observation. It is like I can almost touch “it” but not quite. To be able to develop such awareness I think you have to live “in the wild” like you and Kevin do. Although I experience similar moments with my horse when we are out walking and exploring the woods that surround us, they are only a few precious moments. You are living the dream. And lucky for us, sharing it in such a wonderful artistic way. Thank you so much!
The horses look so wonderful! Their presence and awareness almost jumps from the photo’s :-)
Miek
Lynne, I hope you don't mind - I took the liberty of linking to this entry from my blog, and quoting from it.
Anonymous wrote:
"I am constantly amazed at the changing colors of these horses coats."
It is true the particular way the pigment within each hair shaft is distributed "catches" the light in quite a variety of interesting ways. Sometimes it makes the darker grullos (like Altamiro) look not so dark after all, an illusion of sorts. For example, many of the photos of Altamiro in this particular journal entry were taken on the same day, a week or so ago and the alterations in hue are not due to seasonal coat changes, but the way the light is striking each shaft of hair and the overall cumulative effect it presents.
Fascinating to me and at some point I hope to see what these shafts of hair look like under the microscope.
June wrote:
"There is a desire in the mind to reduce things to machinery and mechanism, which is a particularly insidious form of oppression."
It has its benefits and merit. The problem lies in the way "rationalism" and "empiricism" pretend to be the only way we can truly know anything about anything.
Intuitively acquired knowledge, as well as the way our magnetic heart resonance perceives and learns about the world around is have too long been marginalized.
The quotes from the special ed kids were delightful.
Thanks for your comments, June, and of course it is just fine for you to link to a blog entry of your own.
Annemiek wrote:
"To be able to develop such awareness I think you have to live “in the wild” like you and Kevin do."
It can be a great facilitator of awareness, but I don't think it is something that only happens when living in the wilderness. It is a state of mind/body that occurs anywhere, but one must first discard the extraneous "noise" that vies for (or dulls) our senses. Imagine sitting in a concrete apartment in Berlin, observing the cold winter sun filtering through the window, listening to it as if it were singing and feeling it within the solar plexus, tingling in your fingers, etc...Such simple, humble observations awaken us, I think, and if done routinely - as a way of living - makes room for an authentic, lasting awareness that colours the world in beauty. Preoccupation with human-centred dramas, hectic over-stimulation and materialism generate ugliness.
I'm glad you enjoyed this journal entry and can appreciate the "presence" of the horses captured in photos. I really appreciate your taking time to read and leave your comments!
I think it's very true about the dangers of being hectic. Horses just don't get caught up in our scheduling, and we can't easily learn from them if we try to insist on it. I'm thinking of adopting a motto for my trimming business: "Because I DO have all day."
Of course often horses are super-fast reactors, which is the other end of the spectrum, the end where I find myself caught flat-footed!
Lynne, that is a wonderful essay. Thank you for writing it.
And how could you ever not "kiss him on his noble muzzle" so touching - he was, is, your indigo child - because surely they are here to teach us, and maybe free those of us who want to be free to be :)
jmci wrote: "Of course often horses are super-fast reactors, which is the other end of the spectrum, the end where I find myself caught flat-footed!"
So true! One can understand why over the centuries humans have used selective breeding and coercive training in an attempt to desensitize and dull/dumb-down horses' natural responsiveness to the world around them, hoping to make them reactive only to those things we desire quick responses to. All too often training imposed on horses is based on extracting them from their equine realm and through varying degrees of isolation and intimidation systematically "re-programming" them to be work or pleasure apparatuses to satisfy human needs and desires.
How interesting to see the many ways humans now seek to establish a different, more horse-centred relationship with these fantastic beings and to realize that with a perceptual shift, a slower pace of interaction and heightened awareness & appreciation for the true nature of horses we can get along beautifully without killing the wild essence that throbs within even the most domesticated horse.
Máire wrote: "Lynne, that is a wonderful essay. Thank you for writing it."
Thank you for reading it, Máire! Like you noted on your own blog, more and more I am finding that writing about the horses is more difficult - not because I don't have things I want to share about them, but that putting such things into words is like trying to take a photo of the inner radiance of a rainbow, or the awesome majesty of a mountain...the minute one tries to describe such things in words or images, certain features are diminished and lost because they can only be experienced and felt in the heart. But...we keep trying and sometimes the essence touches another and inspiration blooms.
Christine wrote: "he was, is, your indigo child - because surely they are here to teach us, and maybe free those of us who want to be free to be"
Christine, thank you for reading and leaving a comment! You will have to tell me what an "indigo child" is...what that phrase means because I am unfamiliar with it.
It is a curious thing when you think about it...how we humans tend to want to imagine that horses and other elements in the natural world are here to teach us or heal us or free us, etc.
In reality, it is only each individual who can teach herself, free herself...if horses facilitate our inner capacities I do not feel it is by some determination they have made or by intervention of divine grace but because their authentic "beingness" is essentially inspiring in and of itself.
To be free, we direct our attention and energy to disentangling all those things that bind us...think of all those things in our human lives that we've accumulated through fear and desire that are actually generating more fear and desire - see how hollowly addictive they are? No wonder we are inspired by the fluid motion of equine bodies moving through the wilderness!
Hi Lynn,
After I wrote the above post, I really wished I had not. It sounded silly even to me, because I was suggesting by my words, that once again the horse is here to serve our, or my human purpose. They are here because they are, and they are everything that is beautiful to me. They have something inside them and about them, that I would like to emulate or learn again. I think maybe it was something I had a long time ago and would like to have it again. I spent so many years in a corporate environment, that although I was productive, I had very little real joy. And now that I have recently left that world behind to live on a pine plantation forest outside of Barrie (Ontario) I have time and space from noise to, as you wrote above - direct our attention and energy to disentangling all those things that bind us.- That is where I am and thank you for responding as you did, even if I did make myself sound silly in my own ears, I appreciate your response, in a way it gives words to the feelings I have. Everything that played out before today, are things that brought to where I am, and for that I am greatfull.
Regarding my Indigo Child comment, this is a phrase often used by Spiritual People - and 'what' a spiritual person is, I'm not exactly sure, but people I know who believe themselves to be spiritual, say to me, that I am a spiritual person also. If being outside with my animals and all the woodland animals and finding my most joy therein, is spiritual, then maybe that's what 'they see'.
Indigo Child describes a unique and empathetic child that may (or may not) lead others to a more fulfilling self awareness. And I saw Altamiro, whom you came together with those years ago, a gawky, young animal not nearly developed, and who is now so magnificent, because of an association you made together, as an Indigo Child is some sense of that phrase, to you. Your love and devotion, so apparent in your words and pictorials make me think that he has been particularly inspiring to you.
Christine
Christine wrote: "Indigo Child describes a unique and empathetic child that may (or may not) lead others to a more fulfilling self awareness. And I saw Altamiro, whom you came together with those years ago, a gawky, young animal not nearly developed, and who is now so magnificent, because of an association you made together, as an Indigo Child is some sense of that phrase, to you. Your love and devotion, so apparent in your words and pictorials make me think that he has been particularly inspiring to you."
Thank you Christine for helping me understand what an "Indigo Child" is. I also looked it up on the internet and read more about it...which prompted reflection within me on how much more meaningful I feel it is to not label certain individuals as more "spiritual", "gifted" or "special" than others - which reinforces separation and duality even as it (in the case of the Indigo Child) is meant to demonstrate how such individuals guide others to a similar state of beingness. But it is a mental game we humans are in the habit of playing - remaining blind to our own charisma as we become devotees of those we feel have something we do not.
These days I'm feeling we all are like these Indigo Children, and as you noted it is not just a human form that is an "Indigo child", but a horse can be as well - to which I would add also a slant of light, the sound of the wind moving through pine boughs...even rusted metal in a dump. How can this be so? Because the separation is an illusion...the Ocean is one and any drop from it is as wet as another...and as pregnant with potential.
You also wrote: "I think maybe it was something I had a long time ago and would like to have it again."
You were born from it and to it - therefore how can you have something "again" which has been with you all along?..this is the flicker of light you see growing in intensity, if you follow my meaning...
how much more meaningful I feel it is to not label certain individuals as more "spiritual", "gifted" or "special" than others...
Don't forget the law of attraction, Lynne. The colors of the rainbow touch each of us in different ways. Our heart must choose, this or that, it always does.
For me, in this portrait gallery of magnificent equines, it is Capaz. Give him a nice scratch from me.
I am relieved to discover that the Googles that be made proving that I am not a robot a little easier :-)
Post a Comment